Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-26
Nearly 1000 Children
March Safely Out OF
Seventh Ave. School.
PANIC REIGNS AS PARENTS
HEAR TALES OF EXPLOSION
Police and Fire-Fighting APP
paratus Rushed to Scene.
Mothers Faint.

Panic reigned in the neighborhood Of
the Seventh Avenue School shortly be-
fore noon today, when a false alarm or
fire sounded over the private wires OF
the school brought a great array OF
fire apparatus and police and hundreds
of frenzied parents to the scene.
Thanks to the unusual GOODNESS and
presence of mind displayed by the
teaching staff and the efficiency Of the
fire drill, nearly 1000 little children
were marched out of the building in
fairly orderly manner. Most of the
children remained calm and obedient
for a time, but half a dozen mothers
tainted when they reached the school
and saw the fire engines and excited
throng that clamored about the high
iron fence surrounding the schoolhouse.
Report of Explosion Spreads.
When it was seen that there WAS no
fire a report that an explosion had oc-
Cured spread through the crowd and
kept the excitement up. Investigation
proved, however, that there had been no
mishap of any sort and much mystery
surrounded the sounding Of the alarm
until it was learned that It had been
teiephoned to fire headquarters by some
one whose identity Is not known. The
main box and the auxiliary alarms in
the school house had not been disturbed.
1t was rumored that someone detected
an odor of gas on the third floor of the
school and telephoned to fire headQuar-
ters. Later. however, when the panic
had subsidized somewhat, no trace of a
gas leak could be found.
Patrol Driver Henry D. Martin, of
the Second precinct, was just passing
the school when the alarm sounded
and the children began to emerge from
the doors, Most of the youngsters re-
mained quiet until they emerged from
the building and caught sight of tho
fire engines and then there was a mad
rush to get through the gates of the
grounds into the street Martin rea-
lized that he must try to restrain the
frightened children and he tried to
hold them back so that the smaller
children might not be trampled. He
was Joined a moment later by Patrol
men Schupe and Kelley, of the Sec
ond, and bag as they were all
three were subjected to rough treat
ment by the panic-stricken children
before quiet was restored.
In the meantime Principal Edgar s.
Pitkin and Miss Emma Sturges, vice.
principal, and the fifty teachers worked
untiringly to restore order, but We're
greatly hampered by the rush of the
crowd in the street, many of the mem
bers of which were mothers of the chill
dren in the school, who tried to break
through the police guard and search
the building for their children.
Within a few seconds after the alarm
was sounded the reserves of the First.
Second Fourth and Fifth precincts
were ordered to Seventh avenue, and
even this array of police had difficulty
in calming the mob that surged about
the schoolhouse. The City Hospital am
bulance was also sent to the school,
but the only work for the inferno was
restoring fainting mothers to con-
sciousness.
Parents Panic Stricken.
By the time all of the children were
out of the building there were thou
sand people in the street in front OF
the gates, ana d lew illhuLCS ioICi t'iO
mob had grown to fully 5000. 1t was
then, although the only danger to
which the children were exposed was
the frantic movement of the crowd,
that excitement reached It's highest
pitch. Mothers went about wringing
their hands in anguish, refusing to lis
ten to anyone who said their young
ones were safe, and greatly frighten-
ing the children, who lowered about in
groups not knowing what to do until
they we're found by their parents.
There were many affecting scenes when
children were discovered by those who
were sarching for them.
Superintendent Addison B. Poland,
several members of the Board of Edu-
cation and other officials lost no time
in getting to the school, and in spite
of the panic that occurred in the street
all warmly commended the principals
and teachers for the manner in which
the children were taken out of the
school It was announced that the
2 regular afternoon session will be held
as usual.