2791 Report, "Description of Plans for New Schoolhouse for Lower and Primary Grades, Lexington, Massachusetts," School Committee, no date but presumed 1904

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} Description of Plans for New Schoolhouse for Lower and Primary Grades, Lexington, Massachusetts GENERAL DESCRIPTION. The plans drawn call for two-story frame, building, clapboarded and setting on a field stone underpinning. The roof is to be of black Maine slate, with exposed rafter ends and galvanized iron gutters, snow guards being used over all entrances. All ridges and conductors to be of galvanized iron, the latter being brought into iron pipes above grade and discharging into dry wells. The floors are to be of rift Georgia pine, with dadoes of painted burlap, as recommended in the last Annual Report of the Schoolhouse Commissioners of Boston, and blackboards 4 feet wide in all class rooms. All interior finish to be of North Carolina pine. Partitions enclosing heater room to be of brick ; elsewhere stud partitions. Entire cellar floor concreted 32 inches thick, with a finished coat of Portland cement and crushed stone. FIRST FLOOR. Vestibule. Vestibule sufficiently large to contain a good number of children, affording protection from the weather to pupils arriving before the school proper is unlocked. Hall. Hall (or corridor) io feet wide, running full length of building, and profusely lighted with two groups of three windows each. Stairways. At either end of hall are the stairways leading to the second floor and to the basement ; the landing of the latter run being nearly at grade and giving an entrance to playground outside and to toilet rooms, etc., in the basement. Coat Rooms. The two end coat rooms are provided with outside light and air, while that for the middle class room is formed by wire panels. All are ventilated and provided with hooks and shoe shelves. Foot Warmers. Two foot warmers are placed in corridor at either side of entrance, together with a drinking fountain easily accessible from all rooms. Class Rooms. The class rooms are of sizes designed to accommodate forty-two pupils each, are well heated and ventilated, and have auxiliary radiators for excessive weather. It should be noticed that communication is possible from one room to another, a point strongly favored by the state police. This makes it possible to quickly empty rooms of pupils, in case of fire blocking one end of hallway. Registers have been placed in these communicating passageways, that at night the already warmed air of the building may be kept in circulation without drawing in the cold outside air, and thus a considerable saving be effected in the running expenses.