Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-06
KINDERGARTEN TOTS PERIL
Similarity of Structure With Collin.
wood Building.
DOORWAY FACES BRICK WALL
Small Children in Upper Floor in
Center, Removed From Stair
ways-Principal's Views.

able hereNshould fire occur in the MOI
gan building. street, near 18th street!
The foregoing question is receiving
serious consideration by teachers In the
school and by parents of children In at
tendance there. who have noted exlstlns
conditions. The location of the kindergar-
ten classes on the second or top moor Is
regarded as the worst feature. Ihe rate
of the little tots. in the event of a hre'
has been compared with that OF the
younger pupils. who were on the upper
floors of the Collnwood building
I'm case of panic due to cries of fire.
not one of the kindergarten children
would get out of the building alive Miss
G. l.. Garrison. principal of the school
declared in protesting against the use or
the present quarters by the kindergarten
pupils
As seen by a Star reporter today there
a.e several features of the Morgan School
that resemble those in the Collinwood
ructure. OF the four outside doors one
OoenS in. While it is in the basement and
anpt used even in fire drill. under some
c -cumstances. such as fire in the front
OF the building. its use might be essential.
Steps have been taken to remedy this. One
s de double door was securely bolted this
morning. Dispatches from Collinwood In
cate that similar condition there was
the cause of loss of life.
Another Similarity Pointed Out.
Another point of similarity between
the Collinwood school and the Morgan
school is that the exit doors are practically
larricaded outside. so that pupils must
turn at right angles in leaving the build
ing. In front of the front door is brick
wall. fully four feet high. and extending
:,oout eight feet directly facing the door.
Steps run along the building on each
side. Pupils rushing in a mob from the
sioor would be pushed against this wall
and probably barricade of- human bodies
would quickly be formed. Storm vesti-
ailes have been placed at the two side
floors. The side of each vestibule facing
ne door is solid and the vestibule door
sary a right-angle turn to get out. with
the same danger as at the front door.
Pictures of the doomed structure in
s'ollinwood show that its front entrance
was built in much the same way as that
of the Morgan school, except that the
Collinwood school had a roof over the
front door. At that front exit. accord
ing to the dispatches. the greatest loss Of
life occurred.
In addition to the foregoing dangers in
Ease of fire. to all the pupils of the school.
the kindergarten children are. declared to
j.. threatened with even greater ones.
due to the location of their class rooms
il the middle of the top floor. Although
they are the youngest children, and would
require the longest time to get out Of the
building they have been placed the far
are on each side of the building. and the
,lassrooms of the larger pupils are next
TO them. In the event of fire, the larger
rup1ls. being nearer, would reach the
stairways first and prevent the prompt
escape of the little tots.
No Cloak Rooms.
Owing to the further fact that the kin
dergarten sessions are held in small
rooms not int nded for classrooms, there
are no cIoakrooms attached. Hooks and
racks for these pupils have been put up
il the hallway next to the top Of the
stairs. The belief is expressed that in
Case the kindergarten pupils reached their
lats and coats before the pupils from the
ether classrooms they would be brushed
down the stairs by the larger pupils while
attempting to get their coats. At best. 1T
is: declared. this arrangement makes con-
fusion in the hallway at the top of the
stairs
Like the Collinwod school, the Nor
gan School is overcrowded. il caring for
eighty more students than the building
vas built to accommodate. The prin-
cipal stated this morning that the au-
rhorities Intended to have the school
accommodate $50 pupils. and there are
now 40 enrolled. Where eight grades
of 40 pupils each were intended. there
Rave been put eight grades varying in
rumber from 46 to "a and :: kinder
earten. This overcrowding is held to be
ne cause of the present location of the
kindergarten
II was learned that the rooms now
used for the youngest children were
never before used classrooms. Each
measures. approximately. II by 30 feet
in length and width and IA feet in
height. For their games the children
are compelled to use the hall.
Location Suggested by Woodward.
This location the school authorities say.
is directly due to the recommendation
rt Health Officer w. G. Woodward. After
tie seri-annual promotion of pupils in
february it found that provisions
must be made in the Morgan School for
iTo more classrooms. The kindergarten
then located on the first floor, be-
tween both side and front door exit
door. After consultations between Super
vising Principal Clark and the principal,
Miss Garrison il was decided to put the
Jew classes I'm the smaii rooms now used
Iy the kindergarten, and to leave the
kindergarten I'm the first floor room
About this time Health Officer Wood
ward sent communication to the board
II education declaring the plan adopted
iisani.ary and recommended another
Ian. In the course OF his letter. he
stated that it has been proposed to put
twenty-five desks in each of the two
small rooms the top floor. After stat
Jag the dimensions. he concludes that
there would be 105 square feet OF floor
space per pupil and 14S cubic feet of air
space. Then he stated. The allowances
Ior air space and floor space per pupil
will be- therefore. IL the room were con-
verted into a classroom. materially below
accepted standards" He also pointed out
that the lighting of these small rooms Is
Yoor. because of the woodwork in the
windows.
Makes Recommendations.
In proposing his remedy for the con-
ditions at the Morgan School, he says:
First, to utilize the room that is now
feyoted to the kindergarten for the &C
ommodation of third and fourth grade
PUPILS that j; was proposed to place in the
ooms just referred to, and 10 divide the
kindergarten into two classes. placing
one class In each of the small rooms jus
described. While this does not afford en-
tirely satisfactory accommodations for tn,
kindergarten. yet it seems to present thu
lsest solution of the problem especially In
view OF the fact that the kindergarten
Tyupils are in attendance only half a day
As a second alternative, 1 would sugges
placing the kindergarten in what is nov
The girls playroom lin the basement), pro
iding additional heating facilities b,
means of a stove and additional lightins
facilities. if necessary. by means of ga
flxtures properly equipped with burner,
81 the welsbach type.
The school authorities decided that The
proposal TO put the kindergarten children
in the basement out of the question