Evening journal., 1915-06-08

That the points in building con-
struction mentioned in the last article
greatly affect the health OF school
children, needs no demonstration in
this age of scientific tests and stand
ards. Il is TO be deplored therefore,
that Wilmington children have TO go
on making that demonstration at the
expense of their health and comfort
No one believes that the Board of
Education with its present budget can
Immediately remodel all the schools
which need il. Bringing old school
buildings up to the standard is expen-
sive. but IL ean-easily be done by re-
modelling one or two schools each
year. II this had been begun ten or
twelve years ago when the schools
needed II just as badly as they do to-
day, we should have had little cause
for concern at present. AS 1t is, we
can only hope that the changes need
ed will come as quickly as possible
and as citizens turn our interest and
influence in this direction.
Aside from the matter of building
construction, there are the much sim
pier questions Of direct sanitation.
concerning which. neglect is even
more dangerous than in questions Of
buildings.
Direct sanitation is chiefly mat
ter OF ventilation, proper plumbing and
japitor service, and soap and water.
On this subject the public has been
quite consistently enlightened in the
past year or two and the result is
an appropriation of fifteen thousand
dollars to the Board of Education, to-
ward the necessary improvements. II
the public is to follow up its recent
correspondence course in school sani-
tation. Il will be we'll TO know just
what conditions this fifteen thousand
dollar appropriation has to cover.
None of the thirty elementary
schools has a system Of ventilation.
They rely solely upon windows-w which
some Of us are inclined TO regard as
a better arrangement than depending
upon a ventilating system which does
not ventilate-provided there are sat
isfactory requirements about open
windows. The present rule is. accord
ing TO the testimony of several OF
the janitors, that windows are not tC
be raised move than four inches IN
winter because more air requires more
coal for heating.
incidentally, the ianitor in many o
the elementary schools when thes,
were visited this winter was found en-
veloped in an aura which was not tn
emanation of a strong personality, hu
an opaque haze of dust raised onl!
10 settle again in rooms of whicl
every window was closed. whethe
the rules about windows applied onl
TO janitors was not learned, but II i
comforting 10 know that at least
few of the teachers were able to kee
the rooms fresh even In winter
The degree of heat seemed also
matter for teachers to decide. In IN
elementary schools the wall-thel
mometers seemed TO be consulted b
the janitor in many cases only I
justify the teachers complaint ths
The room was too hot or too cold
Ventilation and its effect on healt
has been adequately dealt with
Prof II. S. Woodbridge Of the Bosto
Institute Of technology, who ha
proved that BIZ introducing prop6
yentilating systems. the death rate
chiidren's hospitals has been reduce
from so per cent 10 Is per cent;
prisons from so PEI cent. 10 S 10
cent. / realize that in respect
heating and ventilating. ! am Onl
summarizing what my readers alread
know. II may be interesting, howeve
10 read the following sections froi
the Indiana State law made in 1911
Section ]. 90 Heating and ventilS
uon-All schoolhouses hereafter cor
structed or remodeled shall be sur
piled with heating and ventilating sy.
TENS. Fresh air shall be take frol
outside through the building ana proI
erly dinused without drafts throue
each school room durinC school SCI
sion. Each school room shall he sur
pied with foul air fues Of ample 81;
10 withdraw the foul air therefron,
a minimum rate of 1900 cubic feet u,
hour for each 225 feet of said scho
room space, regardless Of outside a
mospheric conditions: and heaters
all kinds shall be capable of mai
tanning a temperature of 20 degre
Fahrenheit in all school rooms. hal
ONCE rooms, laboratories and manu-
training rooms. in all kinds of weat
er, and maintaining a relative h
midity of not less than 40 per Gel
Section II. Whenever from al
cause the temperature OF the scho
room falls TO so degrees Fahrenhs
or below without immediate prospe
OF proper temperature-nam n
less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit beir
attained. the teacher shall dismi
the school until the fault is correc
ed;
Regulations as to the manner
cleaning at the regular cleaning PEI
iods are as follows: The cleanin
shall consist in first sweeping an
then scrubbing the floors, washing th