A BONFIRE IN THE YARD

Early yesterday morning, the building housing the Caustic-Claflin Press and the MacNamee Bindery was completely destroyed by fire. A disaster striking as near home as this calls to mind as strongly as anything could the two admirable fire-traps in the Yard. Harvard Hall undoubtedly should take first prize. Sever deserves a rather poor second.

Sever Hall was built over forty years ago. During that time, its thresholds have been crossed some 68,000,000 times. Even though the building were safe, it would merit a permanent vacation with a record such as this. But it is not! Its doors shake violently during the between-classes rush. It is made of the best of fuels--thoroughly dried and seasoned wood. Its pathetic but nevertheless cleverly concealed fire-escapes are hopeless. Most people would rather risk the stairways. One thing however, may be said for the construction. The main staircase is wide. And part of the descent, although not the important part, has an additional stairway. Apparently the architects forgot that in case of a fire, the "last lap", between the first and second floors, would be the place where extra accommodations would be needed.

Even this doubtful compliment cannot be paid to Harvard Hall. The building which originally stood on the site was burned. The one of today assumed its present aspect in 1870. The architects in this case must have left stairways entirely out of their consideration but compromised with the authorities on a single flight just three and a half feet wide.

The class rooms on the second floor accommodate 330 students. At certain hours in the day there are nearly this number present. It is an amusing problem in permutations and combinations to figure how many different ways 250 or more men can reach the ground in two minutes using one stairway less than four feet wide and a score of windows. Those that used the windows would have to jump. For even the artistically conceived Sever fire-escape is lacking.

While the numerous "No Smoking" signs are intended to indicate that fires are undesirable, the other precaution is merely inviting trouble. There is one ancient fire-extinguisher on the second floor and two or three more in the basement. It is not evident how one is expected to stop a fire. Possibly the original idea was to smother it with overcoats.