About fifty citizens, among them members of the school board, Vocke, Armstrong, the contractor Ward, General Lieb, and others, met at Hillinger's hall, 601 North Wells Street, to formulate protests against unsanitary conditions prevailing at the Wells school.

Jacob Becker was named chairman, and Robert Lahey, secretary. Both were elected unanimously.

Colonel Schaffner was asked to address the assembly. He spoke at length about the misfortune which had befallen so many families recently, of the large number of children who have died from scarlet fever and diphtheria because of alleged unsanitary conditions at the Wells school and in the vicinity. He asked that Messrs. Vocke, Armstrong, and Ward give their views.

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Attorney Wagner made a motion to nominate a committee of five to investigate matters, because 300 children have died in this district.

A number of those present objected to the motion, and a somewhat heated debate ensued. General Lieb suggested that the motion be tabled. Mr. Wagner finally withdrew his motion, after he and Schaffner had become involved in a bitter argument.

Colonel Schaffner accepted the chairmanship, after Mr. Becker resigned.

General Lieb spoke about the unusualness of the situation which made it necessary to have meetings of this kind in the present age of progress. The school board was responsible for the deaths of the many children, including his [Lieb's] own child. It was the school board's duty to select healthful localities for building sites and, while he blamed no one in particular, the fact remained that, though the school board had received all the funds asked 3for, it had failed to perform its functions properly.

Martin Horn then spoke at length, and accused the school board and the contractor, who deliberately continued using the present school although cheap and healthful buildings were available. Mr. Horn's own children had died because of the deplorable environment.

Robert Lahey criticized the school board most severely for the neglect shown in this district. He also considered it very detrimental that the children had to play in the street during recess, and said it was about time an indignation meeting was held.

Jacob Becker spoke in a similar vein. William Vocke was asked to speak. He said that he had read of the proposed meeting in the Illinois Staats-Zeitung, and had therefore asked his colleague, Armstrong, as well as Mr. Ward, to go 4to the meeting. He [Vocke] felt that the district should have a schoolhouse which belonged to the city; but such an arrangement was not possible because of the city's financial condition. The city could not buy land for a school. This was a matter concerning the city council, and that body would have to decide the issue. "The point at issue revolves about the question, whether the deaths of all the children can be attributed to the school building." The school board was accused of murder, of intentionally killing the children, but upon thinking rationally about the matter, such assertions would be withdrawn. His [Vocke's] child was suffering from scarlet fever, and had attended the Scammon school, but he did not think that the schoolhouse was at fault. He would like to hear just in what way the Wells school was at fault, and then the schoolboard could make changes or improvements. If any faults are pointed out, the school board will remedy them; that he could promise.

Martin Horn said that twenty-five wagonloads of dirt and manure were removed 5from the basement and yard on the previous day, and that the drainage ditches were cleaned.

Vocke admitted that manure was piled up in the yard. School board member Frake was in charge of this school, and should have made an investigation. The schoolboard would always consider practical suggestions, according to Vocke. The old school on Larrabee Street was worse than this school. Neither the exterior nor the interior of the present school shows any defect. The present occasion should not be used as an excuse for playing politics. He promised to consider all fair complaints and suggestions for improvement, and said that he would support them in the city council.

Martin Horn gave a description (of the school building) which was not very complimentary. He emphasized that walls were thin, floors were defective, and drainage was bad.

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General Lieb was very irate, and denied vehemently that anyone had tried to make a political issue of the affair. The life and health of the children were the only concerns of the people here assembled. Mr. Vocke was a member of the school board, and it was his duty to make practical suggestions; he, as well as all the other members, were to blame for the deaths of the children.

Chairman Schaffner admonished the speaker. Mr. Lieb asked pardon for the personal remarks he had made, and continued to accuse the school board for its neglect. The schoolrooms, he said, were dark, insufficiently ventilated, too small, and the children had no playgrounds. This would be sufficient reason for making changes. After the Chicago Fire, crooks acquired the land which belonged to the school. He made a motion that a committee be appointed to explain matters to the mayor.

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Colonel Schaffner relinquished the chairmanship to General Lieb, and said that the citizens of the North Side had not chosen proper men for the city council. The city council, in turn, selected unfit members for the school board. Each member of the school board had to inspect a certain number of schools, and neither Mr. Vocke nor Mr. Armstrong had had anything to do with the Wells school. A committee should be named to conduct an investigation, and to make recommendations for improvements. Mayor Harrison could not do anything in the matter.

Mr. Vocke informed the assembly that the Wells school building was rented by the month, and that, therefore, no difficulty would be encountered in securing other quarters.

Colonel Schaffner then suggested that the committee which was to be named should compile statistics and make suggestions to the school board.

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Mr. Horn remarked that twenty-three pupils of that school had died of contagious diseases during the last three weeks.

Mr. Ward then gave an explanation, and said that Mr. Schoeninger, a member of the school board, had told him long ago to look for a suitable building. At that time the school was on La Salle Street. Later, Mr. Ward and school board member Hotz drove around for days until they finally found the present building, which they rented. He then gave a lengthy account involving the school building and said that the board of health had never issued an adverse report concerning the premises. On one occasion he was requested to have the walls whitewashed. Nevertheless, the school board would be perfectly willing to locate the school elsewhere, if the city council would provide another building.

Diversion was created by Dr. Wagner, a lawyer, who attempted to cross-examine 9Mr. Ward. The attorney, highly proficient in the gentle art of questioning, had attained a great reputation in the courts of the North Side, and the procedure promised to be interesting, but the chairman, unfortunately, intervened and ended the controversy.

Mr. Niemann called attention to the fact that the surroundings of the school were not sanitary, and that this would also be a contributing cause of the epidemic.

Colonel Schaffner's motion was finally accepted and the committee was formed; the following members were appointed: Messrs. Lieb, Karls, Lotz, Lewis, Kaeseberg, Becker, and Schaffner.

School board member Armstrong made a very apt remark about the indifference of the inhabitants of the district, who had not complained until recently. If 10the city council would agree with the school board, a new school could be provided quickly.

Mr. Lahey made a motion to hold another meeting at the same place next Saturday; the motion provided that the aldermen of the 15th and 16th wards would be asked to attend. The motion was carried.

Adjournment followed.