The New York herald., 1922-06-13
Children March From Holy
Rosary School in Passaic
With SOldierly Step.
PARENTS ARE IN PANIC
Mills and Tenements Emptied
as Flames Spread and Roar
in High Wind.

Nine hundred school children were
led to safety by priest and nun
yesterday when fire destroyed the
Holy Rosary Catholic Church and
School and three adjacent buildings
at Passaic, N. J. With the Rev.
perior Lazerine at their head beating
time with their hands. the youngsters
marched quietly down the stairs and
into the streets and away from the
them and settled on the roofs Of
dozen and more houses.
Considering the danger they were
In and the spectacular quality of the
fire, there was very little panic among
the children. They were frightened.
of course. Some of them whimpered
and cried, and a few shrieked with
fear, but those that did were soon
Gained by the priest and the nun, who
went among the children telling calmly
they would be all right If they would
only obey orders and march out as
they had done many times before in
their fire drills.
Quickly on Way to Safety.
And they marched out that way. Even
above the roar Of the flames and the
clatter of the fire fighting apparatus, the
tramp of the small feet on the steps of
the school building could be heard. 1t
was methodical tramp, much like that
OF soldiers marching az attention. II
was 80 o'clock when the fire started,
and II was only few minutes later thai
every child was safely in the streets.
Once outside the children's relatives,
who had rushed In terror to the church
and the school when they heard that the
buildings were on fire, quickly drew
them away from the vicinity of the
aames. Embers and sparks and bits of
charred wood fell like wind about the
burning structure. or borne high on
northeasterly wind they rose and scared
to the roofs of other houses. But the
Passaic Fire Department did such good
work that only three other buildings
were burned besides the church and the
school although many others were
ignited.
The police OF Passaic said that the
fires started in the basement OF a sa-
loon at 2i Wall street. This building
was a three STORY frame structure, the
two upper floors being occupied by
families Before the firemen arrived
the two two-story buildings to the
south, IS and 30 Wall street, were
burning.
Church Catches Fire Early.
The church and school. which cost
$50, 900. was to the north of the burn
ing buildings. The cnurcfl caught fire
soon, but even before that the priest
and the un were going among the
children. getting them in line. encour-
aging them to sing and to be brave. so
that when the time came they went
quickly and solidly in line down the
stairs and out of doors.
The fire was visible to the men work.
ing in the woolen and other mills OF
Passaic. They threw down their tools
and rushed TO the scene. thinking their
homes were on fire. The neiehborhood
became a scene of terrific excitemnt,
enhanced by the Gathering arrival OF
the seven Passaic fire companies and
the four from Garfield. hastily sum-
moned to help put out the flames. Men
rushed from their houses carrying chill
dren and furniture. and many whose
roofs caught began throwing things
from windows But the Passaic police
finally restored order and the firemen
prevented the flames from spreading
to the other dwellings.