Evening journal., 1915-05-08
FIRE drills FEW
IN CITY schools
Teachers Say Children Get
Safety Instructions Only
Occasionally
EXTINGUISHERS
ALSO LACKING

With the death of Miss Abigail f.
WEIGH. a teacher in No. 4 School. fol-
lowing the explosion of an alcohol
stove in the school on Tuesday and
the threatened destruction of the
school by the fire that followed, re-
newed attention has been called TO the
matter of fire protection in the public
schools and especially the lack Of
fire extinguishers.
President Samuel H. Baynard of the
Board of Education in a statement
explaining why there ere no fire ex-
tinguishers said that daily fire drills
are held to teach the pupils to get out
of the buildings quickly and in an
orderly manner.
A report was received at THE
/ EVENING JOURNAL Office today that
/ fire drills were of very infrequent oc-
currence in the schools and that in
one school where there are small pu-
pills only two drills had been held
this term and in a large school there
had been but one.
An investigation made by a repre-
sentative of THE EVENING JOUR-
/ NAL today disclosed the fact that
there Is a standing regulation that
! fire drills are to be held in all
schools at least once a month. but
not daily as stated by President Bay
: nard.
At School No. 4. where the explo-
sion occurred, Miss Fanny J.. Butler,
h., min af
fire drills had been held during the
present term. When the explosion
took place there we're about twenty
five pupils on the second floor. The
bell for the fire drill was sounded by
Miss Mary a. Shields, one OF the
teachers and the pupils passed out of
the building without being panic
stricken
Miss Matilda p Graham, principal
of School No. ,, Eleventh and Wash
ington streets. said that drills are
held there on an average of one
every other week Prior to the April
vacation two were held in one week
A. H. Berlin, principal Of the High
School said that fire drills we're held
there on an average of one a month.
He remarked that one was held yes
terday. The pupils in case of a
drill get out of the building in one
and three-quarter minutes.
! Residents of the Ninth ward, whose
children attend Public School No
30. at Thirtieth and Madison streets
and School No. 80 at Concord avenue
and the Boulevard, are alarmed ovel
the danger of fires and the lack o.
r fire extinguishers or fire escapes II
and on the buildings. One citizen, il
speaking of the danger of fires il
these schools. today said: Il. as on
d, citizen. protest against the lack o
! fire escapes on these buildings. both o
= which are supposed TO be two stories
high. but with the Easements extend
ing above the grade OF the streets
This places the first floor of the struc
i, lures ten or more feet above the stree
: level To make matters worse th'
entrances to these schools are by higl
> steps and the lower windows open
ing on TO the sidewalks. the basemen
windows are covered with heavy wir,
. screens"
In both of these schools, there il
not fire extinguisher, but fire drilli
are held in each school twice a month
, II is possible that a communication
D will be addressed TO the Board o
y Education by residents of the Nlntl
, ward. requesting that fire escapes b,
placed on the buildings and that tn,
wire coverings over the windows b,
removed.
II was learned today that fey
schools here are equipped with fir
! escapes, it being claimed that sucl
we're not needed on two-story strlc
lures, according to the building laws
Those in a position TO know also sa,
/ that the building laws set forth tina
stairways in such buildings should b,
of fire-proof material. whereas thos
now in use in most all schools are o
( wood.