xt7n2z12rr7f https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7n2z12rr7f/data/mets.xml Kentucky. Department of Education. Kentucky Kentucky. Department of Education. 1940-09 volumes: illustrations 23-28 cm. call numbers 17-ED83 2 and L152 .B35. bulletins English Frankford, Ky. : Dept. of Education This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.) Education -- Kentucky Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Fire Prevention Manual", vol. VIII, no. 7, September 1940 text Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Fire Prevention Manual", vol. VIII, no. 7, September 1940 1940 1940-09 2021 true xt7n2z12rr7f section xt7n2z12rr7f 0 Commonwealth of Kentucky 0 EDUCATEONAL BULLETIN EAAA¥”% A .5 FIAPAAAAWAN {ff 1, Kentuclitf vyi’wny. * egsity of Kentuc Published by Order of the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ‘ ’ JOHN W BROOKER """ Superlntendeni of Public Instruction k. -_:_ v v A \ ISSUED MONTHLY . Entered as second- class matter March 21,1933,at the post office at i Frankfort, Kentucky, under the Act of August 24, 1912 Vol. VI“ sépfember, 1940 No. 7 Hrw. I‘m-.- Commonwealth of Kentucky FIRE PREVENTION MANUAL COURSE OF STUDY FOR Kentucky Boys and Girls i ‘ KEEN JOHNSON .............. J ....... Governor 0 . . . S HN W- BROOKER ............................. State Supcrmtende'nt Public Instruction HE . RMAN GOODPASTER ..................... Director of Insurance D. P . . . ' VANDIVIER ................................. SUPOT’UISO’I‘ FM‘B Prevention and Rates TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 661 Preface .............................................................. . 662 Foreword """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 4' 663 The Challenge—Preventing Fires—September Forest Fires—October ______ School Inspection, Home Inspection, Fire Drills—November ------- 686 Matches, Holiday Hazards, Rural Schoolhouse Fires—Decembei ..... G95 Gasoline—January _____________________________________________________________________________________ Electricity, Gas, Radio Hazards—February .................................. 704 Forest Fires—March ________________ 713 Clean-Up Month—April __________________________ - .- . 0m- Preventing Fires on the Farm—Program Discussron ‘Mateual £01 C 717 munity Meetings—May ____________________________________________________________ 720 Motion Pictures on Fire Prevention ...................................... The Divisior Departn Thi: and Sec “Se and [)1'il said scl: exits in while su “Se( of safety guards 2 L0 publis Ack] Fire Pre in the S compilat The arranged Fire Pre siders it continuo' safety 01 our boys Cal'cfuhle value sh Page 663 695 717 PREFACE The State Department of Education is pleased to cooperate with the Division of Fire Prevention and Rates in preparing this Manual. The Department at all times emphasizes safety education. This Course of Study has been prepared as provided by See. 76213-7 (f) and Sec. 7‘62b-18 (b), quoted below: “See. 762b-7 (f). To cause fire prevention to be taught in all public and private schools at least once each week, and fire drills to be held in said schools at least once each month and to require that all doors and exits in school and public buildings open outward and be kept unlocked while such buildings are occupied for school or public purposes. “Sec. 762b-1S (b). To establish and maintain museums and exhibits of safety and fire prevention, in which shall be exhibited equipment, safe- guards and other means and methods for protection against fire loss, and to publish and distribute bulletins on any phase of this general subject.” _ Acknowledgment is hereby given to Mr. D. P. Vandivier, Supervisor of Fire Prevention and Rates and Mr. Mark Godman, Director of Supervision 111 the State Department of Education, who have been responsible for the compilation and organization of this bulletin. The material in this Manual has been carefully selected and logically arranged for teaching. -It is the official Course of Study in the subject of Fire I)l‘evention for the schools of this Commonwealth. This office con- S‘ldel‘S it of utmost importance that all teachers and school officials pay :Eéleftlmlous'and definite attention to the principles of fire prevention and Our zoolltllned herein. Through a conscientious teaching of this material, ys and girls should learn to prevent fires by forming habits of mm . ' I I ,[ fume”, The savmg of many lives and thousands of dollars in property \alue should result. JOHN W. BROOKER Superintendent of Public Instruction Muir .431. damn. -JDAJ. g. “and ALA—LfLA. FOREWORD To Executives, Teachers and Pupils Kentucky Public and Private Schools: This manual is the first attempt in Kentucky to provide material for the use of our teachers in Fire Prevention instruction. A State law pro. vides that Fire Prevention be taught in the schools, but until now there has been no provision for suitable teaching material. Considerable time has been spent in determining the kind of material used in other states where Fire Prevention instruction is given. As a result of this survey the State of Nebraska was found to have the outstanding Fire Prevention Manual now in use. With the kind permission of the Nebraska State Fire Marshal we have followed very closely the form and content of their manual in the preparation of this material. Fire Prevention is a very practical problem and well deserves a place in the course of study in every public and private school. There was an unfriendly fire in Kentucky every hour during the year 1939. Fire may break out any hour in the day and usually strikes at the .most unexDeCted time, and often at a place where there are no available means of adetllla‘te fire fighting. Lives may be at stake in every fire and untold financwl losses are sustained. Probably two-thirds of all these fires could be Ill'e' vented. If that be true an intelligent study of Fire Prevention methods may save an untold number of lives and much fire waste. The Department of Fire Prevention and Rates is always ready to 314;: the elimination of fire hazards and is glad to help with making 11151”th and in conducting fire drills. The State Department of Education is co-operating with the Departmegi of Fire Prevention and Rates and asks for a practical and sensrble use this book. D. P. VANDIVIER Supervisor Fire Prevention and Rates MARK GODMAN' . . Director Division of Superl’ls1011 |. Spet II. Teal B. 1. Fact For quarter are chin hot ashe from in; rubbish With 105 their pi: Und with 105 with 10, $16,000,0 The: United colleges in full t to maint first line marines, \ 1 The aterial for a law pro: now there ?able time her states 1is survey ?reventi011 State Fire t of their es a place re was 311 Fire may mexpected E adequate 1 financial Id be Dl'e' 1 methods y ’[0 ald ill ,nspections )epartmellt .ble use Of t and Rates pervision September THE CHALLENGE—PREVENTING FIRES |. Specific Aims to be Developed through This Unit A. Simple Habits Reading and reporting fires described in the newspapers. Being careful and preventing fires. B. Essential Knowledge Facts concerning serious fires. Facts concerning fires caused by carelessness with bonfires. C. Simple Feelings or Appreciations An appreciation on the part of pupils of the serious fires caused by carelessness. II. Teaching Procedures and Content A. Finding the Starting Point Pupils comment on the causes of certain fires and how same might have been prevented. B. Content 1. Facts to be discussed about fire losses in the nation.1 For many years past America has burned up an average of over a quarter billion dollars annually. Among the causes listed as preventable are chimney fires, With average annual losses of $25,000,000; fires from hOt ashes, coals and Open fires, with losses amounting to over $6,000,000; from matches and smoking, with losses of more than $35,000,000; from ”{bbiSh and litter, with losses of over $2,000,000; from sparks on roofs, “ml losses, of over $15,000,000; and from stoves, furnaces, boilers and then" pipes. with losses of almost $23,000,000. . Under partially preventable causes are listed misuse of electricity, with losses of almost $18,000,000; exposure (including conflagrations), Wlth losses 0f OVGI‘ $47,000,000; and spontaneous combustion, almost $16,000,000. Unitzgesgt vast sums, representing the average annual fire loss in the COlleges ates 9W3"? five-year period, would build a fourth‘ of the in fun thand 111111Versit1es in the United States, and purchase Wlth‘C'aSh to maint e glounds upon which they are erected. -It would be suffrcrent first 1111:”: and 01'“)th the entire Navy Department for one year. Twenty attleshlps, or many times that number of destroyers and sub- ni ' . ““195, could be built with this amount. It could build, 01‘ buy and pay \ 1 . The National Board of Fire Underwriters, 85 John Street, New York CH}!- 663 ill ’I. L l , l .. , i i I“ I‘b ‘4 i ' h I v‘ ’ ‘ c . I ,. ‘1- 1‘ -1. 7 I b] i _ i. . .‘ i .. .~ : . ., i In ‘ Ii‘, i i.‘ ‘ vi .- l .- “ “.I ' . 7 iv l ,l . _ It. f“ I I- it. c . » ‘1', i . VI: ".1 ’ Wifl , . I [ .‘ I l i. w 'i I i y" In ill , ' ' in ' , 3 i i" ‘- , ' . HI: , . :k- :i, ,_ ‘lfl E1 . “, "' 3‘ ii i t t I l i r 5' P ,.i ‘ i ‘-ij , , "‘ ,' , l .i. “V i ‘ | ., » , m . , If i i, ii I" V . , i i cash in full for 80,000 modern one-family suburban homes, sheltering 480,000 people—a city of residences larger than the four cities of Louisville, Lexington, Paducah and Frankfort. Causes of fires in Kentucky as reported during April, May and Julie, 1940- (listed in order of their frequency) Unknown Causes ____________________________________________________________________ ._ _______________________________ 268 Matchestmoking .................... , ________________________________________________________________________ 220 Defective chimneys, flues, etcl .................................... Electricity—Except small devices ............................................... Exposure (communicated) Sparks on roof ___________________________ Hot Ashes and Goals—Open Fires ................................................. 91 Lightning _____________________________________________________________________ 66 Miscellaneous—Causes known not classified .................................................. 62 Petroleum and its Products 49 Stoves, furnaces, boilers and their pipes ................................... 49 Gas—Natural and artificial .................................................................................... 26 Rubbish and Litter ................... .................................................. 25 Hot Irons (including electrlcal devices) ............................................................ 19 Hot Grease, oil tar, wax asphalt, ignition of ................................................ 17 Open Lights ............................................................................................... 13 Explosions __________________ 12 Spontaneous Combustion ......... 12 Incendiarism _________ ..................................... 5 Friction, Sparks occasioned by running machine ................... i Sparks Arising from Combustion Steam and Hot Water pipes Total number of fires .............................................................................. L334 L088 RECORD COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY Number of Fire and Lightning Claims Paid by CaUse Years 1936-1937-1938 Year Year Year 1936 1937 1938 Cause Claims Claims Clzilms Chimneys, Flues, Cupolas and Stacks, Overheated 35 01‘ Defective _________________________________________________________ 787 8 Electricity including Hot Irons and Other Electrical ”7 Devices 506 500 5:9 Explosions ‘3 40 406 Exposure ____________________________________________________________ 617 416 06 Fireworks, Fire Crackers, Balloons, etc. ............................ 19 19 12 Friction, Sparks Occasioned by Running Machinery 11 16 114 Gas~Natural and Artificial .................................................. 130 98 573 Hot Ashes and Goals—Open Fires ___________________________ 603 664 Hot G lucenc Lightr Match Miscel Open Petrol Rubbi: Spark: Sparks Spout: Steam Stoves Uukno It few st fire. remeIr. Tl Never way. leaves serious too clc M: of all tliousa 0f (loll Su 1. 2. 001d be 3. 4. in a si sheltering gouisville, May and ......... 268 ...... 220 ...... 123 .. 119 . Year ' 1938 15 Claims 835 577 52 450 12 114 573 Hot Grease, Oil, Tar, \Vax, Asphalt, Ignition of .............. 68 95 95 Incendiarism 44 36 49 Lightning—B111ldlllgs Rodded and Not Rodded ................ 879 624 911 Matches—Smoking .................................................................. 1,239 1,149 1,166 Miscellaneous—Cause Known but Not Classified ........ 51 40 34 Open Lights ............................................. 306 277 246 Petroleum and Its Products ............... . 275 280 273 Rubbish and Litter .................................................................... 26 15 32 Sparks Arising from Combustion __ 71 41 35 Sparks on Roofs .................................. 992 749 573 Spontaneous Combustion ......... 96 85 103 Steam and Hot Water Pipes 1 1 Stoves, Furnaces, Boilers and Their Pipes ________ 470 391 386 UnknoWn ______________________________________________________________________ _._1,348 1,147 1,274 8,921 7,408 7,797 It is always a great treat to go to a wienie roast where we gather a few sticks, roast wienies, toast marshmallows, and boil the coffee over the fire. There are some important facts, however, which we should remember. There are many things that need to be considered in lighting a fire. Never start a fire if the wind is blowing, for sparks may travel a long way, Do not build a fire if there is any possibility of its spreading to leaves or wood. Do not build a fire too near a tree as its growth may be seriously injured. Do not build too large a fire and do not po‘ke it or stand too close to the blaze. Many times when people forget to put out fires, forests and property Of all kllldS are burned. Carelessness is very costly and because 0f it thousands of people have lost their lives and damage amounting to millions of dollars has been done. SUgg‘ested safety-first rules for bonfires: 1. Do not build a bonfire for fun. 2. ‘If it is necessary to build fires outdoors, see that the ashes are com before you leave them. 3. Do not set dead trees afire without adequate control. . 4. Before lighting an open fire, be sure that it is completely enclosed In a stout wire screen. 5' Do not allow children to play too near the fire. 6. Do not throw large pieces of loose paper upon an Open fil'e- 0. Activities ' 1. Writing original songs for English assignment a. Tune—“Are You Sleeping?”2 Fire prevention, fire prevention, For this week, for this week; Always put out your matches, Always put out your matches, Before you leave, Before you leave. 2 JO 7 lee Hath, LOS‘an Center School, Cedar County, Nebraska. 665 b. Tune—“Mulberry Bush” Keep your matches in tin cans, In tin cans, in tin cans; Keep your matches in tin cans, For your own safety. Keep your gasoline in red cans, In red cans, in red cans; Keep your gasoline in red cans, If you are wise. Don’t go away with bonfires burning, Bonfires burning, bonfires burning, Don’t go away with bonfires burning, Day or night. c. Tune—“Row, Row. Row Your Boat"4 Keep, keep, keep your rules, Keep them every day; Fire, fire, fire, fire Out of your life will stay. 2. Developing Code Puzzles and writing Fire Prevention jingles for English. PUZZLE FOR CHILDREN5 What Would You Do If Your Clothing Caught Fire? WORK out this code message and you will learn how to save your life—or possibly the life of someone else! R3F2 TSK3RZS T3WH CSSH PSZZD HTlT P24PL2 S4L2 HT23R D21HS‘ HTZSR LC4HT‘3GN TICHCZS R3F2 1DN HTZY N5R. HT2Y 822 HT2 LFI’SZM 1DN 3MM2T31D2YL MSJP. HWZN LC4HT3GN Tiochs R3F2 RD4P T4 HT2 LF44R 1DN L4RL 3TN4 1 G5R 4R LBlKN2T T4 MS4HT2R HT2 R3F2, PZZKS‘GN HT2 G5R G3TTH 1T45B HT2 CZNK T4 RP4CZTT HT2 CIFZ 1DN R13H. MZRZBMZR HT3s R4F R45Y 4Nw K1S2 1DN 3T YlM 2N2V 2B1NL2 Y45 M4s2 YlD T4 V1s2 HT3 F3L2 4F 1T4NR2H- then reverse CODE: ‘Group the letters in each word into pairs and s into vowels the order of the letters in each pair. Next, change the figure . " (l-A, 2-E, 3-1, 4-0, 5-U). Thus LC4HT3GN becomes the word “clothing. 3. Solving problems in arithmetic which involve fire losses 5 caused by pre- a. How much was the annual property 105 veral ventable fires throughout the Nation for the last Se years? How much would the property 1055 for one day be for this same period? If fires could be prevented Wha could be purchased for the fire loss for one day? b. From the list of Kentucky fires and their causes for the months of April, May, June and July, What would 3:0: suggest as the most valuable slogan for Fire Prevent“) for the year. “Helen Thompson, Logan Center School, Cedar County, Nabl‘aSka' ‘ ~ ka. 4 Darme Brandow, Loyan Center School, Cedar County, Nebias ork. 5 The National Board Bf Fire Underwriters, 85 John Street, New Y 666 571 Si' extrao: crackli It fresh 1 stray 1 I sat ( distam you,” imagin Th fanciec' said In unmist that, I it was, harm i “F same \ “Y comma “D ”But SI “B much g Th Want t4 only g catch l Ail don’t y t0 live Th asked, “Tl “YT called the sat helpful “Y1 ngles for ave your 1 D21HS. 322 HT2 25 R3F2 IS4HT2R 1P4C2TT 1DN 3T 12H. 1 reverse ,0 vowelS rthiIlB’.” 395 by pre- t several e day be ted what 5 for the ould you reventioIl rk . 4. Dramatizing the “Safety First Ladder” in the primary grades. A. Greater interest in fire prevention. Fewer accidents with fire. 0. [Interest in telling about fires and causes of fires as reported in newspapers. D. Ability to give safety rules for bonfires. 51‘ TOLD BY A TONGUE 0F FLAME (A Fire Prevention Fantasy) Sitting alone last night before the hearth, I had a dream; and a very extraordinary dream it was! I dreamed—yesl—I dreamed that the Fire, crackling there on its two enormous andirons, talked to me! It was late and, tired of reading, I had laid down my book, tossed on a fresh log and curled up in my chair, prepared to surrender myself to those stray thoughts that sometimes come in the lengthening hours. How long I sat dreaming I don’t know, but presently, as though from a very great distance, I heard a voice. It was saying something that sounded like “Thank you,” but so faint was it, so whisper-like, that I thought I must have imagined it. Then it came again; this time a trifle louder. Still believing that I fancied rather than heard a voice, since no one else was in the room, I said nothing. A third time the words came and now they were distinct, unmistakable. They seemed to issue from the depths of the fireplace, but that, I knew, was absurd; no one could possibly be hidden in there, big as it was, for the heat would have been unbearable. However, I could see no harm in replying, so I inquired: “Thank you? Thank you for what?” “For that juicy log you just gave me. It kept me alive.” It was the same voice and I knew then that it must be the Fire speaking! “You’re quite welcome,” I replied in as matter—0ftact a tone as I could command; “I’m sure I didn’t want you to die.” H “Didn’t you?” There was a pause. Afterwards the Fire continued: But sometimes, you know, men do want me to die.” “But that’s only when you’re doing harm and now you’re doing good—- much good.” Wantmtl: bFire sighed audibly; then in an outburst of passion: “But I do 0111 e good always. For numberless centurles, now, I’ve wished to do y good to men, but, but. . .” The words trailed off and I couldn’t catch the rest. donffxiqan’ interval I asked: “If you Want so much to do only good, why to live in."Im sure the world would be a much safer and happier place ask Th3 Fire’s next remark startled me again. “Have you ever heard,” it ed, 0f a man named Stevenson—Robert Louis Stevenson?” “The author?” I said. caller???” it said, “the author. Well, this man Stevenson, wrote a story the sam 1‘- Jekyll and Mr. I-Iyde,’—remember? It seems they were both helm“ : man, only he had two sides or personalities, one very good, very “ 0 mankmd, the other very bad, doing nothing but evil.” Yes,” I declared, “everybody knows the story3’ 667 “Alas!” cried the Fire, “I’m like the man in that story, and yet it is really not my fault! You”—the fire spluttered and flared up ominously— “you and all your fellow-men, for countless thousands of years, have made me so.” Of course I was taken aback. I couldn’t, just then, find words; besides, I reasoned quickly, it was, after all, nothing more than the plain truth that the Fire had hurled at me. “Please don’t be angry,” pleaded the Fire, subsiding; “I didn’t mean to be rude, only . . . only I feel it so deeply, and I want you and all men to know it. It’s hard sometimes for me to bear the blame for all the crimes that you have committed in my name!” This was a little too much for me, and I protested my innocence; whereupon the Fire went on: “No, you’re not to blame, perhaps; not you personally. I’m speaking of many of your fellows, those alive today and those that lived long genera- tions ago, when the world, though younger, was neither better nor worse . . . Suppose you give me that stout log in the basket over there to keep me going and I’ll tell you a little story.” “All right,” said I and rose to do as it had hidden. Then I resumed my chair and waited. “Of course,” began the Fire, “I was old long ages before men snoll as you had come to dwell on the earth. In fact, I played a large 132111111 bringing this very world into being. In the beginning I was nearly all there was. “Ages dragged by, and I began to die out, slowly, slowly, but certainly, and then the hard rock and earth cooled, and oceans formed out of the dropping steam, and there was air. Life could be supported, finally, and life came—plants and tiny primitive moving things. . “Inside the earth, however, I continued to burn fiercely—and do to thlS very day—and bursting through a crust of earth, occasionally, I “’0111‘1 ignite this plant life, presently grown into vast forests. Sometimes, too. the great incandescent sun would set me going in the dry thickets. “Yet more ages passed, and one (lay—I shall never forget it——as I was burning my way through some dense undergrowth, I came full uDOl1 a creature who looked not unlike you. He was as much astonished as L and in fact he took to his heels at once, uttering terrified cries. However, lie was inquisitive, and every now and then, as he ran, he glanced over 111S shoulder to look, wide~eyed at me. “Soon I saw him slow up, turn, and retrace his steps to an old tree stump that l was licking. For a long time he stood gazing down at me, studying me intently. Suddenly he seized his flint hatchet, chopped out a piece of the trunk and putting it—and me—into a large seashell winch he found at his feet, carried me to a kind of hut 01' reeds and deposlted me on the dirt floor where I continued to smoulder (lully. ”There were other occupants. One was a woman—as l have come to know—and there were also some little people, children, running HDOUL All were afraid of me at first, and backed away into a far corner. But the man motioned to them to return and, their curiosity overconung filellt 6 fear, they began to edge up closer. It was cold outside and when they ut my warmth, they grunted with satisfaction. Presently the man went 0 668 and ca same “F and c startet center realizi fractio nately, their 1 devour “lV of thei dug a couldn I serve Th rative short 1 once 1: “L million I was Careles “W “Y the grc I am n< sat bet called “In chimne began t on a S( l conti‘ into fla but I u that til the fan furnitu' l'ouudat licked i “01 ”U1 concert as luck me Opp no alte' Was the 0D811 tc 1 yet it is ninously— lave made a; besides, truth that dn‘t mean 1d all men the crimes 11110091109; . speaking 11g genera- nor worse 'e to keep sumed my men such ge part in nearly all certainly, .ut of the nally, and do to this , 1 would imes, too. kets. —as I was :1 upon a as 1, and wever, he over his . old tree In at me, )pped out ell which deposited come f0 1;; about. her. BUt ,ing their they 1'61t went 011t and came back with two or three chunks of wood, which he gave me, at the same time fanning me into flame. “From that day forth I lived with them constantly, kept them Warm and cooked their food. They grew used to 111e—and then the trouble started. When they first took me to their home, they kept me in the center of the floor, away from the walls of their dwelling, but one day, not realizing what they did, they allowed me to burn over too far, and in a fraction of a second I had started to climb up the sides of the hut. Fortu- nately, the man and his family rushed outside and saved themselves. Of their home, though, nothing was left; it was dry, and I just couldn’t help devouring it to the last reed. “Naturally, they were alarmed and very much saddened over the loss of their comfortable dwelling; and when they built again, you may be sure, dug a little pit for me in the earthasince, having grown used to me, they couldn’t do without me~and there they kept me as long as they lived, while [served them faithfully and gave them no more trouble.” The Fire’s voice grew a bit unsteady. So interested was I in its nar- rative that I had neglected to feed it; so now I heaped on more wood. In a short time the voice regained its strength, and the Fire took up its tale once more: “Last night,” the Fire resumed, “was, if I remember rightly, the millionth anniversary of that happening I have just related; and last night lwas burning cheerily on the hearth of a friend of yours, a Mr. O. Howe Careless, and the . . .” “What!” I broke in, “has Careless been burned out?” “Yes,” replied the Fire wearily, “their beautiful home was burned to the ground. But let me finish. I was, as I said, burning on his hearth, as Iain now burning 011 yours. Mr. and Mrs. Careless, with their two children, sat before me; they were listening, I think, to the radio. Soon the maid called them to dinner, and they left me all alone and quite unguarded. “Instead of dying out, as I thought I should, a wind came down the Chimney behind me, setting me going briskly, and my burning embers began to pop out into the room. At length one, carrying a bit of me, dropped on a soft, fuzzy rug, and I began to burn there, very quietly. Unnoticed, lcontinued to smoulder until another gust from the chimney fanned me lllto flame. Hearing me crackle, the family rushed in and tried to kill me, but I was too strong for them and so they called the fire department. By that time, though, I had grown so big that about all the firemen could do— the famin having escaped my clutches—was to save some odd pieces of turniture. I consumed, I’m sorry to say, the whole house, except for the I‘Oundation and the chimney, which I couldn’t get my teeth into, though I llcked them black with my tongue.” n011, 110w unfortunate for poor Careless,” I exclaimed. ”Unfortunate? \Vhat do you mean ‘unfortunate?’ Wherever I, Fire, am 00110el'ned, there is no such thing as fortune, good or bad, no such thing :felsck. I do what I must do, what I can’t help doing—when men afford no 111:2?1tu-mty' A million years ago, by their neglect of me, they gave me = 1nat1ve but to turn 011 them. Last night, in that modern house, it w . as the same . . . I can’t help myself; they leave so many ways of escape 09911 to me. 669 ‘ m' 314;. L my 4.1;. Lin;,--L .l. L; mingpmmgeva: “Oh! If men would only learn to guard me and to keep me in the place where I belong! A million years of living have taught them much, but still they haven’t learned this one simple thing—to handle me with care.” The Fire, I saw, was burning lower and lower on my hearth and seemed on the verge of dying out. It was almost morning and so I decided to let it perish. “Will it?” I ventured, “will it be so always? Will men never learn to employ you, Fire, as you should be employed, as you were meant to be employed?” . “Ah,” sighed the Fire, as it gave one last flicker, “that is a question which only you and your fellows can answer.” .e in the :m much, me with arth and I decided ' learn to 3.111; to be i question October FOREST FIRES I. Specific Aims to Be Developed Through This Unit. A. Simple Habits to Be Acquired 1. Refusing to build an open fire for any purpose near the woods or a field when the woods and the field are dry. 2. Refusing to leave any fire before it is entirely out. Extinguish it with water, sand or soil. 3. Refusing to pass even the smallest fire unnoticed. B. Essential Knowledge 1. Forest fires cause loss of property, life and the benefits of nature. 2. Each year forest fires in Kentucky burn an average of 500,000 acres of forest land, and do a damage of nearly $1,000,000. 3. Nearly 100% of all forest fires in Kentucky are man-caused and therefore preventable. C. Attitudes to Be Developed 1. An appreciation of the danger of forest fires to life and property. 2. Forest fire is the enemy of man and nature, and therefore must be prevented ll. Teaching Procedures and Content A. Content—Why Forest Fires Must Be Stopped- When Daniel Boone came to Kentucky, virgin forests covered more than 9/10 of all the land in the State. Here grew the finest hardw’ood timber in the world, and roamed large herds of buffalo, deer, elk and other wild game, Today 2/5 of the State’s area, or 10,500,000 acres, is suited only for growmg trees; in eastern Kentucky more than 3/4 of the land area is suited onlyfor trees. Yet this timberland has been so damaged by fire, over- Etaimg and wasteful logging methods that it produces only a small part he wood products which it would yield under proper protection and management. Kentucky’s past has been greatly influenced by her forests, and much of her present and future progress depends upon them. This is especially so of eastern Kentucky. acres: lf‘eal enemy of our forests is FIRE. In 1939 it burned over 500,000 orests in Kentucky, and did more than $1,000,000 damage. is m1)? :Ze‘lwake of fire. stalks death and damage. Sometimes the damage lack f s1y seen, but it is there just the same. It is quite possible that 0 knOWIBdge of the very real injury which follows fire in the woods 671 ‘ m may partly account for so much carelessness with fire. People are usually careful when they realize that a thoughtless act may burn up their property. No person in his right mind will light his pipe in the barn and flip the burning match in the fodder bin 01' haymow. Why? His hand is stayed by the thought of fire and the damage it will cause. Yet, that same person may without thinking flip another match into dry grass or leaves and start a forest fire that will do damage greater than the value of a thousand barns. What is true of the unthinking smoker is true of the man with the camp fire, the burner of brush, or anyone else who uses fire in or near the forest. So that you may stop and think and then be careful with fire in the woods, the following summary of the evidence against fire is given to you. SOIL Nearly all forest fires burn on the ground. Each fire burns up more or less of the decaying vegetable matter, called “humus”, vital to the tree, shrub, and herb life which the soil supports. It destroys a large part Of the plant food and there is left only an unbalanced ration. Plant life starves and sickens. At the same time fire removes the organic matter, which work upper layers of the soil and Changes it into a sponge-like cover to prevent soil and water from washing away or drying up. Soil texture is ruined- Loss of soil fertility is the heaviest toll the forest fire takes. Other losses may be replaced in time at reasonable cost, but the plant food in the soil can be built back only by nature, and her work is very slow. When the protective forest cover is destroyed