The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-28
B'Ul.LD.|NG.S WAY
COLLAPSE |. ANY DAY "A
SchoolStructures Unsafe and
Dangerous, Says lnspeyc,
tor Beck.
SHOULD ABANDON
BELLEVUE AND LEIGH
Official Report Shows Imports
ance Of Immediate Improve
ment. Though Council Has
Failed to Regard De
inand for
Help.
. NOTWITHSTANDING the urgent
recommendations OF the Build
N ing Inspector. concurred in
\ by the Chief of the Fire De-

- OTW1THSTANDlNGts the urgent
recommendations of the Build
INl ing Inspector. concurred in
by the Chief of the Fire De-
partment, and the demand for
speedy relief by the City School Board.
City Council has taken no step what
ever tos remedy the conditions III the
public schools. two of which were
condemned outright. while several
others were declared unsafe for school
purposes above the second floor, and
1nadequately protected from serious
risk in case of fire.
For several months the proposition
providing adequate means of exit. and
TO make the buildings reasonably safe
has slept on the table of the Finance
Committee, and Judging from the usual
course it may be fully two years be-
fore anything is done to remedy the
defects pointed out after a careful in
spection of each building. Nearly
every public school structure In the
! city Is affected by the report. Chimbo-
razo alone receiving clean bill OF
health.
Ordered Careful Inspection.
Following the holocaust at BOYER
town o., last March. in which several
hundred school children were sacri-
Ificed because Of improper arrangement
of the building. Mayor Mccarthy re-
.quested Building Inspector Beck to
make an examination OF the condition
OF the public schools of Richmond
Chief George c. Shaw, of the Fire De-
,partment, Joined Mr.. Beck in the exam
inations, which occupied the greater
part of the month of March. and their
report was transmitted by the Mayor
10 the School Board, which imne-
'1iately requested an emergency appro-
spriation to make the changes thought!
TO be necessary.
In order not to alarm parents and
occasion the removal of children from
schools during , the session. the text
! of the report was not made public at
that time.
The Council at its May meeting re-
ferred the proposition without read
ing to the Finance Committee. No
action has been taken, and, to the re-
greet of the school authorities the
summer holiday months. in which re-
pairs and changes can best be made,
are shipping by.
School Board asked for four new
buildings at a cost of 100000, and an
even more urgent and immediate APP
preparation of s47,39o.12 TO remedy the
defects.
The Board wanted a complete new
building to replace Valley Colored
School at 1900 East Marshall. In his
report, Inspector Beck says:
.'I1is structure is dIlnpidntcd aud
wholly unsuited for school purposes.
Long lines OF stnvepipcs make the
building dangerous at almost every
turn. The building la. never been,
er school building, and l recommend
Its dlscontinunncc mt once. In this
conclusion, the Chief of the Fire De-
pertinent fully concllrs."
Colored Normal Condemned.
The Colored Normal School is also
condemned by the Inspector. and the
School Board recommends its aban-
donment rather than incur the cost
OF the repairs deemed absolutely nee
essary. The structure is old. and the
stairs narrow and inadequate for exit.
The recommendation of the Board Is
that the CRY ereIt new white school
10 take*tRs place of Leigh School.
and that the Colored Normal be trans
ferred TO the Leigh School Building,
at First and Leigh Streets. the neigh
borhood having been largely settled
by negroes. The estimated cost of n
lot and ne whuilding for Leigh School.
white, standing almost III the centre
of the city. is $4,000. at Monroe
School. formerly the colored armory
building, the Board asks a four-room
addition, and changes directed by the
Building Inspector, to cost $4,000 The
Inspector found this building with the
doors opening inward, wooden stair
cases, and no fire escapes.
The Board also asks for complete
,,ar -,
10 stand on the handsome lot recently
purchased at Sycamore and Chafrn
Streets, TO cost 100000. so as to meet
the requirements Of this thickly set
s tied portion OF the annexed territory
The building Is to replace an old aud
Inadequate building erected by the
ronnty,in which the Building lnspec-.
Tor found the windows obslructcd with
Wire screens securely nailed, no IRE
escapes. and the doors opening in
wardy. There is but one stairca Sc
three and a half feet wide, o. wooden
construction.
Even more urgent than these new
buildings. the School Board deems the
alterations called for at some of the
large public school buildings In the
centre of the city. crowded as they
4 nre, to their utmost capacity Madi-
son School. standing a the corner Of
Madison and Cary Streets, attended
by children from the best section of
The citN, and comparatively modern
building. was found with stairca SEES
only three feet wide, with closets for
the storage Of stationery and paper
trash under the wooden staircases.
The basement doors open in and there
are no fire escapes. The changes rec
Commended by The Building Inspector
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