The San Francisco call., 1908-05-27
CITY SCHOOLS ARE
DEEMED F|RfTRAPS
Works Commissioners Report
Shows Them to Be Great
Menace to Life

That many of the schoolhouses Of
the city are veritable fretraps 10 the
conclusion reached by Commissioner
Day of the works board after careful
examination of the buildings. Day was
instructed recently by the mayor to
examine the schooihouses and recon-
mend alterations or improvements.
Days report filed with the mayor
and supervisors says that the present
school buildings, with the exception
of the Mission high school, are con-
structed entirely of wood and in the
majority of cases have no fire escapes.
The few fire escapes which have been
installed are similar to those in use in
other buildings throughout the city,
and in the event Of fire or panic would
be useless. Day believes that the
spiral escapes on the Richmond gram
mar and the Dudley Stone schools are
much safer than those in common use,
but the pupils, especially the girls, are
timid about entering them. The run
ways have become covered with rust,
which ruins the clothing Of pupils who
slide through them.
PLANS FIRE ESCAPE
Day says that an economical and eff
ficient fire escape may be provided by
erecting in the school yard q structure
of slow burning wood, consisting of
platform 10 or IL feet square at each
f2or level, connected with the build
iSg by an inclosed passageway and
having broad stairway leading to
the yard. This character of escape
could be built for $3.50 and would pro-
vide safe exit In addition to this
escape, Day advises that all first or
ground floor rooms be provided with
exits into the yard. These exits can
be made by substituting door for a
window, and building outside a broad
platform from which equally broad
steps lead to the yard
While making his examinations Day
found that closets under stairways con-
tanned accumulations of rags and rub
plsh, @and he recommended that the
closets be torn out. In the Horace
Mann, Haight primary, Pacific Heights
grammar, Everett grammar and Ham
ilton grammar the stairways are badly
worn and not calculated to sustain the
weight which is placed upon them. Day
recommends that the stairways be i'm
mediately reconstructed. In other
schools where the stairways are less
than six feet wide he recommends that
they be enlarged wherever possible.
EXITS TO THE YARD
In conclusion, Day recommends that
all schools of two stories or over in
height be provided with fire escapes of
the character suggested by him; that
the ground or first floor classroms be
provided with exits leading direct to
the yard; that all stairway closets be
removed; that all classroom and outside
doors be changed to swing out; that all
doors opening at or near the head or
front of stairways be changed to other
lcationS, and that all stoves be set as
far as possible from exits. In the Noe
Valley primary Day found that in near
ly every classroom stove stood In
front of the doorway between the pupils
and their only exit.
The building committee of the super
yisors met yesterday afternoon and at
once took action on Days report. They
instructed City Architect Tharp to draw
plans and Specifications for fire escapes
of the type recommended BY Day and
Superintendent of Construction Bart
nett was ordered to furnish estimates on
placing them on thee Hamilton gram
mar, Horace Mann, Pacific Heights,
Everett and Lowell high schools. These
buildings. on the recommendation of
School Directors Boyle and O'Connor
will be the first to be provided with
escapes.