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made concerned only the heating and ventilation, and are well described in the following report of Dr Smith. For its better understanding, it may be said that an air movement of 500 ft., a minute through the inlets, or 200 ft. a minute through the outlets, would represent an air supply of 1500 cubic feet an hour for each pupil, at 40 pupils per room, a very satisfactory amount.

We were sorry to find that the privy arrangements connected with this building were in the same deplorable condition that was described two years ago. We hope to hear ere long, that this nuisance has

been abated.

Dr. Smith's report is as follows:

PORTLAND, February 14th, 1890.

Dr. A. G. Young, Secretary State Board of Health of Maine: DEAR SIR: In accordance with your request, on Monday, January 13th, I visited the North school-house in this city and made an examination of the provisions for ventilation and have the honor to submit the following report:

Air Supply: Fresh air is admitted to the rooms through registers 6x20 inches in the window seats, being taken through an aperture in the outer brick wall 5x26 inches, which may be closed by a shutter, pivoted in the middle at each end, and manipulated by a chain passing up over the sills and into the room through a groove in the bottom of the sash. There are two of these apertures for each room. The cold air thus admitted comes in contact with a "Goldpin" radiator, situated immediately beneath each window seat, and having an area of 40 square feet of heating surface at each window serving or intending to serve the double purpose of inducing more draft through the inlet and warming the admitted air.

Each of the two windows in each room, has in its seat a register surface of 120 square inches, allowing a deduction of one-third for the iron lattice work, there would be for each window an inlet aperture of 80 square inches and for the room 160 square inches.

The "Goldpin" radiators beneath the window seats are not enclosed, but are in a space cut out of the wall communicating freely with the out door air through the 5x20 opening, and with the spaces in the walls and beneath the flooring. This space is separated from the school-room only by sheathing which forms the wainscotting of the rooms. As near as may be estimated the space beneath each window is about 30x18x24.

Air Outlet: Provision has been made for removing the vitiated air from the rooms by brick flues, each taking the air at the floor level through a coarsely grated aperture 19x35 inches square, and leading directly to the roof parallel and adjacent to the chimneys which are in the center of the wings. Each room has an independent flue, making in all twelve, which terminate by galvanized iron tops, surmounted by a hood 9 inches above them. The chimney flue passes directly through the hood, and three or four feet above it.

The method depended upon to create a current in these flues is different in the north and south wings.

Those in the north wing next Congress street are provided with steam pipes running up from 25 to 30 ft. above the attic floor.

Those in the south wing next Federal street have no steam pipes but depend upon the heat from the smoke flue of the chimney from which they are separated by a brick chimney wall.

On the occasion of my visit, the temperature out of doors was 30°, wind northeast, light, and weather foggy with drizzle of rain. Every one of the twenty-four rooms was examined with the following results.

North Wing-1st Floor: Air was entering each room at an average rate of 450 feet per minute, through two registers, each of an area of 120 square inches (no allowance made for lattice work.)

Air was leaving each room through one outlet of 665 square inches at an average rate of 268 ft. per minute.

The temperature of the rooms was uniformly 70°. The air was tested for CO, in two of these rooms on the side next the wind with a result of 12.5 per 10,000 for one, and 11 for the other. The average number of scholars for each room when all were present would be 34. The average of those present was 22, many being absent by reason of the prevailing influenza.

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It was stated to me by the janitor that in all four flues in the north wing there was 1200 feet of 1-inch circulation.

The steam for heating is furnished by 2 boilers each 3ft. 6 in. by 16 ft.

With the temperature at 0° from 4 to 5 lbs. are required to maintain the temperature of the rooms at 70°. In ordinary weather 2 lbs. suffices.

A few days later I was requested by the mayor, Hon. H. M. Melcher to make a further test of the south wing inasmuch as there had been no fires in the building during the Saturday and Sunday preceding my visit, and the flues in the south wing had not received the benefit of the heat.

February 14th I again visited the school with the following result:

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The air in most of the rooms was perceptibly close and ill-smelling, and in several, windows and doors were found freely open. This is constantly necessary (said to be done by reason of heat) and it is usually necessary to place large card-board charts in front of the exit apertures to keep from the floors strong downward currents, especially in those rooms next the wind.

While the system employed is by no means perfect or most desira.ble it has secured a vast improvement over the condition of affairs

existing before its introduction. The committee in charge of the matter seem to have done the best they knew with the sum of money placed at their disposal by the city government. It is a matter of regret that the "Goldpen" radiators could not have been enclosed in galvanized iror boxes, and that the flues which diminish in size for each floor toward the roof, could not have been larger and those in the south wing provided with steam heat. What the system will accomplish in weather without the aid of artificial heat is conjectore. Doubtless it will have to be supplemented by open windows.

I send you card diagrams showing the exact rate of exit for every outlet in the building. The inlet rate is very uniform. The attendance in January did not average over two-thirds or three-fourths of the number belonging to each room. In February it was nearly up to the normal.

Very respectfully submitted,

CHARLES D. SMITH.

OAK STREET SCHOOL-LEWISTON.

The report on the examination of the building was made by Dr. J. O. Webster, member of the Board:

On the 7th of January, 1890, several members of the Board visited Lewiston, for the purpose of inspecting the new Oak street schoolhouse, with special reference to its arrangements for heating and ventilation.

In these respects the city authorities have made a praiseworthy attempt to attain the best possible results,—an attempt that cannot be said to have conspicuously failed, neither to hav. met with perfect success.

The credit is due to them of having, first in this State, applied to a school-house an apparatus for mechanical ventilation, the only method of ventilation that can be depended upon for exact results and is independent of wind and weather; and whatever criticism we find it our duty to make upon the details of the work, should not detract from the credit due its inception.

This is a fine specimen of school-house architecture, and the arrangement of its rooms and its general hygienic condition are unexceptionable. The basement is high and airy, and contains, instead of separate water-closets, one of the forms of school sinks, with an automatic flush-tank; the boys' urinal is of slate slabs with

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