Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-01
NEWARK SCHOOL
PUPILS EFFICIENT
IN FIRE DRILLS
Thoroughly Trained, They
Quickly Respond to Fire Sig
nal Without Disorder.
YOUNGEST CHILDREN
ARE FIRST TO LEAVE
System Is Maintained by Free
quent TeSts-USed in Eve
ming Schools.

FpitoWiuS ldSl hight CSioh VI NhS
Board of Education, when it was voted
to allow the children in the public
schools to collect voluntary contribu-
tons to the fund for the relief of the
fire sufferers, City Superintendent of
Schools Addison B.. Poland today pre-
pared a letter that he sent to all the
teachers and principals indorsing the
ide and expressing the hope that the
plan would meet with all the success
that it deserves.
This circular was sent:
To principals:
BY action of the Board of Educa-
ton taken at a special meeting held
November 80. 1910, principals OF
schools are authorized to announce in
their schools thai contributions will be
received by them from pupils. teachers
and others for the benefit of sufferers
by reason of the recent deplorable ca
t&strophe at High and Orange streets,
in which so many lives were lost. and
homes impoverished or desolated.
Please send your contributions to r.
d. Argue, secretary of the Board OF
Education. Very truly yours,
A. B. POLAND,
City superintendent.
When seen this morning, DR.. Poland
said:
1.-THE plan of the school children is
most praiseworthy, and 1 have no doubt
hat a substantial sum will be realized
as a result of heir efforts. l know that
the greatest interest in the plan is be-
ing taken by the pupils IN the schools
in all parts of the city, and all the chill
dren seem anxious to do something
toward increasing the fund. I trust
the sum realized win exceed their ex-
p~ectations,"
Speaking of the fire regulations in
the schools DIR. Poland said that the
present system is as near perfect as it
can be made. In the year book of the
Board of Education for 1910 under the
head OF regulations and duties of the
principals" appears the following rule.
Principals shall hold emergency fire
drills in the schools under their charge
at least once every week weather per-
mitting). in accordance with instruc-
tons received from the city superin-
tendent."
In commenting upon this regulation
Superintendent Poland said:
Enforce Fire Drill Rules.
w . ll6lSL upOn d il6lu AIN a
enforcement of this rule in all schools
and the reports received from the prin-
cipals each month must show that the
drills have been held as ordered OF
they are immediately~asked to explain
why any deviation was made from the
regulations. 1t is very seldom that
month, and sometimes five are re.
nA~4Al $rn~. 14fPoxan& o~hncya
when fewer than the required num-
her arr held it is usually due to- the
severity of the weather, but we have
necessary to dismiss the children from
the school building in order to test the
working of the drill system.
Tho average time required to dis
miss the classes and get them out OF
the building is three minutes, and rare
1y moro than four minutes is required
to ret the children out Of the school
and into the yard. When the fire gong
rings the children arise from their
seats, dropping all studies, and forming
into line await the word of the teacher
to cav the room. The system is such
that the classes have a regular and
unchanging order of leaving the build
ing, so thai each class knows when
its turn comes to use the stairs. There
is no helter-skelter rush to get out
first and the different classes file out
IN as perfect order as the companies
OF a regiment swing into line of march.
Youngest Children Out First.
1.-The youngest children are usually
dismissed first, and so smoothly does
the system work that the school Is
emptied inside of five minutes. When
the pupils are all assembled in the
yard the signal is given for the re-
turn to the classes, and in regular or
der the children 90 to their rooms, the
entire drill requiring less than ten
minutes.
Although we know that the system
is working splendidly and with the
greatest satisfaction we do not relax
our attention to this part OF the school
regulations. but are constantly re-
minding the principals n teachers
in the letters of instructions that are
sent out that they must not overlook
the fire drill rules.
To-day l am sending the following
lesAr to the principals Of the evening
In Evening school Drills.
10 Principals:
\ or the better protection OF pupils in
evening schools in case of fire alarm,
or other cause for panic, you will please
investigate thoroughly the conditions in