The New First Ward School

BUILDING COMMITTEE LOOK OVER VENTILATING SYSTEMS

The Blower Fan System, in Use at Normal Training School, Meets With Approval

The building committee of the local board of education, Messrs. Beal, Eberbach and Seabolt, together with M.J. Cavanaugh, visited Ypsilanti and Detroit, Thursday, relative to business connected with the building of the new first ward school. At Ypsilanti they carefully investigated the blower or fan system of ventilation in use in the training school at the Normal College. The committee then went on to Detroit and spent some time in examining the workings of the same system of ventilating at the new Eastern high school. They also visited the Garfield school and one of the hospitals where the same system is in operation. They then went to the plant where this machinery is manufactured. The committee was greatly pleased with the workings of the system. The specifications for the new building do not specify what system of ventilation shall be used--hence the carefulness of the committee in looking up the fan system. The committee would not say what its recommendation will be on the matter.

Another thing the committee had under investigation was the comparative merits of yellow and Norway pine. The specifications call for Norway pine but it seems nearly impossible to get this kind of pine for the larger and longer timbers needed and the investigation was to determine the relative merits of the two. The impression is that it will be necessary to change the yellow pine for certain of the material but that wherever possible the specifications will be followed and Norway pine used. The information obtained, however, was to the effect that there was very little if any difference between the two.