Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-09
NEW BUILDING is NEEDED
Parents of Children Affected by
Gas Demand Immediate
Action.

Ancered because OF the near as
phyxiation of 60 pupils Of the Rich
ardson Park School. while attending
their studies in the building yester-
day, and the day before. parents Of
the children in the district are de-
manding that the school lie closed. At
a meeting of the Five Points Civic AS
ISOLATION. in the Community Hdll last
night. communica ton was addressed
to tho board OF trustees requesting
that the building he closed until the
pgesencconditions are eliminated.
The members OF the association were
emphatic in the condemnation OF the
prevailing conditions. Many openly
declared that whether the school was
closed or not. ther children would not
he sent 10 the place. where they
We're exposed 10 the ever present dan
ger OF being asphyXisted at their
desks.
Two members Of the board OF trus-
tees were AZ the meeting. They were
J. Henderson Smith and Ray Rudolph
They declared that they we're equally
opposed TO the conditions existing in
the school. but pointed out that they
NfAt INNfAstSS ~ AfaAtNt AiAt Nskut-
ton. Although they did not openly
express themselves at the meeting as
being in favor OF the action adopted
by the association. IL is generally UNI
derstood by the members that they
Will close the school! The third MEM
her ~ the board OF trustees. Mrs
Reuben HIATT. was not a; the meeting.
Clarence r. Jones. reporting Cor the
school committee Of the association.
said he was OF the opinion that il
would he advisable 10 wait until the
next session OF the Legislature az
which time the State Board % Educa-
ton would urge the building OF new
school building for the district.
Later in the evening. the schoo.
question again came up for discussion
: and after many members OF the ssso-
citation had bitterly arraigned the con
/ ditions under which their children
were compelled 20 study. Mr.. Jones
moved that the communication be ad-
/ dressed 20 the trustees This motion
WAS seconded and CARVED unanimous
IS.
Commenting @pon the situation
members OF the school committee en-
+ phasized the fact that the trouble did
no; lie with the school trustees. The
members Of the board. IL was declared
are as efficient a body OF officials n.
can be found in any district N III.
state. The opinion ~ the entire as,
ISOLATION was voiced IN the statement
OF one member % the school commit.
tee. who said. Il am PROUD Of N,
trustees. Il Is no; their fsUit."
The meeting was well attended TIT
seating capacity 81 the hall was ;axe>
20 the limit. and many were com
PEELED 10 Use boxes for seats Tn,
feeling OF the residents OF the com
mUnity was aroused 10 the boGint
point due 10 the near ssphyxiation O
so children IN the lower grades yes
.erday morning.
Many OF the children showed IN,
effects o. the gas poisoning today
Their arms and faces wera burned
Their lips blistered and their eye
bloodsho;. Although they had recoV
cred, 10 a large extent. from ~
"dop.ness' induced by The DEATH,
fumes. quite a number were unusual
j. pale. NJ. {. Whitehead principal @
the school. and Mrs. Elizabeth Jor
din and Mss Alberta Sapp, teachers
are SIM suffering slightly from IN
gas.
STeaking OF the manns n wnic
the gas affected the children. Mir,
Joro'n told representative OF Ever
Evening that ;he first she noticed Q
. was when the children became IN
. f1grugffTr a. ~ 81 d.
were resting their heads on the desk!
Several complained Of pains in IN
. upper part OF the abdomen. and Z
difficulty in breathing.
p She said that in her opinion. IN
p condition depended upon the weatb
r er. When IL is damp and the atmos
! phere heavy. the gas becomes nor
, noticeable. she said. a number % sue
gestions FOR relieving the situate
have been made. but 50 far none Ina
proved It's worth. OnessuggestiOn wa
that the cellar windows be opened. bt
when this was done. the gas fums
were driven back into the buildini
and became even stronger than befOr
Another suggestion was that the fui
- mace be rebuilt. but this has not bee
b carried out.
p. Mrs. JOrdin said that once Tho chi
b. dren are taken In,O the fresh ar. n
Gop.ness" quickly left them. 81
SAID that j; was possible that the cor
dit.ons may be improved by the r,
opening OF school on Monday. ]
view OF the action taken by the ass,
citation al the meeting last night. how
ever. there j. some doubt that IA
building viii be reopened at that tim