Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21
Woman Has a VANISHED Job
In Better Housing Crusade
Mrs. ScuA Kept Busy IL,
Search of Homes for
Code Violations.

SO1luuCtulB CTuSAQS IOI UctUcr
housing facilities in the District that
calls for the combined talents Of .
building inspector. plumbing inspec.
tor and fire marshal's assistant is the
man-sised job of the sole woman field
worker Of the Washington Housing
Association.
Every work day in the week Mrs.
Laurel Scull, quiet but determined
young lady of IS years. can be found
searching through houses rented to
Washington's poor for violations Of
codes regulating housing conditions.
When she uncovers q violation she
goees to the authorities with . re-
port and they force the landlord to
bring the place up to standard. In
the last year she brought about cor
rections in 934 violations.
It's something of q mystery to the
building inspectors once how Mrs.
Scull even gains entry to make her
inspections. The ONCE has the great
est respect for her reports, however,
and always follows up her leads. In
almost every case when Mrs. Scull
reports a violation, the ONCE finds
she's right.
More Help Declared Needed.
II don't know much about the Or
ganization," said Donald Hopkins,
chief clerk At the building inspection
division. but they seem to discover
things we probably never could ind.
We have a man assigned to handle
their reports"
Mr.. Hopkins said his division sorely
needs additional personnel to make
periodic inspections of all old buildings
in the District. The present force Of
IL inspectors. who now cover only
repair jobs and new construction work
for which licenses are issued, would
have to be doubled, he said. Mrs.
Scull helps out quite bit, though.
Before she starts her rounds each
morning in a somewhat ramshackle
coupe she plans her itinerary from
several maps showing buildings that
are likely to be below standard.
Some OF her visits are re-inspections.
however, to make sure the landlord
has carried out the orders of the au-
thorities.
Possessing no Identification card,
Mrs. Scull relies solely on her ability
to gain the confidence Of the occupant.
Her age is a help, she thinks, as house
wives might be resentful of an older
woman trying to give her advice on
cleanliness and how to run her house.
hold in general. Before I get out Of
some places" said Mrs. Scull. they're
calling me 'dearie' or my child"
Observes Conditions.
Once inside a house she begins fir-
ing questions. keeping her eye peeled
all the while for violations. She learns
the sewage conditions, fire danger,
whether gas, electricity, oil or candles
are used for lighting. the number Of
persons to each room. whether all win
dows will open. about the trash collec-
ton, whether the roof leaks and
whether ceiling plaster is IN danger
Of falling. She also jots down the
kind Of housekeeper the woman Is.
Mrs. Scull has some pretty severe
ideas about some real estate agents
and owners Of property rented to the
poor. She said that before the asso-
citation got law through Congress
requiring it, many owners wouldn't
even give their addresses to the tax
collector, so it would be hard to To-
cate them with an appeal to make
their hO,ISAx mora livahle
Even when the inspectors ONCE
forces them to correct a violation.
they'll do just that and no more"
she said. Take ceiling plaster. for
instance. If it's in danger Of falling,
that's against the law. So the agent
or owner will just send some one to
the house with q long stick to knock
the plaster down. But do you think
they'll put up new plaster there? No,
sir, they'll just leave a big hole"
Mrs. Scull and Mrs. H. D. Hoffma mn,
director Of the association. which is a