Evening journal., 1913-05-29
OUR SCHOOLS AND rnr rrRr MENACE.

Vth NtHVVIS AND THE ftRE MENAtE.
THAT more than 25oO0O schoolhouses in the United
states hretraps; that Built TO Burn" pacards
might be tackled upon them with perfect proprcty aud
that some Of them in the city Of Wilmington is
serted by Insurance Engineering technical magazine
devoted to tho prevention needless Of life and
property by fires casualties. The far-reaching
survey made by that magazine of the FIRE dangers that
menace millions Of pupils and hundreds Of thousands
Of teachers is a timely and valuable contribution TO
current literature.
The fact that our own city is designated specifically
as one Of those in which such fre-traps exist should
be sufficient to mpel the members Of Board Of
Education and tho other city officials TO act They
owe it to the community to take all practical steps
TO remove the FIRE from the school buildnss<
that already exist and adopt the policy that from
this time forward only hre-proof school buildings shall
be erected here.
It ia useless 10 plead that Wilmington thus far has
escaped the loss Of life property from such cause
and that the fre-dril supplies ample protection The
fact that never have had such calamity makes 1t
all the more imperative that immediate steps be taken
70 prevent us ever having Prior 70 May 4, 1908.
Conswood Ohio. had had school FIRE, and
yet that day FIRE broke out In the school there
that resulted in the death Of e7 children and plunged
the entire community into frenzy Of horror and grief
incidentally It created in Ohio sentiment which re-
suited in revoutonzng school construction methods.
The remedial effect also felt in several other
States
That Wilmington nevor has been visited by such
holocaust was experienced by Collinswood is due
TO good luck than TO anything else II is mo-
torious fact that many Of schools not hrc-
proof; that many Of them not equipped properly
with hre-escapcs aud that the chief reliance for safety
rests the fre-drili No will deny that the nro-
drill is a good thing but we take it that will
assert that it is proper substitute for either fire.
escapes or hre-proof construction.
Now that the issue has been raised in city and
the hre-trap nature Of some Of schools made pub
lie to the world, our city authorities will take upon
themselves heavy burden Of responsibility II they
permit existing conditions to continue. It will be
useless for them TO attempt TO brush such import
ant matter aside the ground that the raising Of
fear the safety of school children is the work
Of an aarmist We doubt that any member Of the
Board Of Education would care 10 on record pub
licy as asserting that our schools fre-proof
that all Of them equipped properly with exterior
interior hre-escapes Nor do we think that any
member Of the board will to 70 say
ing that the nrc-drll should be relied upon sub
stute for frc-proof construction or fre-escapes
In building and equippng public school the first
consideration should be safety from collapse panic
and fire. With that provided It matters not how
ornate the structures be- Let 1t be remembered how
ever, that plain hre-proof building is much better
than an ornate hrc-trap. Let it also be remembered
that criminal negligence is dlSplayed Whcn SCHOOL
building constructed IN such way that its exterior
is proof It's interior highly innammable Such
building gives to community false sense of se-
curity II is dangerous architectural deception, and
one that should no. be tolerated in any community.
Ample warning has been given Of the dangerous
conditions that exist here. We ;hnk the members
OF our Board OF Education and Of our City Council
should take up this matter, not with any desire to
cover dangerous conditions. but with deermina-
ton TO expose and remedy them. It is highly im-
portant piece work much important than that
Of defective plumbing; and in saying that we wish
it to be understood clearly that have desire to
minimize the Importance Of having proper sanitation
in our schools.
II seems to us that the president of our Board
Of Education. Samuel H. Baynard, who is practical
man and one who has had much experience in build
ing has splendid opportunity to distinguish himself
at this time by coming out avowed champion
Of a policy OF removing, far as may he possible
the fire menace in the schools already have and also
Of an established policy of hreproof construction
with respect TO new school buildings In no one way
could he popularize himself and his administration
more than by doing those things. Such action on his
part would find responsive echo in every Whining
ton home for the safety and lives Of the children
come first in the minds Of the parents, oyershadowng
all other things combined