Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-28
No Official knowledge Yet of
Locked School Doors.
HE COUNTERS ON ASHFORD
Holds Building Inspector Response.
BILE for Defective Drainage.
sUPT. STUART'S EXPLANATION
Saws Front Door at Petworth Was
Open and Side Doors Closed at
Workmens Request.

When Building Inspector Ashford says
he visited the Petworth school building
and found the exit doors locked he failed
to notice that the yard drainage. for which
he is responsible is So bad that water and
dirt is washed on to the sidewalk and on
to property adjoining stated Capt. James
F Oyster president of the school board.
this morning in regard to the report
made by the District building inspector.
II want to call attention to the fact
that he saws he found the doors locked
May g." stated Capt Oyster. in further
consideration OF the report The board
has not been notified of the matter Yet.
and twenty days have INTERVIEWED Why.
the children might have all been burned
up by now
Glad Need of Exits Is Recognized.
But l am glad Building Inspector Ash
ford has discovered the need of exits. he
continued Judging from the Langdon
and the Gage exitless additions. | began
to- think he believed exits were not neces
sary"'
Policeman Pierson of the tenth pre-
Cinct called on the president of the board
of education this morning to notify him
that property owners adjoining the Pet
worth School yard had complained that
:ts drainage was damaging their prop
erty. =
Capt Oyster referred the bluecoat TO
Building Inspector Ashford as in charge
of the matter. Secretary Harry O. Hine
has written to the Commissioners, call
ing attention to this trouble and asking
that il be remedied
In his report Building Inspector Ash
rnrd states that on the afternoon OF
May he stopped to make an lnvestlSa-
ton of the Petworth School building
oil no oxif 1o, ke6
was about to leave when my driver di-
reoted my attention to an open window
and said he thought there was some one
in the building. / returned and knocked
ny the janftor. To my surprise. l
found the afternoon classes in session
Superintendent Stuart Explains.
Supt. Stuart stated this morning that
he has called for an investigation and
thorough report In the matter from Super
vising Principal Black, in charge of the
Petworth School, and expects the written
report later.
In discussing the matter he said:
"Of course. I know ofhing of 1t. except
what have been told
II learn. though not by written report
there was only one class of forty-slx pu-
pills In session at the time the building in
spector visited the building. and that It
was In session in a room adjoining the
front door, and that the front door was
open.
The facts seem to be that the workmen
on the annex complained that the chill
dren entered the addition which is under
construction. and the workmen asked
that the side doors Of the building be
closed to keep the children out Of the
new part.
After the fires in the building went
out. am told, the side doors have been
locked in the afternoon when the one
class was in session
Mr. Stuart stated that he has given in
structions that the side doors in question
be left open Capt. Oyster. president of
the board added that the board will not
defend violations of its rules. and If
thare has been a violation of the rule re-
qNiring that doors be kept unlocked and
unbolted during school hours, it must be
punished.