Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-03-16
INSPECTION OF SCHOOL BUILDING
dent Concerning the Condition of the Fourth Ward Sru


would be liable under the circum-
stances.
Your toilets were also without
ventilation, and although your jani-
tor was attempting to maintain good
clean rooms the conditions were not
satisfactory, as ventilation again had
to depend upon open windows. The
outside stairway, which is the COM
mon means of communication with
the 9Th grade room, was in an unsat-
isfactory condition. 1t had appar-
emily. pulled away from the wall and
the outside stringer of the stairs
should be supported by means of an
extra post. The decorations of this
building, if such they may be called,
are also extremely unsatisfactory.
You are losing considerable light re-
Election due to improper color
schemes, and in one room the paint
was peeling off the ceiling and walls.
The fire extinguisher provided was
of a non-approved powder type, and
must be replaced with at least one
approved fire extinguisher on each
floor and one for the basement. The
interior arrangement of this building
is also extremely antiquated and un-
desirable, your rooms being consid-
erably wider than they are long, thus
removing the lighting from the
rooms to an extent which is very un-
desirable. In this connection it must
be remembered that the influence of
good physical surroundings is of
great Importance in getting proper
types of student reactions. 1t is per-
fectly obvious that small children
who are subject to the unsatisfactory
conditions of this building, such as
inadequate ventilation, inadequate
and improper lighting, and who are
confronted every day by a poor type
of color scheme and decorations, can
not possibly do their best in an edu
cational direction. The health con-
ditiOns must also be considered, and
we know that the little folks are es-
pecially susceptible to unsatisfactory
conditions of this kind.
AS stated in the very beginning, it
is unfortunate that the purely phys
ical conditions of safety just now are
such as to prevent this department
from condemning this building, but
from an educational standpoint and
fitness for educational purposes look
ing towards good teaching results,
there can be no question that this
building is most unsuited and should
be condemned by your citizens as
matter of civic pride.
AS reiterated by the inspector,
feel as he does, that it were verA
much better if the initiative for the
replacement of this building came
from the citizens of Mineral Point.
In this connection I wish to state my
pleasure at the very cordial reception
which was given Mr.. Schmidt, and
also at the privilege which he had Of
addressing the city council which
has evidently resulted in action in
very desirable direction. / hope that
| the appointment of a council commit
! tee to work with the school board i'm
| looking toward immediate remedial
measures in connection with this
building problem will meet with de-
served success.
The department is reserving the
right to reinspect this building with
in one years time with view to de-
termining whether deterioration has
affected the building to the extent as
to make it unsafe Tor occupancy. IL
such should be the case, feel this
department might have to condemn
this building from a purely physical
standpoint, as we are making educa-
tional condemnation with reference
to the use of this building for school
purposes.
I sincerely hope that Mineral Point
will take it upon itself to remedy the
above conditions.
Yours very truly,
JOHN CALLAHAN,
State Superintendent.