Evening star., 1948-12-15
Cost Of School
EgressChanges
'Astounds Board
Expected to Need
Large Sum Above
S350,000 Estimate
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

Structural changes in the public
schools to bring them in line with
the requirements of the Districts
new fire prevention regulations are
going to cost substantially" more
than expected, an astounded Board
of Education has learned.
1t was expected that the total
might run hundreds of thousands
of dollars above the $350O00 pre-
viously estimated.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
told the boards Buildings and
Grounds Committee yesterday that
Mckinley High School, one of the
city's newest and most modern
structures, will need practically a
major overhaul. He said the work
needed at Mckinley was listed by
Archie Hutson. District director of
construction, so the board could
get an idea of the scope of the
changes needed in the ITO schools
here.
In Effect in January.
The new fire prevention regula-
tions, known as the egress regula-
tionS, will go into effect on January
l for nearly all buildings except
private dwellings.
DR.. Corning said the work Mr..
Hutson reported must be done on
Mckinley High School is as fol-
lows:
Enclose all stairways in masonry
walls. install self-closing fire doors
on these stairways, rearrange all
stairs which are used for egress so
they open directly on the street or
on to flre-resistant passages which
lead to the street, install metal
doors on all storage rooms, install
metal jamb and trim on all such
doors, install new interior fire
alarm system, install emergency
electrical source in all places of
public assembly (auditoriums, cafe
terias), terminate basement stairs
IN flre-resistant compartment with
8-inch masonry walls having metal
doors, jambs and trim, tie all fold
ing chairs in auditorium in groups
Of four, remove combustibles from
walls and ceilings of all places of
public assembly, remove all COL
lapsible gates from exit corridors
and cover kitchen doors with metal.
7th in White schools.
In the recent survey of public
school buildings released by DR..
George D. Strayer of Columbia Uni
versity, Mckinley ranked seventh
in the white high schools.
Only six high schools (all white),
two vocational high schools Zone
white and one colored and one
Junior high school (white) scored
higher than Mckinley as to ad-
equacy. All the rest of the approxi-
mately ITO public schools had lower
scores.
Mr.. Hutson asked the school board
to approve a $4,000 expenditure to
start drawing plans for the work,
adding that until the plans are
drawn he will not venture an esti-
mate.
The Buildings and Grounds Com
mlttee voted to authorize the use of
the $4,000, which is available from
the schools operating fund.
The public schools now are being
checked by men from the District
building inspectors Office. This Of
fice is responsible for checking all
the buildings in the District, both
private and public, which will come
under the new regulations.
In another action, the Buildings
and Grounds Committee voted to 20
ahead with plans for a 24-room re-
placement for the present Stanton
Elementary School.
DR.. Strayer, in his survey, has said
the 24-room school is not needed.
He recommended a 16-room build
ing and retention of the 11-room
temporary annex to the Stanton
School.
Rejects Fire Box Proposal.
DR.. Corning reported that DR..
Strayer has agreed the School Board
was right in it's plan, in the face of
the rising population in the Stanton
School area. DR.. Strayer said he is
willing to "go along" so long as the
annex is not demolished, DR.. Corn
ing told board members.
The board committee, in another
action, refused to go along with DR..
Corning in his desire to recommend
the use Of inside fireboxes of some
type for the schools.
The report. as it will be presented
to the full board. now states only
that there is a need for the most
complete fire alarm system coverage
possible in order to guard against
any possible danger of fire" Board
members felt there was no necessity
OF recommending any special type
OF f1rebox or any special place for
1t to be installed since experts" in
the field should do that.
The Commissioners have approved
an interior box. the remote con-
trop' box, recommended by Herbert
A. Friede, District superintendent of
communications. Fire Chief Murphy
fought unsuccessfully for an ordi-
nary fire alarm box installed in the
street in front of the schools.