The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-21
MOTHERS PICKET
. UNSAFE SCHOOL
IN HAVERHILL
Strike D e c lare d On
Condemned Firetrap
By BETTY Connolly CARPENTER

BY BETTY CONNOLLY CARPENTER
HAVERHILL, Mass, May 20.-As ]
came to Currier square, l saw a large
crowd Of women with their banners
bearing the inscription, Courier
School Unsafe, "Currier School I'm.
sanitary" Don't Send Your Children
to Currier School," These women
marched up and down in front of the
building, some knitting, others read
ing, while still others pushed baby
carriages. There was parking place
for the carriages, whose occupants had
fallen asleep, which was under guard
of special committee of mothers.
The ground around the building was
Uttered with rubbish, low, and was
crowded with children of all national
tiles. The children of the mothers in
the picket line, were explaining to
those still in school why, they, too,
should take vacation until the school
board made the building safe for them
to occupy.
Building Condemned 20 Years Ago.
The building, which was constructed
fifty-two years ago, is in keeping with
the general architectural design and
construction that was common in
those days. Twenty years ago, after
the building had been declared un-
safe, a tower was built at each end
of it, in which was placed a fire escape.
This has since drawn away from the
main part of the building, on one end
so far that it has been torn down since
the protest has been going on. The
other tower is about three inches from
the main part of the building.
l went into the, school. In the base
ment, on the girls side of the build
ing and not twenty feet away from
the toilets is a stove. The toilets,
stove and a small play room are all
in the same room. 1t is on this stove
that MONDAY meals, for those who
do not go home to lunch, are cooked.
The ventilation is in keeping with the
building itself. Old and unsanitary
appliances are a constant menace to
the health of the children.
At the other end of the basement
is the kindergarten. Its white-washed
windows form the partition between
the room and the girls toilet.
Light Match to See Way.
It's rickety old stairs, narrow, with a
turn half way up, and placed in dark
corners of the building make them
very dangerous in case of fire. They
are so dark that we had to light a
match so that we could see our way.
Some of these same mothers who
ormed the picket line of from seventy
five to one hundred people told me
that they were also present at meet
ing held three years ago which was
addressed by State Senator Charles H.
Morrill,. It was at that time that the
school board and the city council
promised relief. Nothing in the way of
anything permanent was done. More
or less agitation has been going on
since the meeting held three years
ago.
This time the women have resolved
to stick to their task until they sue
coed in getting the place made safe
for their children. Although the po-
lice have ordered them away on sew
eral occasions they are determined to
gain their demands. Even the threats
of the truant officer to the effect that
he would put them in jail if they did
not send their children to school have
not shaken their determination.
eve would rather be in Jail than
to have our children in this school,"
is the answer of the women.
Councilmen who have feared for tn
safety of the building, which has beer
declared unfit by state authorities,
have placed a special guard around
the building.
The council rooms have been the
scene Of many sharp criticisms from
the mothers who are in daily attend
ance to voice their protest. The wom-
en- have employed an attorney to rep