The San Francisco call., 1908-03-12
ASKS $4,000 TO
BUILD FIRE ESCAPES
Board OF Education Makes Sixth
Request for Safety of
Scholars
All Narrow Stairways to Be
Widened Is Plan OF Super
intendent Roncovieri

An appropriation Of $4,000 for inn
mediate use in putting fire escapes on
IS public schools of San Francisco now
almost without protection of any sort
from fire was asked from the super
visors yesterday by the board of edu-
cation, which held its regular meeting
at Pine and Larkin streets.
The board also adopted FIVE sweep
ing lamentations by School super
intendent Roncovieri, which will entail
the practical remodeling OF many
schools in making for fireproof con-
ditions. In the request for a hre
escape appropriation, embodied in
resolution presented by Director ID.
Oliver Jr., the attention of the super
visors was called TO the fact that on
FIVE previous occasions the board or
education has asked for similar ap-
preparation without success
The 26 schools all of more than one
story and most of them three stories
in height. will be equipped with escapes
as soon as the money becomes avail
able. Just what sort of an escape will
be used has not been settled as yet, but
will be finally decided at a meeting Oh
the supervisors, public works board,
board of education and the city archl-
tect. The directors were strongly op-
posed to the old fashioned iron ladder
escapes, and winding stairways built on
the outside of walls probably will be
used.
Those schools affected are the Noe
Valley. Emerson, Hearst, Richmond,
Columbia Fairmount, Burnett Haight
Sheridan, Pacific Heights, Hamilton,
Moulder. Stone, Edison, Hawthorne,
Fremont, Everett. Lowell high, Sher-
man, Durant, Crocker, Mann, Lick,
Scott. Bernal and Douglas.
WILL WIDEN STAIRWAYS
According to the recommendations of
Roncoyieri, which were unanimously
accepted. all stairways in schoolhouses
which are not wide enough for four
children TO walk abreast will. be torn
out and reconstructed. An elaborate
auxiliary fire alarm system, connect
Ing every school by private wire to
the central fire station, will be in
stalled. Two fire extinguishers will be
placed on each hoor,t and children
drilled to use them. Large fire gongs
will be put in each building. And all
doors which open inward will be re-
modelled.
Yesterday Director Oliver and Super
intendent Roncovieri inspected fire
drills in II more schools and their re-
ports, read at the meeting, showed
encouraging conditions. Two min
utes and 10 seconds was the longest
time required to move the children and
at three of the schools drills were COM
pleted in the remarkable time OF 80
seconds. SO well were the children
trained at Hamilton school that one in
FAINT class. temporarily without a teach
er, went through the exercises and lett
the building in perfect order.
Following was the time required at
each. of the IL schools: Adams, SWEET
and Garfield schools. 80 seconds. Haight
school, minutes and 10 seconds; Du-
rant primary school, of three stories,
minute Is seconds; Hamilton school, 2
minutes 4 seconds; Emerson school,
minute 35 seconds; Fremont school, i
minute "a seconds; Crocker school, L
minute 35 seconds, and Everett school,
l minute As seconds.
MANY TRANSFERS MADE
No decision was given yesterday in
the Commercial high school case, the
hearing in which was completed more
than a week ago. Transfers of teach
ers from one school to another were
made as follows:
Kate f. Delaney from evening unas-
signed list to bookkeeping class at
Commercial night school; w. }. Dough-
erty, from evening unassigned list to
Richmond night school; III. c. Hall from
tNtHlDS uUdSslE = iitu list ~ LIVING W.
Scott night school; L. G. Melsted from
evening unassigned list to Hamilton
night school: Paula E. Wright appoint
ed as substitute teacher of domestic
science and assigned to domestic sci
ence class during absence of Miss
Mildred Congdon; leave of absence
granted Miss Elsie Bowman of Com
mercial high school, February 2s, re-
scinded and Miss Bowman ordered to
report Immediately for duty.
Samuel W. Beckett was appointed
census marshal for 1908. The board
also decided that vacations this year
shall begin June 10 and that the fall
term will open August 8. Plans for a
heating and ventilating plant at VIM
field Scott school submitted by City Ar
chitect Tharp and plans for the new
Brazil avenue school were approved.