New Britain herald., 1929-02-09
,M SCHl)0 SIGNAL NAY BE CHANGED
Discrimination Elplsssd With Preslat Factory Whistle Systaa

The system of informing parents :and children that there will be no sessions of school because of incle- :ment weather is not adequate. in the sopinion of members of the school board. At a meeting yesterday aft .ernoon the matter of using other means was discussed. It was left with Supt. Stanley H. Holmes with request to devise some means which will be satisfactory.
 Just before the close of the meet ing Committeeman Joseph M. Ward, brought up the subject.
 At present parents learn Of no- school through a series Of blasts from the Stanley Rule & Level fac- tory whistle at 7:30 and 11:S0 o'clock.
 Chairman King thought it would be advisable to have more whistles in different parts of the city sound- ed at once so that people Tn every section could hear them.
 Committeeman Ward said he started to school with his two chil- dren Thursday morning and his first knowledge of the fact that there was no school was gleaned from someone on the way. He said others. includ- " teachers and pupils, had started because they did not hear the whistle.
 New System
 When Supt. Holmes was called up- on he said this was the school de- partment's first experience under . new system which was adopted last year, Under the system Supt. Holmes has . direct wire with the engineer in the engine room of the Stanley Rule & Level Co,
 He said he had much difficulty because Q engineer was not there and another employe who answered had difficulty determining what the superintendent wanted. Finally the engineer was reached and the whistles were blown, the superin- tendent said.
 Supt. Holmes told of systems used in other cities. In one place the street lights are winked. Other plac- as the superintendent said, have their own signal which would be 70 different from other whistles and signals that it would be easily dis- tinguished. He named city ln Massachusetts where fire alarm is sounded.
 He said he believed that approu- mateIy s1.O00 would cover the cost of installation of the schools own system. Several whistles sounded at once would be confusing, MT. Holmes remarked.
 It is doubtful if use of the fire alarm signal will be permitted, It was said today. With the sound of the alarm traffic would probably be stopped and the department ofIi- cials who may be at their homes would make preparations to go to a fire. City ordinances do not per- init the use of the siren or any similar blast for anything other than g fire, it is said.
 school Not Lighted Properly
 At least four rooms in the senior high school are without adequate lights and there are several rooms where desks should be changed and where aisles are too narrow. accord ing to a report from the bureau of building construction of the state board of education. The department has asked for an appropriation and if this Is included in the appropria- ton allowed the school board the lighting system at the school will bs changed. Some change will be made immediately pending action of the finance sub committee.
 Chairman P. F. King was author ized to sign new contracts which were made between the school au- thorities in this city and the state board of education in reference to the three practice schools in this city.
 School Calendar
 Schools will open September ., 1923. and close June 20, 1880. &C., cordlng to the school calendar which was presented at the meeting yes. terday. The Thanksgiving recess will be from Wednesday noon. Eo- Hember 27. 1929. to Monday morn. ing. December 2, 1929. The Christ mas vacation will be from Friday night. December 20. 1929, to Mon. day morning. January 6, 1880. The Easter vacation will be from April 17 to April 2S, 1880.
 The only two holidays in the term are convention day in October and Memorial day, May 30.
 Temporary Teachers
 Tho following temporary teach CTS will be employed: Doris How. ard. English, Nathan Hale Junior High school; Alice Magwood, Cen. tral Junior High school; Bernice E. Mason, English and arithn atic