The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-09-14
SAYS AIR
IN SCHOOLS
is IMPURE
Mrs. Osborne Makes
Ineffective Plea For
Better Ventilation

II Is up 20 the board OF health 10
say whether the ventilation OF the
Detroit public schools IL so poor as
10 be menace 10 the health OF the
pupils The board or education. by
a vote OF five 70 one, so decided IN
It's regular meeting Thursday night
after Mrs. Laura r. Osborne. the
only woman member OF the board,
bad made lone light for Immediate
changes in the yentilating system
OF some OF the schools. notably the
Duane Doty and the Alger. The
male members present were unit
In voting 20 refer the question 20
the health authorities.
In many Of the schools. Il ap-
pears, the pupils clothes closets are
located IN. or rather are a part OF
the foul air shaft Mrs Osborne
contended that the clothing became
infected As a result OF the bad air
passing thru il. and that the chill
dren thus become carriers OF dis
ease germs She vas positive that
this condition was responsible in
part for come OF the epidemics OF
scarlet fever and other contagious
diseases In the past. but offered no
medical opinion in support of~this.
Al the request or Mrs Osborne.
W. r. walker, sanitary engineer OF
the board OF health. recently made
an examination OF the ventilatinE
systems in the Duane Doty and Al
ger schools. He reported 10 the
board OF education that he had found
conditions that warranted a thoro
Investigation The report was re
eeived and placed on Gle without
comment
Then the school boards engineers.
zimmerman and McColl. reportetd
that they had inqlFired into the cost
OF installing yentilating ducts in
school rooms and submitted a prop
oHitiou from the Monroe Sheet
Metal & Roofing company 10 do the
work AZ $40 per room Inspector
John S Hall did little figuring and
announced that IL would cost ap-
proximateiy tl56. 900 10 so equip
each OF the ctiy's 100 schools, and
there was no money available for
the purpose. He moved that action
on the ventilation question be post.
poned until the board OF health could
determine II the present system is
really as detrimental as some per
SOM seem 60 think
Mrs Osborne was on her feet
promptly.
THE health Of the children should
be our FIRST consideration she said.
II think We should act on this mat.
ter without delay would sooner
rescind iho appropriation SIC have
voted tonight fov various school
purposes than go so without this
greatly needed Improvement
Mr. Osborne declared that the
board engineers abandoned the
plan ~ placing closets IN 4ir shafts
seven Years ago. Gs result Of pro
tests hv the Twentieth Century
club President Mumford challeng
ed this statement The change was
mad for au entirely different rea-
son. he declared
The question was called FOR and
Tnspecfsv Halls motion 20 refer the
whole proposition 20 The board OF
health WAS carried with Mrs Os-
borne at tho only dissenirr
Janitors who are required 30 work
overtime Al account OF evening
school or entertainments In school
buildings viii receive half pay for
minimum OF two hours work here.
after The board 40 voted on the
advice az IT'S chief engineer.
a time clock viii be Installed in
The compulsory education depart
ment 10 keep tab on the clerks en-.
ploycd there n Was intimated that
some OF the employees have not been
putting in their full time
A bill Of 1000 submitted by John
Barry. real estate man, for apprais
Ing several school sites was held up
until the next meeting at the re
quest 81 Or Hall. who wants to In
ves'igate 81
Only one complete bid for fur
nishine groceries 10 the manual
training department was received.
II amounted 20 SsS7 IS. and Mrs. Os
borne objected when she discovered
that baking powder which she could
buy AZ rs cents was listed AZ Il
cents can The purchasing agent
was instructed 90 make further In
quiries and was authorized 20 make
purchases not 10 exceed $3.50
Architects Malcomeon 4 Higgfn-