The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-12
NORTH SIDE NEWS
Grant School Closed Weather
Is Too Wet.
Water in Basement and Pupils
Had Damp Clothes.
LAKES ON STREETS.
Water Several Inches Deep
Covers Icy Ground.
Marie Walton, Pupil, Falls and
Sprains Ankle.

For the first time in the history of
Grant school water in the basement,
and the damp condition of the pupils
clothes were the cause Of the dismissal
OF the school soon after assembling this
morning. The school is closed for to-
day and will remain so for tomorrow if
the present conditions continue. This
was decided by L. D. Whittemore, SUI
perintendent Of the city schools and G.
M. MORROW, principal Of the Grant
school, after conference before school
was called.
The greatest depth of water in the
basement is in the engine room which
supplies the power for the fan heating
apparatus There is from four to six
inches. 1t came from drain which
leads to the sewer. showing that the
water had backed up in the pipes. jan
itor Ehrhart generally disconnects the
Drain from the sewer after school is
dismissed but failed to do SO last night,
according to Mr.. Morrow. About
O'Clock this morning he remembered
about the drain and went over to shut
it off. He found that several inches of
water were in the engine room and
furnace rooms. However, the manual
training room which is a few inches
higher than the other apartment was
perfectly dry.
The low ground south of the building
IS lake of about foot or SO in depth.
The streets leading to the school along
which the pupils had to pass were also
covered with water to considerable ex-
tent from four to eighteen inches.
On Central avenue, at the corner of
jackson street and Topeka avenue and
other places. pools of water formed
from the rain last night and this morn
ing which fell on the already icy COW
cred ground and stood in sheets.
Through all this the pupils and teachers
dutifully waded. When they reached
the school their shoes and stockings
were water soaked.
These conditions were brought to Mr..
MorroW'S notice. He conferred with
superintendent Whittemore. They de-
cided it would endanger the health of
the pupils to allow them to remain in
their damp clothing. The flooded base
ment also gave reason for dismissal.
time and dismissed.
The water is being pumped out of the
basement today and it is thought that
1t Will be dry by tomorrow morning. In
case it is and the pupils are able to get
to school with reasonably dry clothes
school Will be resumed.
IN talking with Mr.. Whittemore it
was decided that the present conditions
would justify the dismissal Of the
pupils,'' said Mr. Morrow. This has
never happened before. While the base
ment has been flooded before, it has al
ways happened when school was not in
session.
DIR. Mary E. Stewart of 634 South
Harrison street has offered to donate
from her library whatever books are
needed for the proposed free Quincy
school library. Just before the Christ
mas holidays E. F. Stanley, principal
of the school, proposed that the pu-
pills and others interested should do
nate books for this purpose. His idea
was that in this way the pupils would
be encouraged to read, as by loaning
them books from the school it would
give them an opportunity to do so
every time they wished to get a book
the State Journal only and consider
able interest was manifested in the
proposition. Among the others who
saw the article was DR.. Stewart. She
decided that many of her books would
be appropriate for school purposes
and as she had enjoyed the use of
them for several years would be will
ing to give them to the school She
notified Mr.. Stanley about the matter
and asked him to look her library
over and make his selections. Mr..
Stanley appreciated the offer and look
ed the volumes over. but has not de-
cided just what books he will take.
The books include many of the
standard authors works besides a set
of sixteen encyclopedias.
Charles Gertesen, agent for the