upward. This is quite an efficient ventilator. Sometimes it is modified by covering the inlet with tin, perforated with fine holes. The object of doing this is to prevent the inflow of a great volume of air in the form of a draught; but it really shuts out about three-quarters of the air. Then there is a contrivance for letting air enter through a sifter of cloth, in the upward direction; but the cloth can easily be perceived to lessen the ventilating effect most essentially. A better method for sifting the air (because simpler and cheaper) consists in simply tacking very thin flannel to a mosquito-frame, in the place of gauze, and inserting the frame as is usually done. If it is thought desirable, both sides of the frame may be thus covered. The plan is found effectual.

A shrewd medical friend of ours "tacks or pins a piece of cloth or newspaper across the lower ten or twelve inches of the window-frame and to the window-sill; then raises the lower sash one inch to six inches, according to the weather. By this means, the draught is made to pass in the upward direction, both from between the two sashes and from the opening beneath the lower sash."*

These inlets for fresh air, however, will not always let air pass. On a 66 close day," when there is no wind, even wide-open windows will not sufficiently ventilate a room full of people. In fact, the subject of ventilation is sometimes quite enough to drive the sanitary reformer distracted. If windows are

placed on two sides of a room, ventilation is much more likely to do good; if on opposite sides, all the better; but in school-rooms there is an objection to this plan, owing to the interference of the light. The true value of these window arrangements seems to me to depend on the existence of a chimney or other similar draught-compeller in the room. If air is sucked out by the flue, air will readily enter by even small openings in windows; but if not, a window opened a foot or two will often have but little effect.

Temperature.-It may be proper here to call attention to the disturbing effect which excessive heat has on the circulation in the brain, especially when the air at the floor is cold and the air at the level of the head is hot. A temperature of sixty-five is agreeable to healthy children, if they have an occasional chance to stir themselves, and if their clothes are dry. Seventy should not be exceeded; and it is desirable that no two parts of the room should differ more than two degrees (2° Fah.).

Wet clothing must not be allowed to remain on the scholar's person. This must be an imperative rule, enforced by the teacher's personal attention.

It is hardly necessary to mention colds in the throat, head, and lungs as favored by such neglect. It is, however, easily forgotten that catarrhal affections of the eye and ear, producing impaired sight and hearing, and menstrual irregularity, are also liable to be caused or aggravated by such neglect.

CHAPTER XI.

SITE, DRAINAGE, ETC.

ITE OF HOUSE.-This should be as healthy as possible. The character of thd be as bit shy la

SITE

be known, in order that proper precautions may be taken against dampness, if clay, hard-pan, or rock forms an obstacle to natural drainage.

Some protection from the north winds is desirable; but the bottom of a valley, or low-lying ground, is generally objectionable.

The plan should be such that the sun may enter every room of the house in the winter as well as

summer.

The lot ought to include play-grounds in the city; at the least, there should be space enough about the house to allow sufficient light to enter the windows. This requires a considerable outlay for land, which seems to be regarded as superfluous in some large cities. In a competition between plans for model schools, held quite recently, this point was forced upon the notice of the committee of award. In their report, they claim that a public school building in a

large and densely populated city should not occupy more than half the lot; and that, further, "at least two adjoining sides of the building should be freely exposed to light and air; for which purpose they should be not less than sixty feet distant from any opposite building."

The terms of competition in this case were, that the house should accommodate eight hundred children, and should be built on a lot one hundred feet square, facing north, enclosed by buildings of average city height on the other three sides. As a result of the competition, it appears to the committee that such a house cannot probably be built on such a lot consistently with the requirements of health. The children can be provided for, but the light will probably be defective in many rooms even with the best arrangement.

Height of House.-One of the points to be aimed at in the sanitary reform of schools is a reduction in the height of buildings. A strict system of drill may prove the surest precaution against accident in case of fire, and deserves to be kept up. But there are many children-particularly girls--who ought not to be required to ascend many stairs. In the course of a forenoon, several lessons may have to be recited in different parts of the house, with going up and down; and the recess or recesses are, or ought to be, taken in the school-yard. Decided injury from exer

tion of this sort occurs in occasional cases; and it is a disadvantage to any girl to be placed so high that she is unwilling to take the trouble to go out of doors

at recess.

Sewerage. It is doubtful whether privy accommodations, or water-closets, for a large school, can safely be placed in the cellar. There will pretty surely be a nuisance of greater or less extent, which is much more serious than if it existed on an upper story, or in a yard, since the air of cellars must rise more or less into the house. If the plan be tried, let all precautions be taken: if water-closets are used, they should not be of the pan variety, but rather hopperclosets, or some form made entirely of earthenware, and should provide a rapid, abundant discharge of water; if urinals, they should contain no wood-work in any place which can be reached by spattering, and should be made of impervious stone or glass-not metal. A long trough of masonry, kept partly full of water, is a good substitute for water-closets. Some closets should be placed on the different stories, in any case. It is far the best if the whole can be put in a tower, semi-detached and accessible from every story of the main building.

A correspondent from a distant city writes as follows: "From considerable observation and inspection of the public schools, I am sure that the waterclosets, on the boys' side at least, are as filthy as they