The Washington herald., 1908-04-12

During the current fiscal year the mu-
nicipal government viii take a step in
school architecture which amounts to a
revolution of former practices In place
of the old eight and ten room school
houses will be erected twelve and sixteen
room buildings. each Of which will house
more than twice as many pupils as one of
the old buildings, cost less in proportion
tc the number to be provided for. be
architecturaIly better. and with improved
sanitary arrangements. The new build
ings viii also be constructed to a greater
extent OF hreproof material and be safer
than the old buildings in this regard.
This year the District is erecting two
school buildings of the new type One of
them is in Mount Pleasant and the other
in the Howard University subdivision.
The accompanying pictures show the
front elevation and first-fioor plan Of the
latter. The school Is not yet named. and
IS known upon the records of the building
department as School 153, The building
was planned by Snowden Ashford. in
spector OF buildings and will cost s95, 900.
It will face tbs grounds Of Howard Uni
versity. on Fourth street, between " and
Bryant streets northwest It is now un-
der construction by Milton c. Davis, of
Baltimore
0f the Sixteen-roOm Type.
This building is of the sixteen-room
type, is two stories high. with basement.
and was designed 10 stand on a terrace
about five feet above the sidewalk. il
vas designed by Mr.. Ashford after an
extended trip TO the North and West te
examine the best school buildings in other
cities The design is modelled generally
after the best schoolhouses OF St. Louis.
and will be constructed Of fireproof ma
terial as far as the available appropria-
ton will permit. The lot on which the
building stands affords a large play
ground on the north and south sides Of
the building. When finished II will com
pare favorably with the best school build
ings i'm the United States. Congress ap-
propriated sl25,e09 for the building and
site Il is expected the structure viii be
ready for occupancy after the Christmas
holidays.
Designed from English Type.
The architecture of the building is an
adaptation from the early English type.
with the necessary notifications for
lighting and ventilation. In the picture OF
the elevation can be seen the large win
dow area. which gives I90 square feet of
light al the SIDE Of each classroom and
90 square feet at the end. The In
terror arrangement Of the rooms IS such
that the light enters from the left and
rear of the pupils when in their seats
The building is constructed Of brick.
trimmed with limestone. The walls are of
red brick, with dark headers. which Will
give the walls pleasing notified appear
ance. The length OF the building is 190
feet and its width 50 feet 1t VIII contain
the pest of the modern heating and ven
tilating systems. and the air will be kept
pure without the opening Of windows
The heating apparatus will be concealed
In fiTeproof vault in the basement, from
which it VIII be impossible for fire to be
communicated TO the rest Of the building
Ventilation Nearly Perfect.
To show the efficiency of the ventiating
system to he used in this building. Mr..
Ashford made test OF it in a building
where il is already installed Roman
torch was filed with Greek fire, and when
this was ignited, sawdust saturated with
turpentine was thrown over It. The burn
ing torch was placed In the ventilator
shaft IN the basement In three minutes
every room in the building was filled with
smoke from the torch. Ii was then re-
moved and eXtinguished Pure air from
the outside was turned into the ventilator
and in five minutes the smoke had cleared
from the rooms. and In seven minutes the
air was as pure as that outside the build
ing
While the building is not absolutely
fireproof, it Is planned with special refer
ence to the protection of the pupils from
fire in case a blaze should start anywhere
on the interior, The isolation OF the heat
Ing plant has been mentioned One Of the
main features Of the structure is the as
sembly hall, an innovation in Washington
schools. capable OF seating between 500
and 600 persons. and this Is entirely fire.
proof. The corridor and the exits are fire.
proof as are the two starways. one in
each wing. down which the pupils would
find egress in case cf fire This affords
four ample exits from the building. and
in the fire drills the building can be emp
tied IN one minute and a half
CIassrOoms About Central Hall.
A notable feature Of the building is the
arrangement Of the classrooms around
central hall and the relation of the class
room to the cioakroom The elassroems
can be emptied through a door leading
directly into the hall or by second door
leading through the eloakroom. In the
Washington schools there are two kinds
OF IRE drills-the exit from the building
in somewhat leisurely fashion when in
the judgment OF the janitor or teachers
there would be time for pupils to get their
hats and wraps, and the hurry call. when
it IS supposed TO be necessary to leave
the building quickly.
The frst-described drill is runs with
three bells When II sounds the pupiis
form, march through the cloakrooms.
take their belongings. ana leave the build-
ing. This requires. in the building under
consideration, not longer than three min
utes.
The hurry call is sounded with five
bells. Then the pupils form quickly.
march rapidly from the roons direct to
the halls down the steps. and out to the
yards This takes one and one-half min
utes, and is accomplished without dis
order. confusion. or crowding.
The relation of the classrooms TO the
central hall is such that in no instance
DO the pupils have to pass over space Of
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