The Washington times., 1921-10-16
STUD rs AID IN
FIRE PREVENTION
CAMPAIGN
PIacards Are Distributed and
Debris Removed From School
Nsighborhoods In Safety
Measures Designed to Reduce
Risk Of Fires In City.
BY ED DUFFY.

The success of Fire Prevention
Week In the District was due in q
large measure to the spirit with
which the grammar and high school
students Joined the movement.
The printing classes at Central
High School turned out 5000 posters
on the subject OF Fire Preven-
tion." which were distributed in
every Washington neighborhood.
and Charles p. Benns. of the Under
writer's Association, gives the pub
lie schools credit for much practical
aid In the success of the campaign.
Mr.. Benns, who was on the Com
mittee on Fire Prevention" and who
had charge of the campaign in the
schools. has nothing but words of
praise for the spirit of cooperation
Of the teachers and students.
Fire Chief George Watson has
complished by public school stu
dents.
In many neighborhoods where
piles of rubbish had accumulated
pupils OF nearby schools formed
groups and cleaned up the lebris,
to remove a possibility of fire.
INTERESTING GAME.
Lectures and stories on fire pro-
vention" were given In many
schools. The younger students, fol-
lowing one of these assemblies, In
variably became intensely interested
in the game" and set about to In
sure their homes against flames.
More than one mother, accustomed
TO making her young son work, was
surprised when he came home and
cleaned up the cellar and backyard.
Fire drills were given at practical
fy every public school during the
week. and in several cases much was
accomplished when sources prevent
ing the quick filing out of boys and
girls were discovered. With these
mistakes corrected the classes were
found to be able to leave the build
ings In record time. These drills
will be repeated during the winter,
so the pupils may know just what
to do in case Of fire.
Carl 8. Fenton, printing instructor
at Central High School. supervised
the printing Of many thousands of
placards to be distributed In the in
terest Of fire prevention.
TEXT OF SIGNS.
The tsxt Of placards which were
hung up in the schools were very
well written. One card had three
telling paragraphs, as follows:
when the wind means II Is ex-
tremely bad luck to burn trash near
the house.
IF you have . pile Of rubbish In
your cellar, IL indicates q crowd Of
people are coming to your house.
Cooks who do not desire to burn
their breakfasts should refrain from
starting the fire with kerosene"
These morals made Impressions on
the mind Of "young America" and
it is q safe bet that the forthcom.
ing year will find the District lack
ing some Of the great damage and
loss of life by fire suffered in the
past.
A great majority of high school
boys keep the furnace fires burn
ing" in D. G>ld mo:,ths. and these
were the one1 Who took to heart
nfsttee. Az one boy. woo tends furn-
ace for his mother, sa d yesterday.
II never before realized the danger
Of making a furnace IRE, but now
will never overlook keeping the
pipes and drafts clean. for I wouldn't
like to take a chance on firing the
house, as did last year"
Superintendent Frank w. Ballou
sent q letter to all che principals of
the public SCHOOL, early last week,
urging cooperation In the movement
for fire prevention. Indications are
that his instructions were carried
out to the last degree, for young
and old Washington knows today
that many moons will sink before
the lessons on the subject will be