Boxoffice-11.04.1950

ARE YOUR WASHROOMS AS MODERN
AS YOUR THEATRE LOBBY?
by W. W. BROOKS*
X HEATRE PLUMBIN^G IS IMPORTANT.
It materially affects the welfare of employes,
patrons and anyone who has even
the briefest contact with your building.
Although it may seem almosi unbelievable to many theatremen, the washroom pictured above
did exist before the manager decided that complete renovation was in order. The physical character
of the washroom, itself, makes adequate maintenance impossible. There is no more certain
way of driving patronage to other theatres than to allow conditions like this.
Jo continue in a believe it or not" vein, here is the same washroom with modernized walls,
ceiling, floor and fixtures. Not only does it now afford the patron an atmosphere of sparkling
cleanliness, but in addition is decidedly easier for theatre management to maintain.
In answering the question, "What is
good plumbing?" two points must be considered:
efficiency of fixtures, and attractiveness.
Good plumbing is plumbing that
functions quickly and thoroughly. That's
why quality in fixtures is stressed nowadays,
quality in plumbing from well known
and reliable manufacturers who test each
and every fixture before they put it on
the market.
The importance of efficient water closets
and lavatories cannot be over estimated.
Faulty drainage in these fixtures keeps
the floor damp, a condition which attracts
rodents and insects. A continually wet
floor quickly becomes dirty and sooner
or later will harbor disease germs, besides
presenting a dank, depressing sight.
If fixtures are too outmoded to keep
clean and efficient, scrap them and have
new ones installed. Trying to maintain
obsolete, leaky plumbing is about as bad
as not having any plumbing at all. In
many cases cross-connected pipes in oldfashioned
plumbing lines cause the spread
of waterborne disease and lethal contamination
of the pure water supply.
WALL-HUNG FIXTURES PREFERRED
All new fixtures and partitions should
be wall-hung, wherever possible. This
eliminates any obstructions to mopping
and servicing. Wall-hung partitions are
excellent for water closet enclosures because
they afford better ventilation, too.
The tile or terrazzo floor is sealed and
sloped to a central drain, thus speeding up
the cleaning process. Modern lavatories
of either vitreous china or enameled cast
iron are not only better-looking fixtures
than the old ones, but are easier to keep
clean. They are also made to last longer.
It is best to have lavatories equipped with
"pop-up" waste valves, for plugs are either
carried off or lost in many cases.
Many shapes of lavatories are available.
The most satisfactory types provide hot
and cold water by means of mixing faucets.
Some installations provide for faucet operation
by knee or foot pressure. This
results in a saving of water, because the
•Plumbing and Healing Industries
Bureau.
12
The MODERN THEATRE SECTION