The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-23
That Might Prove Of Value and In
terest to the educational Folks
on Our Side Of the
River.
AN ILLINOIS MOVEMENT
Prevention Of Fires viii be Taught
In the Illinois Public Schools,
Says Fire Marshal
Bennett.

Prevention is the twentieth century
slogan. It is making itself useful
everywhere. Prevention of fires is
the way to solve the problem OF re-
ducing the enormous fire losses. Ths
state of Illinois is going to have thu
prevention of fires taught In thu
schools, and Sprtn gfield correspond
ent has the following to offer on ths
subject:
Fire prevention is to be taught in
the public schools of Illinois with the
opening Of the fall term. So that
uniform system Of teaching may be
adopted, Walter H. Bennett, state
fire marshal. is having suitable text
book prepared. The cooperation OF
Francis G.. Blair, state superintend-
ent of public instruction, has made
the fire marshal's plan. possible, &C
cording to Mr.. Bennett, in state
ment issued today.
If the lessons embodied IN the
bound book are carefully learned. MI
bennett estimated they will result in
an annual savings Of s10,000,0O0.
"Seventy-fve per cent of the hres
in Illinois are preventable.' sala MT.
Bennett.
"Some of the lessons in the new
school book will deal with the match,
kerosene, gasoline, oil lamps. Chin
neys. and flues.
zone of the lessons will deal with
ways to avoid danger from lightning.
Some of the questions and answers
suggested for this lesson follow:
"Why is it necessary to avoid prox-
imttv to water and streams during
lightning?
Because water, being good con-
ductor, a person standing near 1t. pc
ing also a good conductor, might de-
termine the discharge.
"Whv is the middle Of the room
the safest place?
Because it is removed from con
Quoting surfaces, such as bright MIR
rors. bell wires, walls, cornices, etc.
"Why is it advisable to stand on
thick hearth rug or on hair mat
tress?
Because, being dry and non-con-
Quoting bodies, they would insulate
the human body and prevent the cleo
tricity from passing to It,
"Is It dangerous to stand near
lightning conductor?
TT is not dangerous, because the
electricity would not leave the metal
conductor to pass through worse
conductor
According to the 1914 report Of the
fire marshal, flfty-five children were
burned to death by having their
clothes set on fire from bonfires.
Lesson No. 8 in the new book Will
deal with bonfires and their dangers.
Lesson No. 9, will deal with spon.
taneous combustion, explaining what
makes it possible and how to avoid 1t.
The children are to have explained
to them just what chemical action oc-
ours when greasy rags piled up In
closet burst into flames without the
aid Of an outside agency.
There are very few fires IN Ger
many which might be classed as pre-
ventable," said F. r. Morgaridge, as.
ststant state fire marshal, who is at
work on the new text book.
"The Germans do not consider
fire in their homes a misfortune;
rather they consider it disgrace
cause for punishment by the authori-
ties. There are fewer fires in the
towns of Columbia and Waterloo than
in any other towns Of that size in
Illinois. The population Is composed
chiefly Of Germans, or Of people CT
German descent"