Evening star., 1941-12-21
Progress on Air Raid
Precautions Reported
By School Officials
Requests for Advice
On Safe Spots Swamp
Fire Department

School authorities reported yes
terday they were making progress
in completing the defense organiza-
ton against air raids.
They are still awaiting individual
reports from the principals of the
nearly 200 school buildings on how
the Official instructions of the Office
of Civilian Defense, requiring that
the children be kept at schools in
case Of a daylight air raid, can be
adapted to their buildings. In ad-
dition to the public schools, Supt.
Frank w. Ballou has been asked
by District civilian defense chiefs to
organize the protection Of private
and parochial schools.
Meanwhile, DR.. Ballou said he
understood the Fire Department has
been swamped with requests from
school principals to advise on the
safe spots in the buildings. The
o. G. D. plan involves keeping the
children at the school buildings.
Eastern Highs Plans.
Principal Charles Hart at Eastern
High School has reported the East
ern students will use the corridors
of the office and library floors, the
assembly hall and balcony, in event
of an air raid. The first floor at
Eastern is not the street floor but
is above the street. Including the
basement, Eastern Is a four-story
structure.
A report has also come in from
MacFarland Junior High School
where Principal H. P. Stafford said
numerous test drills have been held.
DR.. Ballou said the top floor of the
school would be vacated in an air
raid
First Assistant Supt. Robert L.
Haycock said informal reports from
principals in some of the old eight
room elementary school buildings
indicate the children will be gathered
in the center foyer on the first floor
of the schools. These buildings are
two-stories with a class room in
each corner. He indicated it was
the belief the children, though
crowded, would be safe in the foyer
from flying glass and also free from
possible gases in the Easements. The
Easements OF this type school gen.
orally contain boys and girls lava
tories and play rooms. Many OF this
type school are located in Northeast
Washington.
Probable Procedure.
The newer type of elementary
school is a long building with cor
ridors running the length of the
building on the first and second
floors into which the classrooms
open. Although he has had no re-
ports or conversations with princi-
pals of this type structure as yet,
Mr.. Haycock said the procedure
might be to line the youngsters along
the walls in the corridors.
DR.. Ballou has asked all prin-
eipals to tag the gas cutoff, water
cutoff valves, and the entrance
switch in the schools and to post
a rough diagram indicating the
location Of these various items. Each
custodial employe is directed to IA
miliarize himself with these loca-
tions and to test them the first
Saturday In each month. The nee
essary wrenches are supposed to be
hung beside the valves.
Yesterday, DR.. Chester w. Holmes,
assistant superintendent OF schools.
conferred with chief engineers of
the senior and Junior high schools
and vocational schools in the white
divisions to give them general in
formation on bombs and gases. DR..
Holmes took the course at the fire
department drill school and has
compiled mimeographed digest of
his notes and information from
other sources for the teachers and
custodians on the nature of bombs
and gases. Previously he had gone
over the same material with teacher
representatives of every white school
in the city.
DR.. Holmes said fire department
officials will demonstrate gas masks
and stirrup pumps and hose sug-
gested for each school building at
Ais pm. tomorrow in room 130
ct Mckinley High School.