Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-10-06
Fire Prevention Day in the Schools

Fire-prevention instruction in the
schools is the most fruitful OF all
fields of ire-prevention endeavor
Such instruction is a regular part OF
the curriculum in thousands OF
schools throughout the United States
and Canada. In many places It is
mado compulsory by law; in many
other educational authorities. reaIiz-
ing the importance OF teaching fire.
prevention 10 the children. have ar
ranged suitable courses on their own
Initiative
Where instruction in fire prevention
is already regular feature OF school
work the special observancss at the
time OF October 10 will, give added in
ierest 10 the regular fire-prevention
work through the year. Where fire
prevention is NOT already regular
feature OF instruction fire-prevention
day will make an excellent start, az
ter which suitable instruction can be
continued throughout the school year
Talks by uniformed officers OF the
fire department have been found to be
the best appeal TO children. Arrange
monts should be made with the fire
chief. so that every child will hear a
fireman speaker at least once during
the fire-prevention campaign. Such
talks when accompanied BY demon
STATIONS of methods of operating ex-
tinguishers and of sending fire alarms
are particularly valuable
Preparation for fre-prevenfion day
in the schools. usually begins about
week before October g. Every day
some time is given TO the subject. gen
eral instruction. home inspections and
reports, preparation OF essays, all
leading up to the day OF the fire-pre-
ven;ion exercises During the week
the children will also be participating
in the various outside activities, es-
peciaily the home cleanup. The
school fire prevention exercises. to
which parents are invited. should be
assigned specific day near the end
Of fire-prevention week, but not the
same as that observed throughout the
city as fre-prevention day Thus
there will be no conflict between
school and other observances. and the
children will be free later to par
ticipate in the parade and other out
side features which will be of special
interest to them
q.
of October 8 in the school
some preparation is necessary; the
full possibilities will only be realized
II the teachers have already explained
TO their classes something about the
Significance of the fire waste and TIL,
more common hazards
The writing of competitive ESSAYS
in the various schools for prizes offer
ed by public-spirited individuals or
organizations has proved an excellent
expedient for keeping the subject of
fire prevention well before the pupils
and where the local press is
willing to cooperate by publishing
daily for a week or so prior to Octo-
Der 3 a short article ON some fire.
topic. concluding the series
with the publication of the winners
names. the educative value of the
is enhanced. The par
ents. as well as the children, are
reached in this way.
Another successful method of
reaching parents as well as children
is the distribution among the children
of inspection blanks upon which to
report the fire hazards of their own
homes. Sometimes prizes are offered
for the best reports. but in any case
the mere process of inspection by the
children cannot altogether fail of eff
feet upon their adult relatives Chill
dren find pleasure in assuming re-
sponsibilities of this sort Even
where it was impracticable for COM
petiiive inspection. very gratifying
results have been found to follow
from the distribution of pamphlets
with an appeal to the children for
service as fire wardens
The Inauguration of Junior fire. I
league" may also be made |