Chambers County AlArchives News.....Fire Destroys School Building (Lanett 1923) January 3, 1923 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Hank Rogers hank_a1@yahoo.com January 15, 2011, 12:53 pm The Chattahoochee Valley Times January 3, 1923 The Chattahoochee Valley Times, Jan. 3, 1923, Front Page & Page 4 Fire Destroys School Building Heroic Work of Faculty Saves Children from Flames Several Hurt In Rush At Steps Small Children Seriously Injured Reported Doing Nicely At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday fire was discovered in the basement of Lanett school building. At that time more than twelve hundred children were in the building with their thirty-odd teachers. Every person was rushed out of the building with as little excitement as possible without injury, though several small children were seriously hurt in a near panic about the outer east door and on the steps. It seems that Anderson Simms discovered the fire in the furnace room dispatched a companion to notify the superintendent and hurried to ring the bell in the tower. The heads of the different departments, hearing the bell, announced fire drill and at once began to line up their children and march them out in an orderly manner, thus averting a stampede. The fire spread rapidly and it was only by heroic work on the part of Supt. Lunceford and the faculty, including Scoutmaster P. D. Fancher and the Boy Scouts, that the building was cleared before the roaring flames destroyed the building. The West Point fire department was rushed to the scene of the fire (Continued on page 4) and, upon finding no water in the mains, arranged to pump it directly from the river through the mains of the village, but this was accomplished to late to save the building. The work of the fire department was everything that could have been expected. A trial of the emergency fire hose, with which the building was amply provided, failed for lack of water. It is stated that the pumps at the water plant were being repaired, this being the cause of the low pressure. It was instantly seen that the building was doomed and all energy and effort was given to the task of saving the small army of children. While there was some crowding upon the stairways, this was controlled and it is stated none of the children were seriously hurt until they crowded on the steps and some were trampled. Here several small children sustained serious injuries. The names of these children and the extent of their injuries are given below, according to information given a representative of this paper- Katie Pearl Peppers, aged 12, daughter of H. T. Peppers, leg broken in two places below knee; also bruised about body; condition very serious. Essie Mae Weldon, aged 8, daughter of Walter A. Weldon, seriously injured by bruises, possibly spinal injuries. Mary Hammock, aged 6, daughter of C. A. Hammock, bruised about head and body; condition serious. Lewis Stillwell, aged 6, son of Claude Stillwell, shoulder bone broken. Leonard Weldon, son of Walter Weldon, severely bruised. Gordon Thomas, aged 10, son of J. H. Thomas, back of head bruised. Ethel Atkins, aged 8, granddaughter of J. S. Atkins, painfully bruised. Walter Lee Parmer, aged 6, son of Mrs. M. L. Parmer, bruised. Lorene Ennis, aged 9, daughter of O. L. Ennis, bruised. Clara Gray, aged 7, daughter of Rev. H. M. Gray, bruised and cut about face. Mary Beth Brown, aged 6, daughter of W. L. Brown, leg badly torn and bruised. The thousands of people whose children were in the burning building, who thronged the streets and campus as near as the heat would permit, maintained very good order, only a few hysterical outbreaks being observed. Much commendation is being heard on all sides of the splendid work of the Boy Scouts, under direction of P. D. Fancher. Their fidelity to duty and obedience to orders contributed largely to the success which attended the work of conducting the smaller children to places of safety. Supt. Lunceford stated that the Scouts accepted and executed his order with a rapidity and coolness that was little short of marvelous, returning to him repeatedly for further directions, and finally a number of them made a careful search of all the upper rooms for any who might have been left in the rush, coming down only when driven by the blinding smoke and heat. At the hour of going to press Wednesday reports were that all the children injured were recovering. Also from the front page: School to Re Open January 8th Available Halls and Public Buildings Will Be Used Temporarily Lanett City Schools will re-open Monday morning, Jan. 8th. A number of buildings, including the Athletic Club, Fraternal Halls and possibly some of the churches will be used. Plans have not yet been fully worked out, but it is authoritativey stated that buildings will be provided and that interruption will be overcome in a very short time. Mr. Geo. H. Lanier announces that better and more commodious quarters than those burned will be erected as quickly as the work can be done. Of course some time will be required to house the schools permanently, but architects are already engaged on the plans for the buildings necessary and the work will be pushed to completion with all possible speed. Parents and guardians are requested to cooperate with the school authorities in making this a good school year in spite of the misfortune. It is expected that the children will all be in school again next week. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/chambers/newspapers/firedest1861gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb