The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-17

.ECH,a or the Curry School. i
with conflicting shadows. Tho location
of school windows is an important mat
ter. and architects should be forced to
observe the proper rules and still mike
attractive sheci1cntions, as has been
done N many successful buildings con-.
3strhcted on the above plan. Windows
are best shaded NY light blue green or.
cream curtains. rolling from the bottom
to- the top OF the windows. However
necessary wooden blinds may seem for
the protection or rural schools, they are
3ntilshiicos II used for shades.
4 II. VENTILATION AND HEATING. 81
The ventilation OF schoolroonls Is tho
most neglected Of all hyEicnic problems
for the educator. The standard require
nent for ventilation Ia thirty cubic feet
of fresh air per minute for each pupil.
who should occupy about fifteen square
feet OF floor space and two hundred
c,bic feet OF hir space. The many In
furious effects OF impure air cannot
be discussed In this brief sketch, but I
hope to treat OF them at length later on
IL II possible In q r,iral or village school
to furnish each pupil With thirty. cubic
feet OF fresh air per minute. evenly
distributed without draughts and prop
lerly warmed IN cold weather. Here Is
truly q hard task for architect. principal
and tcncher--all three responsible In due
measure. Window ventilation Is fairly
good In warm weather, II the windows
are open both at top and bottom. and
there is a circulation OF air throughout tho
room. aided somewhat by transoms over
the doors. But when the weather gets
cool, the pupils near the windows natur-
ally complain. the windows IRE partly.
.,t<~ ,tof Inv, q
tied to parts OF the room or stopped alto
gether, and every minute every pupil
continues to vitiate thirty cubic feet
of the available and often hypothetical
pure ar In the room. We must have
special entrances for fresh air and spe-
cial exits for impure air. and these en-
frances and exits must be used continu-3
ously during school hours. These are
not luxuries. but necessities, and are not
expensive. but cheap-fars cheaper than
the health OF the pupils. AT recess all
we'll flushed. as, OF course, should be
done every morning before the opening
of school. ~ IS
In q school where each room has n
stove. the fresh air ducts. from some
clean place under or at the side OF the
building. should open near the bottom Of
the stove The stove should be in a
corner of the room. and be surrounded
by an iron Jacket. extending from the
floor three or four feet and being about
a foot or more from every side OF the
stove. There would. Of course, be & n
door In side OF the Jacket to allow
room for feeding the fire. The fresh air
would be heated In passing UP between
the stove and the Jacket, and, being
lighter, would continue toward the cell
Ing over toward the opposite corner OF
the room, falling as 1t cooled. The in1-.
pure air. being heavier. would 4 fall to-
ward the floor, and should be taken
out through a few exits. situated near
the floor in different parts OF the room.
The exit ducts could pass into the stove
smokestack OH tside of the room orlinto
a chimney heated by the presence of the
smoke-stack. The heat OF the stack
would make the impure air lighter, cause
IT to rise. and create sufficient vacuum
to draw more impure mir out Of the
room. Thus we would have a continuous
incoming OF fresh air and a continuous
outgoing OF Impure air. tSpace will not
permit my discussing several variations
of the plans suggested) The warmed air
would be deficient in moisture unless a
large, shallow pan OF water were kept
on the stove. The reliance upon direct
radiation from stove centrally located
recommend It.
n the rooms are heated by central
heating plant In the basement. the fresh
air, warmed By the furnace. would be
introduced by ducts into the rooms at
two or more places near the ceiling
preferably on the long side opposite the
windows). and the Impure air would be
taken out at two or more places near;
the floor sOf course. all entrances and
exits for the ducts should be. covered with:
an iron or wire netting II steam or
hot water radiators are used (pnd they.
are great collectors OF drt), the cold
fresh air would either be introduced near
the bottom OF the radiators in the rooms
and be warmed by passing over the pipes!
or (the best of all plans). the direct.
Indirect system proper could be used. !
the hot water or steam pipes passing
through the fresh air ducts. but not en-
tering the; rooms. Thus the warmed air.
would come into the rooms near the
ceiling. (The mechanical plenum and
vacuum systems are not often used In.
small schools, SO q dlscu ssion OF them
will be omitted here.) A Fireplace has
been recommended for small schools
partly for its heating advantages In mild
weather, partly for Its CHEEKY effect, but
mainly for Its value as a means Of ven-i
3tilaton. a small fire near the floor caus
Ing a draught which sucks out the inn
pure air. "A good temperature for Vir-.
ginia schools would be sixty-eight to
seventy-two degrees. Two thermometers
should be in each room, and they shosld
be examined hourly. so that the tempera-
ture Of the room can be carefully regu-5
lated. A bloodless teacher Is not good
for children.
I In all the above plans. the problems OF
ventilation and heating are grouped to-
gcthcr: they cannot be solved alone. y
ITO Be Continued Next sunday.)