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Dormitory

Dormitory

Placing wooden covers on top of the heaters seems like a bad idea... but I guess it never gets too hot.
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Hmm...low rent, comfy, seems perfect for any college student in need of a dorm! Another joke on Pennhurst...
Eric
Mon 04-25-2005
Without there being an open flame, I doubt that these would have gotten hot enough to start a fire. No actual flame would occur until the wood was around 535 degrees, which is when the gases released would become combustible. Before that the wood would smoke, dry out, probably char, but not burn. This can be taken advantage of to char decorative patterns into wood, technically called "burning", safely. Since the temperature on most steam radiators (I'm assuming this was steam, right?) doesn't exceed 230 degrees, this would be completely safe.
Sketch
Fri 01-06-2006
Mott,
I have heaters just like that. hot water runs through & cools to make hot steam. they wouldn't catch fire & it does make it less hot. I've touched one once & I blistered. it sucked!
ILiveNearHere
Tue 05-09-2006
my day job is to hvac (6years now) if it was hot water it was most like about 200. making it stupid to put more metel around it (they were most like trying to keep the kids from getting burned) wood would let air get in and out. but have it so they wouldn't get burnt
fhsfiremanco1
Thu 07-20-2006
seems to make sence sence the metal does get really hot...besides it looks like there is openings in the wood to vent out some of the heat
mikeymisery
Tue 09-05-2006
just child protection? and i'm a little skeptical about this pic... do keep in mind that adults were housed and schooled here too.
mike
Fri 12-22-2006
Perhaps the wooden planks were placed over the tops of the heaters so that the kids wouldn't stick their fingers in them and accidentally get burned. They may have also functioned as makeshift shelves for holding personal belongings.
Amy
Mon 03-26-2007
The wooden enclosures were to prevent injury from hot radiators and in case someone fell against them. It also protected the radiators from the clients.
Donna
Thu 04-19-2007
I think it was more to protect the workers there, seemed like nobody gave a shit about the patients (hence bath tub pic) and all the torture and rape that went on.
Pk327sb@aol.com
Sun 09-28-2008
Flame on, Pk327 ! (Sic 'em Lynn!)
Grumpy Ole Artist
Mon 05-16-2011

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