upward action through the floor openings, and the air at the rear of the balcony was exhausted at the ceiling line.

Since the exhaust fan was directly over the proscenium arch, very objectionable noise and vibration was observed throughout the building when it was operated at anywhere near its proper speed. When running the supply fan without operating the exhaust fan, it is obvious that the very long and crooked foul-air and fresh-air ducts would cause so much resistance as to result in the delivery of a woefully deficient volume. Since the fans were depended upon for both supply and exhaust, their speed must necessarily be kept in proper relation with each other. Thus it was discovered that the slow speed on the exhaust fan, and full speed on the supply fan, caused very complex and irritating drafts in many parts of the auditorium. The custom, based on experience, was to operate both fans at less than one-half speed, resulting in a volume of air being put through so reduced in quantity as to be incapable of carrying off the surplus heat from the occupants.

TEMPERATURE REGULATION.

The temperature of the tempered air used for cooling was regulated by bypass dampers under the tempering and retempering heaters controlled by duct thermostats, arranged as follows: W-Two thermostats, one on each side.

near the stage, controlled the air going to flues A, most of which, it will be noted, was delivered through the openings A-2. X-Two thermostats, one on each side at the rear of the first floor, controlled the air going through flues B and C (six dampers). Y-Two thermostats, one on each side in the balcony, controlled the temperature of the air going to flues D. They also controlled the dampers in ducts E, which, however, owing to the change mentioned before whereby risers E became vent flues. no longer discharged into the balcony but to the floor inlets under the seats at the first floor rear (space M).

hours operation at 41° outside. Perceptible down draft from rearward all around front part of orchestra. Balcony: Draft out into foyer from center entrance evidently to supply the air spilled out on first floor; cold draft in from upper entrances, following down aisles; (the upper balcony entrances are to a cul-de-sac and cannot circulate in the manner characteristic of those elsewhere). Cold draft from rear and northward across the boxes, which follow the curve at the lowest point of the balcony; noticeable upward current across face of balcony edge from below; strong drafts from inlets D and from A-1 observed within their range.

Gallery: Strong cold draft in through center entrances from cold lobby (59°), strong draft out through rear and highest entrances to cold lobby; strong drafts from A-1.

An analysis of these drafts indicates:

1. A strong current out at upper communications with the foyers, and in at lower communications with the same.

2. Poor diffusion of air, especially from A, A-1 and A-2.

3. Insufficient heating of the lobbies. and foyer.

4. Insufficient air supply to give good ventilation.

5. Insufficient exhaust to remove surplus heat.

6. Undue loss of heat into the basement from the ducts, which run through the same. (The air to support the draft of the boilers was found to be obtained to a considerable extent by pulling heated air from the auditorium basement through a communicating passage.) Inlets A were opened and by experiment found to be unavailable. Inlets B at first closed, were also found impracticable, because of drafts.

There was a very objectionable draft from above the switchboard on the stage, although the air inlet there was found to be closed. The chilling effect on the supply flues which ran a considerable distance along a cold outside wall was noticed.

CHANGES.

An analysis of the foregoing condi

sary.

tions made it evident that a radical revision in the entire system was necesAccordingly it was decided to make quick adjustments which would bring about the following changes, as follows:

a. Abandon the exhaust fan, using upward ventilation, induced by the pressure of the supply fan (since the exhaust fan noise and vibration could not easily be overcome).

b. Use the basement as an air supply chamber, thus heating the same so as to be sure of a warm first floor.

c. Abandon inlets B, C and E. Accordingly a number of openings, each about 2 ft. square, well distributed, were cut through the foul air chamber metal bottoms, giving access for fresh air to the entire foul air chamber system, and providing for excellent distribution of the air volume.

d. Ducts leading to flues B and C were torn down, so that they opened into the basement, and the old risers were closed tight. The manhole doors into the plenum chambers were opened, to give additional air supply to the basement. A tight partition was placed in the opening which formerly communicated with the boiler room. The two large vent stacks leading from the basement to the attic were closed tight. The former gravity vent ducts to the foul air outlet in the attic were removed, so as to give a greater free area of outlet. The openings A-2 in the gallery were arranged to deliver tempered air (since no thermostats in the gallery were provided). The six ceiling openings were arranged to vent freely through the attic space to the new enlarged foul air outlets. Deflectors were placed on inlets A-1. Inlets A were closed.

TEST WITH AUDITORIUM OCCUPIED.

On the night of December 10, the auditorium was occupied for a performance. The first floor was 90% full, the balcony was 50% full, and the gallery was unoccupied. The supply fan was run full speed-130 r.p.m. The tempered air temperature was 68° F. at 8 p. m., but by 9 p. m. had been reduced gradually to 66°. The tempera

ture throughout the house, except lobbies and foyer, did not at any time vary more than one degree from 70°. Repeated inquiries of persons in various parts of the house failed to bring to light any complaints of either temperature or drafts. The lobbies and foyer were cold. There was a draft from the rear down the aisles from the causes described above.

On the morning of December 11, a test was made, operating exactly as last described, without any changes of any kind. About 1,000 candles were distributed, one on every other seat, in order to study draft conditions simulating occupancy of all the seats, and in order to observe temperature effects. These candles were of the standard plumber's type, such as has been taken by the Chicago Commission on Ventilation as giving off approximately twice. as much heat as that from one person.

The plant was not operated to full supply fan speed until 10:45 a. m. The test started at 11:00 a. m., when all candles were lighted. The temperature outside was 34° F. and the tempered air was 66°. The results were as follows:

The candles operated 45 minutes. The heat from them was very evident. Sufficient experimenting was done to demonstrate that it is possible with all the candles lighted (paramount to full occupancy), to reduce temperature at will in any part of the house, except in the pocket at the rear of the balcony. Since no changes, in the limited time available, had been possible in the automatic temperature regulation and the same was badly involved as before described, the controlling was done by hand, to a great extent. Twelve observers were distributed around the house, watching the

candle flames for drafts and observing the thermometers. No. objectionable drafts were observed anywhere except the ever-present ones down the aisles, due to the cold foyer and lobbies, as before noted.

Special attention was paid to the center balcony boxes, from which many complaints had originated. The candles burned very steadily there and no drafts or unpleasant temperatures could be found.

Some deflection was noticed in range of the temporary crude diffusers on outlets A-1. Some draft, which is inherent, due to the large cold loft over the stage and which is present in all theatres, could be seen affecting the candles at the front of the orchestra. Since this comes from the front and is gentle, and since face currents are usually pleasant, no complaint from that source was apprehended.

The velocity through the floor inlets. when running the fan at full speed was in no case found to exceed 130 lin. ft. per min. and averaged not over 110 ft. per min. Some adjustment of the volume dampers was required to bring this about. There was a marked improvement in conditions behind the proscenium arch. The draft over the switchboard had disappeared. The temperatures were excellent except in the pocket at the rear of the balcony. There was no outlet from this pocket and the temperature necessarily would rise under these conditions.

fan and all of the attic ducts, except those leading from the flues A and inlets A-2, were removed.

Evenly-spaced openings

were cut through the steel bottoms of all of the circumferential chambers under the first floor. These openings were provided with dampers so that the volume of air delivered could be easily adjusted.

All of the unnecessary metal ducts were removed from the basement, including the foul-air collecting ducts along the side walls.

A separate fan, heaters and ducts were provided for the main front vestibule, the fan being placed in the room marked N and arranged to recirculate the air. Thus a balanced pressure is maintained in the vestibule and there is no further difficulty due to drafts from this source, and it has been found possible to heat the room properly even when outside weather conditions were very severe.

Heating: Sufficient direct radiation was placed in the lobbies and foyers properly to heat the same. In the formerly very cold stair cases leading to the gallery a connection was made from the plenum chamber in the basement to registers behind the radiators so that these former direct radiators became indirects, and the heat given off by them was increased threefold.

Temperature Regulation: Two new thermostats were installed at Z in the gallery controlling the temperature of the air handled by the flues A, and delivered through the openings A-1 and A-2.

The thermostats Y were connected so as to control the temperature of the air handled by the flues D.

The thermostats X were changed so as to control the temperature of the air delivered into the rear part of the basement plenum chamber.

The thermostats W were changed so as to control the temperature of the air delivered into the front part of the basement plenum chamber.

Two additional thermostats were placed at W controlling progressively the steam supply to the re-heaters in the basement plenum chamber so as to preclude the possibility of overheating the air supply.

Since these changes have been made further tests have demonstrated that the heating and ventilating of this building is as satisfactory as any reasonable person could demand. The cost of heating the building has been very greatly reduced. In fact, quite satisfactory heating of the room is obtained without operating any fan at all, due to the peculiar construction which encourages gravity circulation.

A month short of two years in building, the new Schenley High School, Grant Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pa., recently opened, represents an investment of about $1,500,000. While no expense has been spared to build the best possible structure, everything else has been sacrificed in order to obtain simplicity with greatest utility. In addition to being used for school purposes during the daytime, the building is designed to serve. the community in general. The building

will be open for free use by the people for various community activities.

The building rests on 1,700 concrete piles, many of which are sunk 40 ft. into the ground. It is of steel and concrete construction, fireproof throughout, and faced on the exterior with Indiana limestone. Inside, it is finished in tile and oak. There are 180 rooms in the structure, including 40 classrooms, 11 laboratories, 11 shops, 4 crafts rooms, 7 domestic science rooms, 2 music rooms,

a library, an auditorium, and 6 commercial and accessory rooms. In addition there is a swimming pool with 32 shower baths, separate gymnasiums for boys and girls, a suite of offices, with master clock controlling the time in 27 clocks in the building, a medical department with complete equipment, a special room for girls presided over by a school mother, a bakery, two lunch rooms, and a laundry.

The high school proper occupies three floors; the shops, gymnasiums, swimming pool and lockers occupy the basement, while the sub-basements are given over to the electrical and mechanical plant and storage space. One wing of the building is fitted up as a complete

The general science and physics departments are provided with quarters and equipment representative of the latest practice. The science laboratory equipment is such as even very few of the universities of the country can boast. The lecture room of the chemistry department is fitted with every convenience to make complete demonstrations of experiments. Besides the lecture room, this department also has a general library, a preparing room, and other special rooms. It is also contemplated to put in force a preparatory electrical engineering course, and for this purpose a number of Westinghouse standard laboratory testing meters have been purchased.

observatory. The auditorium is directly. opposite the entrance, with entrances to balconies on the second and third floors. The stage is equipped with curtains and disappearing footlights. The auditorium is brilliantly lighted, as are the other parts of the building, for which purpose a total of over 2,136 watts in Westinghouse Mazda lamps are employed.

TABLET ARM CHAIRS USED IN PLACE OF DESKS.

In equipping the classrooms a radical departure has been made; the old-fashioned desk has been abolished and in its place a tablet arm chair is used, designed so that the pupil must sit in the correct hygienic position.

The library, it is expected, will be maintained as a branch of the Carnegie library. The shops include a manual training department with a full complement of motor-driven planers, lathes, etc., a molding department and a complete printing plant, employing individual motor drive.

The lunch rooms will feed 1,800 students, boys and girls separately, in 30 minutes, on the caféteria plan. The kitchen is the most completely equipped of any of the school kitchens in the United States, and has many electricallydriven appliances, such as dishwashers, potato peelers, and food choppers. The cooking can be done by gas or steam, or by means of two 12-gallon fireless cookers. The bakery, where 100 dozen rolls