Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-17
MAY CLOSE UP PARK
SCHOOL FOR SAFETY
Board of Education Stirred by Con-
dition There and Also at the
Bancroft School.
MONEY FOR BUILDINGS NEEDED

That the Park school is dis
graceful, deplorable and dangerous
and should be condemned-that
the old Bancroft school building
is dangerous and has been con-
demned by the city building in
spector-that If a fire should break
out in the Park school the children
would be trapped. These alarming
statements by DR.. Holovtchiner
stirred the members of the school
board into the most enthusiastic
meeting held since the organization
OF the new board. Members will
visit the Bancroft, Park and Mason
schools today to determine real con-
ditions.
There is a possibility that the old
Bancroft and Park schools may be
closed at once, although definite
action on this phase of the situation
has not been taken.
Funds Needed at Once.
Robert Cowell declared that 1t Is crimi-
nal for the members of the school board
and parents TO allow children to attend
the Bancroft and Park schools under
conditions as described, III bonds are not
carried at an early date" he said Il
would be willing to go out and raise
FUNDS for the erection of new buildings
| for these two schools
| 1t was the opinion of Frank II. Wood
! tIot h,tf m
should be formulated at once and bond
/ issue submitted at the forthcoming city
| election on May 4. ...
/ 1t was DR., d. E. Jenkins, who started
! the fireworks when he reported congested
conditions he found during . visit to sew
! eral other schools. He said that in ten
rooms which should accommodate abou
/ forty pupils each, he noticed from fort
to seventy pupils. The tremendous nee
OF our schools today is more room 70
the children, rather than frilIs and fadl
Lothrop il badly overcrowded. A
Saratoga the halls are being used al
school rooms. The Fort school for boy
should be moved to the present Saratogt
! school. Now is the time to face what
believe is a substantial need OF more
room" DR.. jenkins was accorded hearty
applause, something unusual at a schoo
board meeting.
Or. Holovtchiner ventured the opinion
that the people will gladly vote bonds a
this time IL the situation Is clearly anc
forcible presented to them.
Buildings safeRuarded.
With reference TO safety, Superintend.
ent f. U. Graft reported that all build
ings have been equipped with automati'
releases on exit doors. exits have beef
cleared. fire drills maintained and fir
escapes installed where necessary.
large delegation of citizens from tn
southeast of the city urged that condi
tions be renledied at Bancroft school
The Bancroft district patrons want eigh
more rooms added to the four-room uni
built few years ago. The old Bancroft
school on Ninth street. south of Ban
croft street, Is OF brick, has twelve room
and was erected over thirty years age
The Park school is one OF the oldes
schools in use today The first inspection
trip will be started at 80 O'clock today
John Kerrigan, manual training in
structor at Central High school, presente,
President c. j. Ernst with a gavel mad,
by the boys of his department.
The committees on buildings AM
! grounds and instruction were empowered
TO install a manual training department
in Lincoln school, which patrons of tn
school had petitioned for, to be read
for the opening of school next September