The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-12
AN OPEN AIR SCHOOL

| An open air ScnOOl Tor the benefit
of children touched by tuberculosis
or showing strong tendencies toward
that dread disease has been in op-
GRAFTON in Springfield, Mass, this
year and there was great interest not
only there but in other places as to
what would be the effects of a
severe cold spell like that New Eng
land has just experienced. The
Springfield Republican of Thursday
gave the following report:
Snappy tingling weather, with the
thermometer hanging around the
zero point, yesterday at the open-air
school had merely the effect of paint
ing the cheeks of 29 boys and girls
a healthy red and liyened them I'D
so that the school work went ahead
with better speed, the many little
heads working with greater keen
ness in the sharp atmosphere. When
the school session began in the
morning the thermometer registered
five above zero. By noon it had
warmed up to a point 20 above the
zero mark, but even at that point ex-
ira wraps were found necessary for
some of the children. Extra blankets
felt boots and mittens were to be
seen in all parts of the room, but
there were some children who found
it uncomfortable to wear the extra
blankets and were perfectly warm
without them. Those parents who
have been anxious lest the education |
of the children might suffer through |
the fact that written exercises would |
be impossible in such a school would |
have had their fears set at rest had |
they seen the children using pencils
with perfect ease in the cold atmos-
phere yesterday morning II Is not
easy to write with gloves on the
hands, but the boys and girls have
mastered the art of using pencils un.
der these difficulties, and their regu-
lar work was not in the least inter
ferred with yesterday. 1t is worth
noting that not one child has a cold.
During the noon sleeping period
there were IL of the boys and girls
who went fast asleep, the air max
ing them drowsy. They sleep on
cots in lower room of the Lincoln
school, but the windows of this room
On two sides are wide open and the
there is practically as
ow as in the open building in which
he classroom work is conducted
Che room is a sunny one and pleasant
n spite OF the fact, or rather be-
'ause Of the fact that cold, fresh air
S admitted at all times The at
enhance of 80 children yesterday.
nut of the total of 81 who are regis
cred at the school, is considered an
showing considering the
'eather Breakfast consisted of Ger.
al, cocoa, bread and butter. Din
er's menu was beef stew, coca, :
read and butter, and graham waf.
RS. For supper at the close OF
chool the children were given gin
erbread, milk, bread and butter. a
On three sides of the building the {
lrtains were drawn to shield off a /
.rong wind that was blowing. On
lie south side of the building the cur =
Inns were drawn down to admit the
IN and fresh air. Exercises were
one through with every 20 minutes :
nd not one child complained of the 4
Did. All were cheerful and happy, =
nd any people who have been groan.
e and complaining at the cold
,ell that has been holding the city
its grasp would do we'll to visit
lie school and absorb some OF its
lnshine and warm good nature, as
5 members take the weather as a
after of course and welcome II.
he maintenance OF the school is
,sting the Springfield anttubercu-
sis association about 5000 a month,
I'd this amount is felt as a heavy
ain upon It,