PROBLEM 38 TYPE OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Problem: At the November meeting of the Board of Education of Hamilton, N. K., the character of the materials to be used in the construction of the new high school building formed the basis of the discussion. Because of the funds available, the sentiment of the Board tended toward "Type C" construction.1 The superintendent, however, contended for "Type B" construction on the basis of safety, permanence and lower maintenance and insurance costs. The architect for the new building was consulted concerning the difference in costs between "Type B" and "Type C" construction. His rough estimate was between 15 per cent and 20 per cent. The superintendent stressed the need for making the building as safe as could be done. He quoted from the reports of the National Fire Protection Association which show the losses of life and school property during a period of years. These reports recorded school fires during the period 19141926, as listed on the following page, and included also one fire in 1908. The superintendent maintained that it would be preferable to build without the gymnasiums or auditorium at this time 1 For construction purposes, the American Institute of Architects has grouped buildings under five types as follows: Type A-A building constructed entirely of fire-resistive materials, including its roof, windows, doors, floors, and finish. Type B-A building of fire-resistive construction in its walls, floors, stairways and ceilings, but with wood finish, wood or composition floor surface, and wood roof construction over fire-resistive ceiling. Type C-A building with masonry walls, fire-resistive corridors and stairways, but with ordinary construction otherwise, i.e., combustible floor, partitions, roofs, and finish. Type D-A building with masonry walls, but otherwise ordinary or joist construction and wood finish. Type E-A frame building constructed with wood above foundation, with or without slate or other semi-fireproof material on roof. but that the Board of Education should not take the responsibility of investing the community's funds in construction which was less than permanent. SCHOOL FIRES Mar. 4, 1908 Collinwood, Ohio. Lakeview Grammar School. 173 lives lost. Large property loss. Apr. 24, 1914 Feb. 28, 1917 Jan. 16, 1921 Mar. 15, 1921 Dec. 18, 1921 Jan. 19, 1922 Feb. 27, 1922 June 22, 1922 July 25, 1922 Oct. 25, 1922 Western High School, Washington, D. C. $150,000 loss. Mass. 21 lives lost. $170,397.14 loss. $8,850 loss. Pueblo Central High School, Pueblo, Colo. Pine Mt. Settlement School, Pine Mt., Ky. $15,350 loss. John Marshall High School, Norfolk, Va. $151,211.88 loss. School Building, San Francisco, Calif. $170,000 loss. Nov. 25, 1922 St. Boniface College, St. Boniface, Manitoba. 10 lives lost. $600,000 loss. Nov. 27, 1922 High Point Community School, Covington, Ga. 2 killed, 38 injured. Large loss. Jan. 19, 1923 Apr. 14, 1923 May 17, 1923 Nov. 6, 1923 Mar. 12, 1924 Mar. 29, 1924 Mar. 29, 1924 Nov. 24, 1924 Dec. 15, 1924 Dec. 24, 1924 Dec. 29, 1924 Apr. 5, 1925 Nov. 25, 1925 Dec. 6, 1925 Mar. 17, 1926 Welch High School, Welch, W. Va. $106,000 loss. Meilleur School, Montreal, P. Q. $151,165 loss. $900,000 loss. J. Sterling Morton High School, Cicero, Ill. Assignment 1. Can you support the superintendent in this case? 2. What other arguments or data could have been presented to strengthen the case for "Type B" construction? 3. What is the variation in insurance rates on these two types of buildings? 4. What are the additional items of maintenance in a "Type C" building? 5. Have losses of life occurred to your knowledge in "Type C" buildings? "Type B"? 6. What state requirements for outside fire escapes affect this problem? 7. Ascertain the cost of installation and maintenance of automatic sprinklers. How would their installation affect your attitudes on this problem? BIBLIOGRAPHY CROSBY-FISKE-FORSTER. Handbook of Fire Protection. Dana, G. Automatic Sprinkler Protection. Wiley & Sons, 1923. Fire Prevention Day, Oct. 9 or 10, 1921. U. S. Bureau of Education, Bulletin, 1921, Washington, D. C. Fire Prevention Number. School Life, Vol. 7, No. 2, Washington, D. C., October, 1921. Fire Protection in Public Schools. Division of Education, Russell Sage Foundation. 130 East 22nd Street, New York City. FORSTER, H. W. Fire Protection for Schools. Prepared and printed for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. MELCHIOR, W. T. Insuring Public School Property. Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1925. Proceedings of National Fire Protection Association Meeting, 1916, pp. 70-120. |