The Washington times., 1914-04-24
BY J. R. HILDEBRANp.

Plans for rebuilding the Western High
School building. burned last night were
formulated this morning, and will be
pushed to immediate fruition.
Commissioner Newman called a con-
ference with members Of the Board OF
Education to settle on ap Ian TO Con-
gress for an urgency appropriation for
the work. Commissioner Harding in
structed SnOwd.n Ashford. municipal
architect, 10 prepare plans and est
mates for the reconstruction. Mean
while Miss Edith Westcott, principal
OF Western High School. was called into
conference with other high school prin-
cIpalS at the office of Superintendent
Thurston and arrangements were made
for continuing S, hOul sess.ous.
From present prospects the 100 pupils
will not be idle more than TWO school
GAYS They hay" been told 20 assemble
al BusinesS High School auditorium On
MorCay morning, and then they Will b..
assigned to Various ClaSSrcomS in
GeorEetoWn ,;rad" EclOOl buildin-S. or
IN other high schools, where they will
continue their studies. Nearly a dozen
offers from privat" institutions came
into the SUI erintrni~nL Office this
morning, including invitations from tn
bcUhE Mems Christian Association and
the National Cathedral School, 10 oc-
Cupy their rooms
Gathered this morning on the broad
hillside before the scnool were the pa
pills, teachers. and nearly 1859 alumni,
as well as other soc tatUTS. MISS West
colt made 4 speech, DECLARING there
Terc many things to De thankful for,
including the saving o. most OF the
school records. and the fact that the
iire did not occur while pupils were i'll
the building
Regarded AS Fireproof
Weston High SrI"VI. considered one
OF Washington . safest srhoo' buildings.
with two recently constructed wings
supposed to b,. Iir"prUoI, lUd2y Is
mass of sruOldering ruins.
Not n cent OF insurance ruy"r3 the
loss, estimated from 3Z5o.GU TO S3OO,O0p.
on the templr-liks structure that
crowned i knoll OF 'irorEetuy,n iICighrs.
No watchman WIS in tic buIjing last
right, nor is there SUPPOSED - nc any
night supervision Of any of Washing
toms school buildings.
This bcliding was given an Q. X.
along with the rest pf the Districts
schools in TIE -epo:t asked Tor few
weeks ago from Mu:.i'. pal Architect
Ashford, by Commissioner .lardlna
This report fOl.oHvI 4 reIucsr III the
Board Of Trade school committee. Inl-
lowing the statements of Srueryisi0a.
Principal A. @. Kimbail, that TIE school
property Of the District was cvpu>rd 10
an unnecessary and unusual nre .Isk
Conference Is Held.
These facts were tn. sole rppir Of dis
eusston in District and school cir-Ies
this morning
An alarm was telcphOncd 20 fire II, ad-
quarters at l:S2 o clock this morning. No
9 engine responded. on a local. but in
the meanwhile No. . truck. located
%ithin a lew squares Of the schou..
also was notified, and when the first
OF the firemen arrived the heavens were
abiaze with light from a mass Of flames
curing around roof and Delciling from
the windows Of the main building. From
there the fire spread TO the uorfn
wing, and little later 1t enveloped the
upper floor of the south wing.
According TO Fire Marshal Nicholson
the blaze did not start in the base
ment, as stated in the morning papers.
but in the laboratories.
AS the flames licked their way
through the ''fireproof' wings. as if
they were SO much finder, the roof
caYed in, sending showers of embers
for hundreds of yards about over the
heads of the crowd of 5,0O0 or more that
already had assembled
Then the third-iIoor cirders began 70
yktter, and the mass OF charred ruins
ff1Shed Through TO the second floor
'fhe first floor is a mass of ruins from
- water, and the large assembly hall.