Evening star., 1934-11-16
MOTHERS DEMAND
WRITTEN PROMISE
Of SCHOOL PLANT
Push Strike Plans While
Furnace Fumes Inquiry
Is Under Way.
COL. SULTAN DOUBTS
DANGER TO HEALTH
Engineer Departments Inspector
to Determine Condition Of
Atmosphere.

Unmoved by promises of Engineer
Commissioner Dan I. Sultan that the
entiquated furnace of the Blair School
will be replaced Immediately If a
chemical analysis of the school atmos-
phere being made today shows the
presence OF dangerous noxious fumes.
the aroused mothers Of the school
children proceeded determinedly to-
day with plans for parents strike
Monday morning.
Unless they receive written assur-
ances Of a new heating plant, the
mothers intend to 60 through with
their strike, Mrs. Edwin Green, presi-
dent Of the Blair Hayes Parent
Teacher Association, declared.
I'VE don't want any more verbal
promises" said she. I'VE have had
too many Of those. II they want us
TO hold of, let them put 1t in black
and white"
Col. Sultan requested the analysis
Of the school atmosphere, and DR. Jo-
seph A. Murphy, in charge Of medi-
cal inspection in the schools, and DR..
Norman Young, Health Department
chemist, proceeded Immediately to the
Blair Building.
Doubts Health Danger.
Col. Sultan intimated that he does
not think their report will substantiate
the claim Of the mothers that SCOT
and gas escape into the class rooms
in sufficient quantities to endanger
the health of the children.
ra11od int fot ~, Il
A. Hodgson, his assistant, who talked
with a delegation of the Blair school
mothers yesterday, and an Engineer
Department inspector, who has gone
over the Blair plant.
Then he called in newspaper men
and said: "The heating plant in the
Blair Building was erected in 1884.
Everybody knows it ought to be re-
placed. There are 26 schools having
old hot-air furnaces. We are replac-
ing them as fast as money is available.
The Blair plant has priority for re-
placement next Summer. 1t will not
be replaced now unless 1t IS found
upon careful examination that its
operation is harmful to the children.
I'VE are sending inspectors of the
District Health Department to make
q technical analysis Of the air. AS
far as we know now there are no
noxious fumes escaping into the class
rooms. Final decision will be made
after We have the Health Department
report.
1T would take four weeks to install
q new plant. Unless something very
different from what we now find is de-
veloped, it appears it would be desir-
able to wait until next Summer. No
one wants to shut down the school,"
When asked what would be done II
the mothers Of the school children
called a parents strike, Col. Sultan
said: THAT is for them to decide It
is the inalienable right of citizens of
this country to strike. I don't think
they would do anything so foolish as
to take their children out of school
II the children are not endangered"
The District has an appropriation of
4375,000 for repairs and Improvements
to school properties, covering many
urgent needs. Col. Sultan said this
sum was not sufficient to meet all
current requirements. He promised
immediate and definite action, how
ever, If it should be found that the
health of the Blair School children is
endangered.
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
Of schools, refused to comment on the
attitude Of school officials in event
of q strike.
A mass meeting Of parents will be
held at the school at 3 pm.
The few more conservative" mothers
who were not yet committed to q
strike received visits from the en-
battled organizers.
THE mothers will take their children
to school Monday" said Mrs. Green"
land If we haven't received word from
District officials by then, we will march
right out again. My son and will
be at the head Of the parade. He is
suffering from one OF the worst colds
he ever had and I am convinced it's
caused by the SCOT and gas he has to
inhale. He says he chokes practically
all day long"
Good Attendance Expected.
Indication that today's mass meet
ing would be well attended was given
by the response to letter circulated
among parents yesterday. At noon,
Mrs. Green gave each school child
copy and by o'clock she had received
well over a hundred acceptances. BY
this morning 176 had responded.
The letter stated in part: THE
Blair School is not a fit place to send
children. Their health is being i'm
paired because Of SCOT and fumes from
q furnace which should have been
replaced many years ago.
'.It Is our purpose to fight for a
new heating plant to be installed be-
fore the severely cold weather begins"
Six mothers, led by Mrs. Green,
called at the District Building yeSter-
day to see the Commissioners, but
found them all out. Shunted from
ofdcial to official they finally left with
the ultimatum of Give us a new
heating plant at once or we will
strike"