Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-11
PANIC PREVENTED
BY A FIRE DRILL
COLEGROvE PUPILS MARCH
FROM SCHOOL HOUSE
LEAVE BURNING BUILDING WITH
OUT CONFUSION
Teachers Show Great Goodness in
Time of PeriI-Bucket Brigade
Saves Structure by He-
role Efforts

The value of fire drills in schools was
demonstrated yesterday informing at
Colegrove when 1870 children marched
quietly and in perfect order out OF
burning schoolhouse.
When the cry went UP at $3.50 that the
schoolhouse was on fire the memory Oh
the recent Collinwood disaster flashed
into the minds of scores of mothers
and dramatic scenes were enacted at
the schoolyard.
Mrs. Hammell, who lives near the
schoolhouse, which Is situated on VINE
street, south of Santa Monica avenue
saw a blaze in the cupola. She ran to
the schoolhouse and called the princi-
pal, H. p. Webb, to the door, and In
whisper informed him of the fire. The
woman then called each of the three
teachers-Misses Jennie Yaeger, l.. Col
Inns and M. Stradley-to their doors ana
told them the situation. Principal
Webb stepped into the corridor and
rang the gong for the fire drill. In
stantly every pupil in the Dullolns
arose and stood at attention. AT the
given word from the teacher each cniiu
marched into the corridor and to the
ScnOOlydIu. lDOoS III tiS SebSN 6OS--0
passed out through the large outer
doors, which stand wide 'open during
school hours; those from the west
rooms passed out the rear doors, ana IN
about fifty seconds after the gong had
tapped every child was out In the yaro'
where they stood in orderly ranh Talks.
Principal Webb gave orders to prevent
the children from returning to the
burning building, and dismissed them,
telling them to go to their homes SO
that their parents might be reassured
of their safety. No attempt was mace
by the children to save their books, and
none of them was allowed to return 10
the schoolyard!
Bucket Brigade Effective
The efficiency of a bucket brigade
was also demonstrated when ABOUT
twenty-five men succeeded In pu'tIis
out the fire after the big cupola had
been destroyed, the flagstaff had fallen
and the entire east roof of the builoins
was in flames. There was no wind at
the time and this greatly favored the
fire fighters.
The fire originated in the cupola and
was probably caused by sparks from
burning SCOT from the chimney.
The building is heated by fuel oil
burned in hot air furnace. Inc
woman who acts as Janitress hau
turned the oil off some minutes before
the fire broke out in the cupola, but
IL is believed the spark ignited some
papers which smouldered some time be-
fore the blaze was noticed.
workmen at the Cahuenga valley
Lemon exchange noticed the fire and
were among the first on the scene win
fire extinguishers, but were unable TO
get to the roof. as no ladder was al
first available.
A dozen feeble streams were turned
on from garden hose, but 1t was not
until the bucket brigade got into action
that there was any hope Of saving the
building.
Much amusement was caused by the
Hollywood fire department, which ar
rived late but in good order. 1t con-
sisted of the hose wagon hitched on
behind an express wagon. In the lat
ter vehicle was a bevy of beautl1ui
girls, such as few towns can turn out
OF course the cargo delayed the appa-
ratus and distracted the driver, but
that was OF little consequence, as the
hose he carried was a mile from the
nearest fire hydrant.
These girls were Hollywood hlgh
school girls, and 1t developed they mad
made heroic effort to drag the horse
cart from Hollywood to- Colegrove,
nearly mile. At Santa Monica ave-
nue. the driver of an express wagon re-
lieved the girls of their task and took
them to the fire..
A movement has been started to or
ganize a volunteer fire department in
Colegrove.
Rules Are Neglected
In reference to the fire Superintendent
Keppel said: This fire should be con-
sidered as a warning of the always UNI
expected disaster which may occur at
any time"
When questioned concerning the in
<.ol.o lie, Mr.. Z
said that all of the county institutions
were supposed to lie insured Tor tnelr
full value, but that he had learned on
investigation that many of them were
not. He said also that the same strict
rules governing the fire drills and the
building requirements of the larger city
institutions were supposed to controi
the county schools, but that in many
instances they are not observed ana
that attempts to enforce them are vain.
Mr.. Keppel said that as long as leach
ers would lock doors intended to be
kept open, thus shutting off exits, Tor
the mere purpose of restraining playful
children, no rules could be made effect
i've In illustration of this point Mr..
Kennel cited the recent school fire
which killed so many children in a
Cleveland suburb and said that in his
opinion the doors which were closed
against the fleeing infants, according to
dispatches, were doubtless the regular
fire exits and had probably been locked
to prevent the same children from Vlo-
lating unimportant school limitations.
na,naoa IN tha huilding is estimated