Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-26
BOARD LISTENS TO
NOISE COMP PLAINT
Residents in Vicinity of the Be-
rendo Street School Want
Playground Abolished

Noise originating in ball games
played on the Berendo street school
yard and disseminating itself evenly
among a score of nervous neighbors
was the subject of a controversy which
occupied the greater part of a long
meeting of the board of education last
night.
When the board convened it was
very much surprised to find its room
crowded with spectators. None of the
members knew of any especially i'm
portant business that was to come up
or of any matters Of such import as
to draw young multitude to the meet
ing. Each of the members thought
that the board as a whole had slipped
something over on him.
A communication was read. In it
it was stated that boys playing ball
on the Berendo street playground
school yard were making life unen-
durable for people on every side of
the place. In fact, it was intimated
that unless the noise was stopped four
or five fatalities might result within a
short time. Furthermore, it was stated
that the playground commission had
ignored the communication and re-
ferred the senders to the school board
The reading of the communication
started things such as have never be-
fore wandered into a meeting of the
board. For over an hour thunder
roared and the lightning flashed. Ger
tain members of the board declared
afterward that every person living
within two miles of the Berendo street
school made a speech. President Scott,
who usually can dispose of the most
important matter in quick time
writhed in his chair and bit corruga-
tions In his hardwood gavel.
Persons living near the school
wanted the playground feature abol-
shed Persons living far enough away
from the school to be out of reach of
the boy whoops wanted some place to
send their youngsters. The two fac
tions had it pro and con.
PETITION REJECTED
Finally the board decided to reject
the petition until something develops
in the situation. Mr. Quinn moved
that construction of a fence around the
school yard be postponed until the
neighborhood feud has ended or until
some reliable architect can suggest a
fence with acoustic properties which
would allow a man on the outside to
sleep peacefully while a chorus of can
mons were being discharged on the in
side.
The board adopted recommendations
by the building committee that bids
be called for for 225 steel lockers for
the Los Angeles high school gymnas-
ium, for a retaining wall on the north
line of the grounds Of the same school,
and for tables for the chemical labora-
tory at the same school,
1t also adopted a recommendation
that no further action be taken with
reference to the erection of an addition
to the Polytechnic high school science
building, for the reason that the build
ing could not be completed before the
opening of school.
The high school board accepted the
resignation of Lena r. Haas, granted
leave of absence to Flora j. Miller and
elected the following persons as sub
stitute teachers: Jane Butt, stephen
I. Miller Clara L. Smith, Clayton f.
Palmer and Haydn Bell.
The elementary school board ac-
cepted the resignation of Edith H.
Foster, granted a years leave of alb
sence to Ermal Lea and elected Harold
Ryerson and Alpha Bigley as substi-
tI1te tea acherS