The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-30
BOARD Of HEALTH
STOPS MEETINGS
Closes Schools, Theaters and
Churches-No Public
| Gatherings
CHURCH HOUSE FOR
EMERGENCY CASES
Congregational Parish House Converted
Into Hospital-Several Patients Are
There, One with Pneumonia-M
Stellman to Return.

Stellman to Return.
Because of the prevalence in Brattle-
boro of influenza, which commonly is
called grip, the local board of health
issued a general order this morning
closing the schools and prohibiting pub
lie gatherings throughout this week and
next Sunday, and the order went into
effect Immediately.
DR.. Henry Tucker, executive officer of
the board of health, met the members
of the school board of the incorporated
school district in the home of DR.. A. T.
Miller, a member of the board, yester-
day afternoon at 4 clock, when the
situation was gone over very carefully.
| 1t was the unanimous opinion that with
| 80 or more eases of influenza in town
measures should be taken to prevent, if
| possible, further spread of the disease,
although there were but few cases
| among the school children.
Accordingly it was decided at the
conference that the. schools should be
closed through the week and that fur
ther announcement should be made near
the end of the week as to whether the
closing order should be extended fur
ther than this week.
This morning DR.. Tucker and the Sc
lectmen held conference. they CON
| stituting the board of health, and it
was decided to prohibit all public gath
| erings. 1t was anticipated yesterday
that this would be done and several who
were arranging for meetings this week
were notified last evening that pro-
hibitive order probably would be is
sued today
1t was impossible to get the informa-
tion to the school children Yesterday, SO
it was decided to allow them 10 assem-.
bic this morning and to dismiss them
after the situation had been explained
which was done.
The order embraces the moving pie
ture theaters and Auditorium, lodge
meetings, church gatherings, club meet
iugs, conventions, and all assemblies OF
that kind. The Empire theater man
agcment already had planned to close
that house tonight temporarily on ac
count of other considerations.
The Windham Association of Congre
G gational Churches had planned coun
ty convention at West Brattleboro Tues
t day, but this was cancelled Anothe
f meeting coming under the ban is tn,
t Liberty loan mass meeting set for Tues
O day night in the Auditorium, when Hon
y George Adam of Montreal was t.
: speak. The Woman S club meeting Sc
for Wednesday also is given up. Th
n harvest supper III the Universalis
n church Thursday evening cannot b
i served, and the Congregational paris
. party set for Friday night in the ehape
= cannot be held. A group centenary cor
) ference of the Methodist churches i
4 Windham county was to be held her
Friday afternoon and evening, but tn
order changes the plan. Under the orde
no midweek meetings can be held j
the churches and no church or Sunda
W school meetings can be held next Sur
day.
No Red Cross meetings will be hel
If evenings this week, and no day NEE
w ings will be held until further notic
L. The Boston headquarters are sending
e. face mask, and duplicates of it will /
le made, to be worn by the workers, b
at fore meetings are resumed.
le Rev. James p. Rand states that in con
\ Ipliance with the ordee of the local healt
,o officer all services arranged for this wee
2 in st. Michael's Roman Catholic churt
o will be postponed until further notice
% Health Officer Tucker has quarantine
o. approximately 80 cases of influenza al
g he says that doubtless there are sever
-, other cases which have not been report,
= to him.
The school officials say that there a
very few eases among the school pup
and that there was a high percentage
attendance at the sessions Friday.
Superintendent of Schools Florence
Wellman states that the school teaehe
,ir will remain in town during the wee
Parents are urged not to take their ch
dren out of town. Pupils are reques
he ed not to visit homes where any of t
bt. members are i'll with colds. Persons ha
er- ing colds are urged to call a physici
no at once Home work has been assign
to all of the older pupils
One of the sudden developments of t
influenza situation was the conyersi
Continued on Page 81