Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-13
EXTENSIVE CHANGES ARE ORDERED
Fire Escapes and Water Plugs win be
Provided and Committee is lnstruo.
tod to DO Everything Possible to
Insure Safety of children-somc
Doors Open Inward.

& PoSSoiy moucl public schoUi buildings
are, IN the opinion OF many members
OF the board OF school trustees. moth
ING more than nrc traps. Tho band
hiss III question are East END school
NO, 4, located on Twenty second
street near Chestnut avenue. ana
North Enl school No. .. located on
ieorty-sixih street, near Huntington
3 avenue.
pach or these buildings has in, ono
SSlt and that is located almost direct
~ over tho furnaces in the basement
of tho structure. A blaze caused NV
tno furnaces would quickly onycion
NO Yestlhule OF the buildm, ana MS
Ieither structure Is equ,rlri with n
lire escape, the only means Of rxit
UT inc pupils would be throurh Tho
Is. n'uows on the first floor. These vim
1--WE "re zen or II feet from the
kro"hu. The two buildings arc cx-
81r'iy alike, each being two story,
oiRht room structure. Only one flight
" Steps leads to the second floor and
! .nis hight is directly over tho yesti
ouie and would be quickly DESTROYED
ny names. The wood work In the
Interior OF tho buildings is heart"
{, p'ne' and therefore very combustlble.
Discussed by Trustees.
me conditions OF these buildings
waa brought TO the attention of the
school board last night In lengthy
report from Chairman Edwin PIN
Ups, of the board committee on huIld-
ings and grounds.
Mn, Phillips explained that follow
ing the horrible disaster in the pub-
nc school al Cleveland. Ohio. he mado
y tour OF inspection of the CITY school
pniidings and found that many i'm
proyements were necessary to insure
ne safely of the pupils In case of IRE
nose improvements were embodied
ny MS committee into a recommends
ton to the board.
This report was discussed nj ,enc,h
Inc trustees and steps Will be In
Ken immediately to make the ncces-
sary improvements.
Fire Escapes Needed.
Among other things the commlttoo
recommended that Central school No.
Sesi DC equipped with two fire cscanes
and that East End school No. 4 and
North END school No. each bc oouip-
pcd With one fire escape. Also ,bat
an additional exit be provided I'm tho
East End ana North End buildings
fle committee was instructed IN In :.
scstigate tho cost OF these improvc.
i1ents and to report back to the hoard
a in April. ''"''
The committees recommendation
that the Central school buIldng no
equipped With two fire plugs Il, mo
hssemcnt and that the East Emf M
y and the Nortl, End buildings each
oc equipped With one fire plug. was
S eaonled, and the committee was in
structca TO provide the necessary
hose for III. plugs.
Geers Open Inside.
The recommendation of the commit
zee mat mo doors OF all of tho rooms
- al OF the buildings be opened into
ttc nails OF the buildings Instead of
The inside OF The rooms, was NOT
adopted. because some of tho halls
y are loo narrow to permit of this
However,. IT. was decided TO bavo ,hc
two doors OH the north cnd of thc
sSiitigh school assembly hall chancnd
e spsas 10 open outward instead nf in
ward.
on motion Of Mr.. j. p. Harrison
tho boad decided TO immediately pur-
cllsse two fire axes for each of tho
school buildings. These axes viii bc
Rcpt IN convenient place. ready ior
use In case of fire.
The board unanimously approved
!; tho action of the COMMITTEES In chang
ING the doors to the entrance of the
Tue three colored schools so that
the doors open on the outside. instead
oftlie inside of the buildings.
Superintendent of Schools w. e.
Morton was directed to sec thai fro
lncnt fire drills are held in all Of tho
city schools. a drill was held in the
Central school building. Tuesday. and
& Tho 700 pupils in the school marched
out of the structure in one and one
half minutes.
The board held busy regular meet
ling last night, disposing of n large
siroiiiit of business, Those attending
were: Messrs Barrett, Phillips. Har.
i slaon HUFFMAN Fellows. Allen. Smith
afif President Pickett.
Domestic Science.
by d vote of six to two. the hoard
illopted u lennhy Communication
from the committee on rules and 10Y
A,iaslons that tie department of do
mystic science In the High school he
mt abolished, "but that II be rem
Ns.ercI MS uscfui and attractive MS The
Itl|sI9 Of tltc pupils viii permit and the