Catoctin clarion., 1921-09-22
TO SAVE. SCHOOLS
FROM FIRE PERIL
Citizens Of Maryland Towns
Urged To Join In Movement
To Protect Property.
By w. ]. Holloway.
Supervisor Rural Schools, State
Of Maryland Department
Of Education.

An important step in the inter-
est of fire prevention throughout
the State has been taken by the
State Department of Education in
providing, through the new course
of study for rural schools, that
children in the elementary grades
shall receive definite instruction
in fire hazards and the various
means of reducing the losses from
fire to life and property. This is
taken care of mainly in the course
in civics. 1t is stated that one of
the aims of the elementary school
curriculum is citizenship. The
child citizen is to be taught his re-
lation to the various environment
al agencies with which he comes
in contact. what is provided by
his local, State and National Gov
ernments for his protection and
welfare, and what service he can
in turn render in the efficient or
dering of community life.
1t is intended that there shall be
developed in every school child a
consciousness of his responsibility
in the prevention of fire through
the correct use of matches, kero-
sene and gasoline; the care of fires
in stoves and fire places the
proper banking of fires at night,
and by keeping the home and sur
roundings free from rubbish and
all inhammable material.
The pupils will be taught what
to do when an outbreak of fire oc-
curs-how to give the alarm, how
to get out of burning building,
how to get animals out of danger
and what they can do to extin-
guish the fire. They are to learn
also what to do in case of per
sonal injury, treat a burn, etc.
How to apply first aid in all emer-
gencies is fully treated in the
course in hygiene.
The significant feature of this
advance step of Maryland's public
school system is, that the children
will receive this instruction sys-
tematically, year after year. 1t
will be as much part of the re-
quired course of study as is read
ing. spelling, arithmetic, etc. 1t
cannot but have a tremendous in
fuence on the knowledge, attitude
and practice of the whole people.
No less important a contribu-
ton to the States efforts to lessen
its losses from fire is the syste-
matte campaign which has been
conducted for several years by
State and county school authori-
ties to clean up and improve pub
lie school properties. To that end
there has been stressed, in all
schools, high and elementary,
white and colored, the value of the
annual observance, preferably in
the early fall, of "Clean-Up and
School Improvement Day" On
this day the regular work of the
school is suspended, for the after
noon at least, and the patrons and
trustees are invited to meet at the
school and bring their grass cut
tiers, rakes, whitewash brushes and
buckets, nails and hatchets, and
whatever other tools may be nee
essary to put their schoolhouse
and grounds in good condition. 1t
is felt that the school should em-
body, in concrete form, the les
sons in sanitation and health, in
comfort, beauty and safety that
it would impress upon the COM
munity, for it can never hope to
promote any virtue which it does
not itself exemplify. Teachers,
children, patrons and friends have
in scores of places assembled at
the school and observed School
Improvement Day in such way
as to stimulate the pride of the
entire people in making the most
important agency in their midst
a more positive factor in its infu-
ence and possibilities because of
what was done.
All this tends to lessen the risk
of fire. A clean school, like clean
home, is more likely to be safe
school. Teachers who are strong
enough to lead their trustees and