The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-04
Condemns Several City Schools
as Being Unsanitary.
USING WELL WATER.
Calls Action About the Latrine
Closets Unfortunate.
In Monroe School There is Frog
Pond in Cellar.

the board of education Of criminal
neglect.
Not only did DR.. Menninger condemn
in most emphatic terms the sanitary
condition of several of the city schools,
and the High school building. but he
criticised the board of health for its
action in standing by the board of ed
ucation on the latrine closet matter
He said in an extended communication
to the board which was read at tho
meeting:
The action of this board on the sani-
tary condition of the l1trine closets of
the city schools regard as the most
unfortunate event in the history of
this board. The board las refused to
take the opinion of the mayors ap-
pointee on plumbing who is an expert
on this subject whose opinion comedies
with that of the best men on this sub
| ject in the land. BY your action you
| have assumed a responsibility which
you can not snirk. The occurrence of a
single case of typhoid fever, gastero-
/ enterio or zynotic disease among the
pupils in our city schools will be
neglect of the board of education in not
providing every possible sanitary and
health tending condition.
1T seems to me that the board of
Il
health of the city of Topeka can scarce
/ ly afford to assume such a responsible
/ ity. would most respectfully urge the
4 city board of health to make a thor
ough canvass of this situation, and re-
| consider the question, and place your
| selves fairly and squarely for health
and for sanitary condition of our
city
But the board of health received the
4 lashing of its chairman with placid
stubbornness, and did nothing more
f,-1-= -
/ evidently considers that a closed ques-
ton, and it does not want to again run
/ the risk of clashing with the board of
| education.
Menninger the board of health Endorsed
/ mis- criticism of the sanitary condition
of some of the school buildings in the
city, and ordered that those portions of
of education matters be sent to the
/ board Of education.
Frog Pond in the Cellar.
DR.. Menninger's Investigations of the
| conditions of the city schools have led
! to some sensational disclosures Monroe
school. at Fifteenth and Monroe. streets.
receives the following comment in DR..
Menninger's report:
Il desire to call especial attention to
the condition of Monroe school at the
corner Fifteenth and Monroe streets.
| The cellar is one immnese frog pond.
/ upon which green scum conferi abounds.
] his Is true not alone IN the wet season
/ but during the dry period of the year.
1 would urge the board to call the at
| tention of the school board to this fact
and recommend that the cellar be thor
| oughly drained, and that no means or
| effort be spared to remove the unsani-
| tary condition at this school also. Moth
/ ing but well water is used although
city water is to be had at not more
/ than $50 feet
Condemns Water Supply.
/ he Of
well water at certain schools. He says
| in his report:
81 would call attention to the con-
| dition of affairs at the Buchanan
| Twelfth streets. This is a district well
| supplied with city water, yet the
board of education compels the chill
| dren of this sch DOL to drink well water
| I am informed that they have laid
pipes from the main into the school
| building, but that no proper connec-
| ton has been made so that the water
can be used. I would especially en-
| phasize the fact that this is bad sani-
/ tation because of the bad condition of
the yards and alleys of this neighbor-
/ hood. We feel reasonably sure that
| the well water in this district is most
! unhealthful and we therefore urge the
! board to recommend that suitable
| water connections be made at this
| school building that the children
can drink city water instead of we'll
| water.
"At Branner school I find things
| somewhat better. I wish, however, to
| call the attention of the board to a
! large hole filled more or less with
| water throughout the entire past three
| months. It is not on the school
| grounds. but has been leased by the
school board, and therefore the board
| of education is responsible for its con-
| dition. I would recommend the i'm
mediate abatement of this nuisance.
"At Harrison school we have no
/ co nj annIfar4caS in hn hut
they are in the back of the yard. IN
so large a school, such sanitary appli-
anceS are certainly not conducive to
/ the best of health. and I find that
/ in the sanitary condition exists IN
| stead of proper drinking fountains,
/ they still use buckets and tin cups.
Now that vacation has come,
would like to make the following sug-
gestions for the best sanitary condi-
| ton of our public schools to be car
ried out during vacation:
''F'irst-Au the walls ought to be
recall cimined. or at least washed with
a sanitary wash: the floors ought to be
washed with this solution, and the
woodwork reprinted and disinfected,
the window castings and panes washed
ment cleaned and ventilated. the cloak
rooms. halls. and rooms themselves
thoroughly fumigated, and in case of
outcloSets, to be cleaned and gener-
ously supplied with chloride of lime
and locked so as to keep out the rab-
BILE.
Although it was intimated that the
board of education had condemned
the sanitary appliances at the High
school, yet no public steps have been
taken to abate this nuisance. All the
while the school is in use, and there
is no telling what amount of sickness
may be due to this criminal neglect
would most urgently request that
the board Of health of the city of To-