The New York herald., 1921-09-14
FIRE LAWS VIOLATED
IN 496CITY SCHOOLS
BY HYLAN OFFICIALS
Expert Tells Meyer Commit
tee 1858 Complaints Are
Charged to Board.
FIFTY ACTUAL BLAZES
No Steps Taken for Safety of
Thousands Of Pupils in
Dangerous Buildings.
GROSS NEGLECT ALLEGED
Prall Blames Endless Chain of
Red Tape for Delays in Be-
ginning New Structures.
FIFTY ACTUAL BLAZEs
GROSS NEGLECT ALLEGED

The city's own fire prevention rules
are violated in 1876 OF the sos public
school buildings and nothing has been
done in the last three years to lessen
the fire perils to which the army Of
school children is exposed daily. There
are 1858 formal notices Of violations
on file, none Of which the city govern
ment permits to exist in factories and
buildings not owned by the munici-
pality.
Obsolete methods of buying school
books imposes an unnecessary burden
of close to 100000 year on the pub
lie and decreases the efficiency of the
schools. This Is due to the failure to
standardize text books.
Lack of cooperation and endless red
tape rather than lack Of funds, is re-
sponsible for the inadequate school
facilities, resulting in inadequate in
struction being provided for the city's
children. The shuttlecock system OF
passing every plan and specification
through numerous bureaus and depart
ments results in delays Of years In
starting work.
These and many other grave defects
in the public schools were established
yesterday as facts by the Meyer COM
nittee In its investigation of the Board
of Education. Aiming $. Prall. president
OF the board, acknowledged the defects'
admitted the system was old fashioned
and wrong. but insisted the school off,
Gals were doing the best they could un-
der their handicap.
Loss OF Training Secondary.
Serious az IL the loss OF proper eie-
mentary school training to the youth OF
the metropolis. THAT indictment OF the
uylan administration Is OF little conse-
ouence compared with the charge OF
neglect against the responsible officials
In exposing tho lives Of tens OF thou
sands through failure to live up to the
fire prevention regulations imposed rig
idly on the rest OF the city. 1t was more
than a charge the data were presented
by experts to prove the charge.
These violations Of the Fire Depart
year. but the first appropriation MADE
by the Hylan administration for their
correction was made on April p. 1921.
when s25o,o0o was set aside. The esti-
mated cost of safeguarding stairways.
providing extinguishers. freproohng
closets and taking the other necessary
precautions against fire disaster Is placed
at si.o00.000.
Fifty fires traced directly TO this negii-
gence were described in records taken
from the Department Of Education files
and submitted to the Meyer committee
II there were to be fire disaster In one
OF the schools, II was shown. the respon-
sibIlity would rest first with the Board
OF Estimate for failing to provide funds
and compel safeguards to be put In
the schools, and next on the Board OF
Education for failing to use the money
available and insisting upon proper pro-
lection.
"what investigation have you made
regarding fire hazards In the schools?'
E,ion II. Brown. senior counsel Tor the
committee, asked Mr.. Prali.
1--WE have from time to time received
recommendations from C. 3. j. Snyder.
Superintendent OF Buildings, and from
time to time have requested appropria-
tions for fire prevention" the witness
said.
Unaware or Fire violations.
Mr.. Prali said he believed there had
been notices of violations from the Fire
Department, but he could not tell how
many Mr.. Brown produced the record
taken from the school reports II shovel
violations in 1876 schools as follows:
2.743 in Manhattan. f.545 In Brooklyn.
1878 in Queens. 1906 In Tho Bronx
and 81 IN Richmond.
HAS that come to your attention at
alp" Mr.. Brown asked.
1T has not"
"Have you any Idea in relation to the
seriousness or nor-seriousness OF such
an extensive list OF fire vfoiations?'
"I do not know the nature OF the
violations they may be serious and they
may not be-"
These matters pass through the Eu-
reau Of Buildings. but Mr.. Prall admitted
that bureau was helpless unless pro-
vided with funds. which Il has not beer.
II was shown that the Board Of Educa-
ton made requests from the Board OF
Estimate for these funds In January
fafc Tehr,iorv 1919 md twice IN Arrit