Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-11-28
SCHOOL BOARD DENIES
uAX|TY IN SAFETY WORK
Will Ask Bids on Contract to
Equip All Buildings With
Fire Escapes.

Emphaticaliy denying that II had
ever willfu,y failed tS comply with re-
quests Of Fire Marshal r.. Morton Ain
ucow. the hoard Of Education. at its
semi mopkhly meeting yesterday after
noon. took steps to provide fire es-
,apcs on the school buildings through
out the city. a. requested by the fire
marshall.
The board received a letter from
Mr. Ainscow. urging that fire escapes
be erected on the schools. and an
auxiliary fire alarm placed In the High
school Buiiding. lie asked that these
safeguards be installed at once.
Following the reading of this letter.
a motion was offered by Shermer III.
stfadlsy, chairman OF the finance
committee Of the board, To the effect
that estimates be sought on the cost
of such improvements. If We have
.uf,iciont money" Mr.. Stradley said.
let's erect them" The motion passed
unanimously.
Commenting on the recent report
that the board had failed 10 comply
with the fire marshsis request, James
A chandler stated that "the board has
already gone on record as favoring
sp,cding action In the matter of fire
escapes" In this. MIR. Chandler was
support.d by President Souder. who
orrrcd the records of the board as
rroof.
The matter OF installing a fire alarm
s,stcm in the High School is also be-
ing considered by the board, and II Is
probable that sucn a system as desig-
mated by MIR Ainscow Will he installed
ln the near future.
SUPERINTENDENT OF Schools David "A.
Ward. IA his report to the board. COM
montcd on the success OF the platoon
aystcm in the schools. lie said: The
interest and enthusiasm Of the prin-
cipai teachers and pupils at school
No. p. where the platoon plan has been
in ~p,ration for three weeks. indicate
that very satisfactory work is being
done"
MIR Ward called attention to one ad-
VANTAGE resulting from the platoon
systcm in this school. Under the con-
Vcntional organization. there were
siNtcon teachers employed in the
shool. three of whom were paid $50
pcr month additional for overtime
work 10 take care Of the children on
mart time. This amounts 10 $500 pet
,cnr. There were 2iA children on par'
Time. indicating that there were lo'
more children than could be seated IN
tho rooms
TO take care az these l07 children
under the conventional plan would
have required three additional rooms
and three additional teachers. masint
10. which u just the number OF teach
,rs employed al the present time. Al
ot these teachers are employed ioi
"a houre day. with no additiona
compensation. All the children are OF
luu time. sin hours day. In thh
way. the part-time problem has beef
solved al cost for salaries only .
little more than the salaries OF two ad
dliional teachers.
Mr.. Ward referred TO Education
Week" which has been designated 10
p,ccmbr TO .. lie reported tha
the American Legion. the Nations
l.ducatlCn Association and the unite'
states Bureau of Education were co
opcmtng and that the week wouli
Dc appropriately observed in this city
in his repor. Ms. Ward announce
the appointment of Mrs. Elizabetl
lstwcl.cr to No. ~ school. and Mis-
EmUy Leach. temporarily apPOinte
as scwing teacher for three days pe
week.
During the reading of that part O
tnc report dealing with the piatOo
system. President Souder emphasize
the fact that members OF the boar
were acting IN accord IN regard 10 IN
installation of the system. lie crit.
,lzcd reports spT-arine IN the pres
after the last meeting of the boar
,outendlng that the articles locke
Ike "a TRADE" against the plaioO
system Mr. stradicy. whose remark
we're quoted In the ARTICLES meetin
With President souder's criticism. dc
tended the newspapers. adding that
str maintained his opposition 10 q