Six Hundred Seattle Schoolchildren, Out in Thirty Seconds—With Violins Playing

Prof. Charles Fagan, of the Pacific School, gave an exhibition yesterday afternoon of his now noted fire drill, getting the children out of the building within thirty seconds from the time the alarm sounded. Several prominent Seattle citizens called at the school at 1:30 o'clock, taking the professor completely by surprise; the children showed the excellence of their training by the method and precision with which they vacated the building.

Among the visitors were J. B. Metcalfe, Miss Marie Russell, and other prominent Seattle citizens. Prof. Fagan was plainly surprised, but the lesson was quickly ended and the guests were taken to the hall. A few seconds later he gave the big gong three pulls, and before the sound ceased vibrating the chief of the department and the large boys came tearing down the stairways. The hose was reeled from the reel and water turned on in a jiffy. Three boys—two with violins and one with a triangle—struck up a lively marching air. The doors flew open and the children, the little ones in the lead, came out on the trot, each carrying maps and books. Within thirty seconds the 300 children on the second floor and the 300 on the first floor were out of the building with all their effects, while the youthful fire department had two big streams of water playing and all the hose laid.

The visitors applauded. Within three minutes of the gong the children were back in their rooms. In the upper hall, 300 older children lined up seven abreast and sang, including “Washington, My Washington” and “I Can't Get 'Um Up,” followed by physical-culture exercises. The visit showed Prof. Fagan to be a master in his profession.