Evening star., 1926-05-12
SCHOOL FIRE PERIL
TROUBLES BOARD
Conference Held With Com
miSSionerS to Remove
Hazards Reported.

Admittedly appalled, and nonplusse.I
over the fire nnarshals report OF fire
hazards in the District public schools,
members of the Board OF Educattor
and school authorities conferrod
with tho Commissioners today in ar
effort TO determine definitely wha;
procedure TO follow In making the
necessary corrections.
The three problems which the
school officials submitted to the Com
missioners for solution We're:
Whether school auditoriums should
be classified as theaters and required
to install expensive steel curtains
and other fire protection apparatus
Whether the drastic fire regula
tons governing public garages should
be applied to auto mechanic shops
in the technical high schools.
What steps should he taken 70
remedy defective structural condi-
tions IN the schools as outlined in
the fire marshals report.
Questions Debated Long.
These questions were presented D..
DR.. Henry Z. Learned. chairman of
the committee on buildings, grounds
and debated for an hour and "a hal
The Commissioners plan 20 give
them further considera ton before
making a definite answer.
DR.. Learned held that the fire reg
lations for public garages should ~
be applicable 70 the automobile rcpa 10
shops in the schools. Fire Chief C,ecrc.
5. Watson announced that he is Nv'
opposed TO the school repair shops
providing automobiles 20 be repaire
are emptied Of gasoline before beir r-
taken into the shops. Supt. of School
Frank W. Ballou pointed out that b.
would be difficult 10 enforce such q re
quirement, and that il also would
work a hardship on the students tc
test the machines after repairing
them. He suggested that Il would he
possible to separate the shops from
the main school buildings. but that II
would be q costly proposition.
Consideration OF the question as So
whether the Central High School auf
torium is O theater was featured hr %
debate between Chief Watson and
Supt. Ballou. The fire chief insisted
that It is a theater as far as the hujli
Ing regulations are concerned. while
DIR. Ballou argued that il is not dis
similar from other school auditorium
and assembly halls. I'VE want safe
for the children and the property DC
clared the school superintendent, "bU'
to classify that school as q theater =
not in accordance with general regula
tions.'
Might Use Asbestos.
The heavy steel curtains whaci
the Fire Department recommended
fnvu tl,..h hteyIr s-@.a r. C4Ii i1VF
emphasized. constitute g. hazard III
themselves as they are likely to fall
Chief Watson said that an asbestos
curtain with a steel frame would be
acceptable.
Fire Marshal Leonard V. Seib.
however, told the Commissioners thai
the Central stage is not properly
equipped for fire protection because
it lacks a standpipe or q eridiron
Only recently. he said. an excessive
amount OF portable scenery and other
paraphernalia was removed as a ie
suit Of the Fire Department com
plaint that Il constituted q fire haz
ard.
DR.. Learned advised the Coulnnis
sioners that the board was rathel'
appalled, at the numerous recon
mendations Of the fire marshal fo'
structural changes in the schools and
that its members were not faInilia,
with such technical details and could
not proceed TO correct the criticiZe'l
conditions.
He urged that the District eI
gineers classify the recommends tione
IN the order Of their Importance 81
that steps could be taken 10 carry
them out. DR.. Ballou also empha
sized that there is no one on the
school staff competent to determine
the comparative importance OF the
recommendations.
Those who attended the conference
besides Chief Watson. Fire Marshe
Seib, the Commissioners, DR.. BalloU
and DR.. Learned were Edwin c. C;rt
ham, president of the School BonrG
Municipal Architect Albert l.. Harris
Garnet c. Wilkinson. first assistar
superintendent OF schools: Mrs. How
ard l.. Hodgkins. member of the
board Maj Raymond o. Wilmarth
business manager OF the schools, and
Deputy Fire Marshal Charles q
Ashstetter.