View report page

56
and although not so bright as with the " Reflex," yet, owing to the absence of the dazzling effect of the
exposed mantle, it appears better. The shadow beneath the burner can be estimated by the simple
test of holding a large sheet of white paper below the burner. When no shade is used, a sheet of paper
held a yard below the burner shews a deep shadow more than a yard in diameter ; with the " Squat"
or " New No. 3," deep circular shadows about 2 feet diameter are cast. The " Calypso " throws a small
central blot with a secondary outer ring of darkness. With the 90 deg. shade globe, as devised, no shade
could be detected, even when the screen was held up to within a few inches of the burner. This 90 deg.
shade globe fulfils all the four conditions required for a school globe, and could be made without any
difliculty or any material increase in cost as compared with those now in use. The spread of the shade,
about eleven inches, would not permit of its use with the loop pendants now issued to the schools ; but
as these pendants leave much to be desired, they could be altered to suit a more efficient globe shade.
Two kinds of pendants are now in use, a "two light" and a " harp shaped." The former is the ordinary
┴ shaped pendant, with a light at the extremity of each arm. The " harp shaped " is a single light
pendant, formed by a perpendicular length of tube suspending an elongated elliptical shaped loop. Since
all rooms are not the same size, the two-armed pendant is not fitted for general use. With a properly
devised "harp-shape," the lights can be placed individually where most wanted. For such a pendant
there is the usual ceiling plate, ball and socket joint, and a variable length of tubing to suit the height of
the room. The loop is triangular in shape—one side carries the gas, the other side is merely a support
to balance the shade. On the gas side is the stop-cock, which is on the bend and quite clear of the
bottom tube. The burner is to screw clear on to the bottom tube, without any wasted room filled in
with needless brasswork.
Arrangement Of Lights. The position of the pendants in the existing classrooms is
rather with a view to symmetry than good lighting. There is often waste of light in some parts, and
poor light in other parts of the rooms. It is difficult to lay down definite rules, as each classroom has to
be considered by itself.
(i.) Each classroom should be considered as being made up of two portions, the children's area,
and the teachers' area, and the lighting of these parts must be arranged independently.
(ii.) Left hand lighting must be arranged for as far as possible, exactly as in the rules for window
lighting.
(iii.) In calculating the area over which the rays of a lamp will extend, we must only take into
our valuation those rays which proceed from lamps in front of the class to the back of the class. Lamps
in front of a class illuminate to some degree the desks of the back row, but lamps to the back of a class
do not help to illuminate the front rows of desks when the children are in their places.
(iv.) There must be a clearance of 6 feet 6 inches beneath pendants, and the luminous mantle
must be as closely as possible approximated to this level, hence burners must be short and cocks or byepass
fittings must be placed on one side of the pendant arms, and not between burner and pendant.
From suggestions (ii) and (iii.) it will follow that the main desk lighting will be arranged to come from
the left and somewhat in front of the child. The gasfitter should mark the position of the first lamp to
be hung over the centre of the first dual desk on the child's left of the front row. Proceeding, lamp
positions should be marked out along this front row at from 6 ft. to 9 ft. intervals, according to the
height of the desks from the floor ; being closer in infants and further apart in the higher standards.
The row of lamps thus marked out would give sufficient light for the front row and the second row of
desks. A second row of lamps similarly spaced would light the third and fourth rows of desks. Since
a lamp hung behind a child throws no light on the desk of that child, it follows that the space between
the lamps from front to back of a room should be less than that between the lamps from side to side of
the room.