The Washington herald., 1922-03-02
INSPECTION MAY
CLOSE SCHOOL
AUDITORIUMS
Engineer Commissioner
Will See Fireproof Law
Is Complied With.

All public school auditoriums OF
the District will be inspected to-
day or tomorrow and closed for
theater use IL found lacking in
fireproof equipment, Engineer Com
missioner Keller said yesterday.
The announcement practically
means the closing of all school
auditoriums in view of the bar
against use of the Central High
School hail on Monday, by the Com
missioners. This building is None
of the newest of the high schools
and similar lack OF fireproof equip
ment is expected to be found in the
other buildings.
with the closing of the school
auditoriums for public entertain
ments and theater use, community
center activities of the District win
be practically halted. This DEPART
ment depended almost entirely on
school buildings for staging their
productions and holding their meet
ings. Central High School, the
largest auditorium, was the one
most used.
Heavy inroads on public school
appropriations will be necessary as
a result Of the order. Extensive
alterations in the larger school
buildings Of the District to bring
the auditoriums to conform win
the building regulations relative To
fireprocf equipment will be neces-
sary, including principally the In
staliation OF water sprinkling sys-
TENS and fire extinguishers.
Scarce OF Money.
The money for the alterations
must come from tie s250.o0o emer-
gency fund for the schools. Steel
curtains will have to be installed
in all auditoriums where moving
pictures are shown or plays pro-
duced.
These alterations may cost much
and the order may seem severe. but
the law Is in the books and IL
must be followed" Engineer Com
missioner Keller declared yester-
day.
Fire CHIEF Watson will make in
spection of the other school build
ings Immediately. Stephen E. Kra-
mer, acting superintendent of
schools, in the absence of DR.. F.
W. Ballou. requested the inspection.
A written request for the survey
will be made to the fire depart
ment, and upon receipt of this the
thorough inspection will be inau-
Gurated-
The Commissioners are using
every means at their command to
determine the stability and ire-
proof powers of all public build
ings in the District. Unusual pre-
cautions have been ordered by the
Commissioners, following the
Knickerbocker Theater disaster. All
theaters of the District have been
inspected four of seven ordered
closed are still under ban. pending
completion of alterations ordered
by the Commissioners to make the
buildings conform to building reg
ulations.
Three field inspectors have been
employed this week to assist in in
spection work of the older public
buildings. Eight new men for en-
gineeEing and inspection work in
the building department have been
asked in the supplemental estimate
bill prepared by the Commissioners
and sent to Director of the Budget
Dawes.
change buildings in the District
change buildings in the District
have only two more days in which
to indicate to the Commissioners
they are ready to make extensive
alterations. Some have undertaken
the remedying of their structures
to conform to the fire regulations.
Safety of two river excursion boats
will be determined by District in
spectors IN the near future. also,
the Commissioners indicated yes
terday. The st. Johns, running to
Colonial Beach, and the Charles
Macalester. running to Marshall
Hall, will be inspected.
Saturday may see the closing of
many of Washington's moving pic
ture houses. An order issued last
year by the District Commissioners
required the theaters to install
sprinkler systems by March 3. It
will either go into effect or the
theaters must give evidence of Sc
rious intention to comply with
the regulation. said Commissioner
James +. Oyster.
The order also requires the fire-
proofing of the rooms where films
are stored. Chief George s. Watson
Of the fire department stated that
he had no recent report from the
exchange men. 1t Is expected that
the owners will ask for an exten-
sion OF time.