The pictures below are of my school. The picture of the wood stove ("petchi" in Russian and common use) was used in most classrooms last year. Petchis are warm, as fire tends to be, but present certain hazards. On two occasions last year, I was in classrooms which had to be evacuated. Once due to an actual fire and once due to trouble with smoke in the room. I won't recount the number of holes burned into pants from standing too close, or minor burns to students' hands while tending to the petchi.
This year, we have radiators!!! They don't heat up to quite the level of an open flame in the classroom, but I've yet to hear of one incident of burning, maiming or smoke inhalation. There is other trouble with the new system though. In order for them to work, the water, electricity and gas must all be working concurrently. We have heat about 80% of the time.
Everyone agrees that it's much better to have the heaters, and I agree. It does present some interesting secondary cultural challenges though. People are used to dressing for the weather here. I've often joked with my friends about the 7 layer PCV (versus the lusted after 7 layer burrito I so crave from that fantastical wonderland fast food joint I haven't seen for 20 months, but, I digress). So with central heating, folks get hot. When folks get hot, they sweat. When folks sweat, it tends to get smelly. And when folks get smelly, Georgians open a window. Change takes time.
Were the wood stoves removed when the radiators were installed? It seems like they could be useful as a back up heat source during the 20% of time when the radiators are off. Anyway, I am glad you are keeping warm for the most part.
Actually, Emily, no, the woodstoves were not kept as a backup for when the magical combination of water, gas and electricity fails. And, there's another "catch" if you will as well. Last year, they installed new energy efficient windows, which was great. Except that they hadn't installed the radiators yet. Well the new windows didn't have petchi holes (used to funnel the smoke out of the building). So, they drilled holes in the walls to allow for the stove pipe to go outside. The holes in the walls are still there, often taped over with a cardboard sheet.