New Britain herald., 1930-10-11
Structure Called Fire Trap and Menace to Health of Children by Indignant Fathers and Mothers - Proposed H. s. Course in Investing Delayed.

new school building in the Northend school district, came more quickly than a delegation of parents at the school board meeting had antici pated at a meeting of the board of education yesterday afternoon. After six of the group had expressed dis satisfaction with the present school building, Chairman Joseph M. Hal loran of the school accommodations committee told the delegation that plans for a new structure had been drawn and within a short time they will be submitted to the board.
 The group condemned the present structure as unfit for educational purposes, unsanitary. a fire hazard and an old fashioned building that has none of the accommodations modern education requires.
 Those who spoke were President Francis A. Clark of the Northend School Parents and Teachers asso- citation. who acted as chairman of the group and introduced each speaker; Benjamin F. Clark, Mrs Jacob Sicklick. Ralph Clapp, Mrs. John Fitzpatrick and William H. Jackson. Others present were Jacob Sicklick,' Mrs. T. w. Hinchliffe, Mrs Max Horn, Kenneth Wallen and Sol , Dubowy.
 President P. F. King welcomed the group to the meeting and told htem the board was pleased 10 see such interest by the parents. He said the board would like to do more than it has been doing.
 . Clark Reviews Agitation
 Francis Clark was tho first speak CT. He said three representatives of the ! Northend School Parents and Teachers association appeared at the school board meeting II months ago asking for a new building but since that time no definite action had been taken by the board He told of an inspection trip made by approxi- mately 20 parents through the Lin- coin and Northend school. Condi- tions in the latter building made the parents sick. according to the speak CT, who said the lack of accommo- dations was brought out more forci- hy by the comparison.
 According to Mir Clark one build ing is 54 years old and the other part is 34 years old. According to the association's president. S27,000 has been spent on the Northend building in this time while approXi- mately one and one-half million dol lars has been spent in five other sections of New Britain.
 He said plans were drawn for a building many years ago but nothing further was done. The teachers at the school are not entering into the discussion, according to MT. Clark, who described them as loyal work CTS who are not rebelling against conditions although they realize how bad they are.
 MT. Clark said the parents in the district have wanted building but have on many occasions consented to stand by and wait. On one occa- sion the late George w. Traut, for mer chairman of the finance con- mittee, told the parents to wait un- til other building projects were con- peted Since that time the Franklin and sSenior High buildings have been built and a fire at the Israel Putnam school made it necessary to rebuild this structure, the speaker said.
 Surprised Health Dept. Did Not Act
 in which he described the alleged un- sanitary conditions of the school. At one time he said, 'I am surprised the board of health has not stepped in and investigated the dirty condi- tions of the wash basins"
 In conclusion he said the condi- tions cannot be altered, and there Is need of a new building. We must have it. We insist upon it and the city must find a way to give it to us" he said in conclusion.
 Benjamin Clark was the next speaker. He told of the fire hazards. In one place three lines of pupils would meet and would have to file through a door five feet wide in case of fire. He declared all the stair cases were wooden and that there is junk stored underneath two of the principal stairways. Mr, Clark called attention to the trouble that would exist in dressing rooms when children may not be under the caro of a teacher.
 Coal is packed to the ceiling in the cellar and spontaneous combus- tion is possible, in the opinion of Mr. Clark. He told of the possibility of children in the Kindergarten being caught in a fire trap, of the uneven f}oos that would delay progress to- ward fire escapes and of other diff Cultes in getting to the few fire es- capes in the building.
 He described it as a downright injustice" Continuing he said:
 If conditions are not remedied I'll move out of the district to q place where the children can get ac- commodations in a modern school. don't wish to start anything of this sort but we contribute our share to the tax rate and do not get proper returns.
 The state condemned the build ing but it gave you an extension of tune. You are not extending the time, you are taking that time from our children. We won't put up with it.'
 -45 Children in Kindergarten Room
 Ralph Clapp said 45 children are housed in one kindergarten room He said one teacher had to be trans ferred from the school because of i'll health. Mr. Clapp told of a person who moved into the neighborhood but who said he would not have done so if he knew the school was