The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-15
Ira Atkins Speaks for the
Fathers at Parent
Teacher Meeting
FIRE ESCAPE SCORED
Many High School Prob
lens Discussed Last
Night

THE fathers Of Fairmont," said
Ira Atkins, will count as a hero
any person who starts the practice
OF high school girls wearing uni
form" Mr.. Atkins was the first
10 arise last evening, at the Parent
Teacher Association meeting held
in the High school auditorium, IN
response to the invitation tor opin-
ions on the contemplated uniform
for this chool. The mothers pres.
emit were asked for their ideas on
the subject and the fathers were
really excluded from this part OF
the program but Mr.. Atkins wasn't
going to have It that way.
az don't see why the fathers
aren't tust as interested IN this
thing as the mothers" he Baid.
EI'm getting mighty tired OF seeing
abbreviated skirts, silk stockings,
peek-aboo waists and all the rest,
20 by my house. Let's do 1t.
There won't be any kick in the
home ] can tell you because II tbs
school lays down the law about the
matter, We fathers will provide the
ARIns spoke emphatically with q
ring OF earnestness In his voice.
Smiles everywhere greeted his eS-I
The subject Of adopting i MILDLY
uniform of. some nRtur9 %aa t1s
most interestlnE thought Of last
.flfEht's meeting though thing de-
oisiye was done, the matter going
over TIL next months meeting.
Parents were asked to consider 1t
carefully, talk It over among them.
selves and be ready to report next
month. Two other expressions Oh
opinion on the uniform came from
Mrs. Kemble White and Mrs. ".
once lived near a school where a
uniform was adopted and she
Thought 1t destroyed the individuals.
ity OF q girl to dress in that fash
ion constantly. She felt girls
should be taught how TO dress
properly and correctly in accord
ance with their own ideas and that
taking away from them the wear
ing apparel which they liked, sim
plY prevented their ever learning
how to dress tastefully so that
when they left school they weren't
a bit better on.
Mrs. Black felt the problem
would be how to compel the girls
to wear what was best. She didnt
believe 1t could be done. Girls
viii do what they want to do and
you can't prevent them sometimes"
she said. There was decided inter
est displayed regarding the sub
ject but on one else attempted 10
make public his opinions. It was
planned that two papers, one for,
and the other against the uniform
be discussed at next meeting.
The next most interesting mum.
her on the program concerned the
new fireproof stairway which has
been ordered Tor the high school,
to cost $4,000. W. S: Mayors, well
known engineer, made an inVesu'
cation recently OF ftreproot escapes
on the various school buildings IN
against the stairway ordered for
the high school, stating that he
preferred" the new spiral stairway
type for the outside Of the build.
ing, Mr.. Mayors talk was in ef-
feet as follows:
There are five school fires each
day in this country and an average
of 5000 lives lost annually
through fire. True, we have fire
escapes and laws but the latter are
NOT enforced. Except the, Miller
school all the school buildings in
the city are very tnflammahle, es'
pecially the High school. The fire
proof stairway ordered is not ade.
auate in my opinion because the
corridors and dOorways may be-
come impossible on account OF
smoke and heat. The sprinkler
system would be good but this Is
best for buildings and not Tor hui
mans. Fire escapes are most GER
tainly made which are adequate
but these Of course are very ex-
pensive which perhaps is no rea'
son for not having them as our
children mean much to US.
The outside balcony is good with
the new spiral type OF fire escape
leading to the ground prohabl ly
best; where smoke and heat do
not interfere. A chemical tank
holding 30 or 40 gallons installed
in the High school building would
likely prevent many fires. The
fire department says at least so
Continued on page nine.)