Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-28
SCHOOL BUILDINGS UNDER BAN
CHIEF BELT RECOMMENDS
ABANDONMENT OF TWO.
Report on Conditions as He Found
Them and Suggestions Made for
Improvement.

Declaring that they are in an extremely
ton point of view. Fire Chief Belt, in a
report to the Commissioners today has
recommended that the old High Street
School in Georgetown and the Miner
School. nth and Church streets, be dis
continued at once for School purposes.
Chief Belt has been engaged in making
a personal inspection of the public school
buildings for more than a month with
q view to determining what is necessary
for their proper fire protection.
In connection with his report on the
High Street School and the Miner he re-
ported on the Hyde Normal School No.
2. Fillmore, Jackson. Corcoran, Weight
man. Toner, Grant Curtis. Addison, West
ern High. Briggs, Dennison and Mont
gomery.
He said that four of these buildings,
the Jackson, Old High Street, Miner
and the Dennison. are provided with
wooden stairways. 1t has been recon-
Inended that the wooden stairways In the
Jackson and Dennison schools be torn
ont and be replaced by iron or fireproof
etodrs.
Chiefs Recommendations.
;. In his report Chief Belt said: I'm the
course Of my inspections I have found
that In certain Of the schools carpenter
shops are maintained in the basement.
The Easements Of school buildings are the
most dangerous points from a fire stand
point Of view. and 1t Is of the utmost
importance that they be kept clear Of
indammable material of any kind.
recommend, therefore, that the mainte-
nance Of carpenter shops in Easements of
schooi buildings be discontinued. and that
such shops be maintained in buildings
specially constructed for that purpose and
separate from school buildings proper.
1T IL recommended that in all cooking
schools the present coal and wood ranges
be replaced by gas ranges.
1T has come to my attention that IRE
drill signals are not az satisfactory az
they should be. In some instances the
signals seem to have been misunderstood,
and In one instance the signal was APP
parently not heard by pupils on the Sec
ond floor. repeat my previous recon-
merdation that all school buildings be
equipped with electric fire alarm signals.
with striking stations on each floor and
in the basement. These signals, Of course,
should be used for no other purpose than
for alarms of fire and fire drills.
"All heating plants for schools should
be located on the outside of school build
ings proper.
Hyde Building.
Il invite special attention to my report
on the Hyde School building. 1t was
found that the upper portion Of the heat
ing plant had fallen In, leaving an open
ing In the same. 1t has been recon-
mended that no fires be built in this plant
until the same has been placed in proper
condition. As this is q comparatively
new building the defect in this heating
plant would seem TO indicate that other
heating plants in the public schools. es-
pecially those of greatest length Of serv-
ice. may have equally dangerous defects
which would not be apparent to any one
not versed in such matters.
Il have the honor to recommend there
fore, that before the opening of the next
school year the heating plants in all pub
lie school buildings in the District of
Columbia be thoroughly examined by an
expert in the installation and operation
thereof, and that any defects found in
the same be corrected.
Up to this date the total number of
school buildings inspected by me is ninety
eight
This report has been forwarded to the
board of education for consideration.