Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-16

Despite previous warnings OF the ex.
istence of a potential fire hazard on
the stage of the Central High School
Auditorium, very little has been
done to correct this condition, Fire
Marshal Leonard V. Seib and the mu-
nicipal architects Office point out in
a Joint report based on an annual In
spection of all public school buildings
within the District.
The report. transmitted to the Board
of Education yesterday by the Com
missioners, again contained an admo-
milton that should a fire occur on the
Central stage or among the hanglngs
and shifting scenery or stage settings,
lin all probability it would prove to be
disastrous to the people assembled In
the hall, to the hall itself and probably
to other parts of the building"
Claims Little Done.
Since previous inspection very little
has been done at this school" declared
the report. LAS previously reported,
the assembly hall contains stage
with a large quantity of movable
scenery The stage is larger than any
stage In the various theaters; in fact.
it Is the largest stage in the city. We
are informed that, in addition to being
used by this school, 1t Is used quite
frequently by community centers and
various organizations. This hall Is not
equipped with the proper safeguards
for the people who assemble there.
In fact. it is not equipped in accord.
ance with District fire ordinances"
Numerous recommendations are
made for improving conditions in Cen.
trail and various other public school
buildings which the municipal archi-
R,,A tr1I ha.
lieye constitute fire hazards. The re.
port, however, observed that condi-
tons in 70 Of the public schools and
in all buildings rented for school pur-
poses are satisfactory.
Room for Improvement.
The Commissioners, in letter trans.
hitting the report to Charles F. Ca
rusi. president of the school board,
presented a summary OF the observa-
lions of Mr.. Seib and the inspectors in
the office of the municipal architect,
which explained that while conditions
were found to be much improved since
the previous inspection. there yet re.
mains room for further improve.
ment." A suggestion was made that
the school board study the report care.
fully with view to eliminating all
defects that can be remedied without
expenditure of funds and that the
most urgent of the other items, where
axnenditure of funds Is required, be
included in the semi'annual lists for
repairs or be included in the estimates
for the next fiscal year.
Fourteen recommendations were
made for correcting conditions at Cen
trail High School. Chief among them
were the following: installation of a
FIRE curtain the full width Of the stage;
installation of pinch perforated water
pipes over the proscenium arch, so
that when the water is turned on from
each side of the stage II will form a
water curtain confronting the stage;
installation of a 2h-inch standpipe
on each side of the stage; installation
of an automatic watersprinkling sys-
tenn over the stage, dressing rooms,
storage rooms and workshop; installa-
ton of fire alarm boxes; the erection
of a eridiron over the stage, so that
stage mechanism from above can read
ily be operated without danger of fall.
| ing to the stage floor: the placing of
freproof tops on all wooden tables in
| the chemical laboratories on which
! gas burners, stoves or torches are
used an extra exit at the rear end of
the armory and additional accommo.
| dations for the printing class, which
at present is so crowded that fire
| hazard is created.
Referring to Dunbar High School,
the report pointed out that the H@n.
cipal is anxious TO use the auditoriuSi