Fires a threat, mayor says

Albany Mayor William S. Hackett declared that he never called any of the city’s public schools a “firetrap,” as had been reported, but that he did say all but two of them were in need of immediate repair and asserted all of them would be made fireproof as soon as the school survey committee submitted its report. Hackett said any building that was more than 20 years old was in danger of catching fire, unless repairs were made. “The public school buildings of this city were put up ... when fireproof construction had not advanced to its present grade of perfection. They were neglected from the date of their erection on, so that the buildings that should be modern and fireproof today ... are exactly as erected, antiquated and in bad shape,” the mayor said.

—Times Union, May 3, 1922