New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-16
OvERCROWDED SCHOOLS.

REMEDIES SUGGESTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
At the regular meeting yesterday or inc
Board OF Education the superintendent OF Iruancy TO-
ported that number OF cases investigated curing o
last two weeks was 97S OF the 223 children tound 10 DC
ruants and 219 we're returned 10 schoo
and five committed TO the care OF the Society for the
Reformation of Juvenile Delnquents City superh-
endent Kide reported that for the month OF FEBRUARY
there were on the register 574 pupils gain OF oZ'Z
over last year. The average attendance WAS 3I'so''
1886 less than during January on account OF sickness
among children. Admission 10 the schools was reuseo
to 900 pupils for want Of accommodation Ihe Co'nmiF
tee on BY laws made report on the SUBJECT OF over
orowding in the public schools, suggesting partial
remedy for the difficulty which was made specia order
of business at the next regular meeting The prhepai
portions are as follows:
The Committee after careful consideration OF the re-
port referred 10 Them aud OF the whole subject TO
il pertains satisfied that many OF ue cIass Ioo
particularly In the primary departments ana Schools arc
much too crowded. Various causes nave conpntd "
bring about this state OF things The vast anu Lalu
crease in the population OF the cty-paIenafy ID cer
tain wardshas rendered II quite M iop se
TO supply additional accommodations as IaN as tney
have required Partly for the same reason IN te
construction and internal arrangements oi inc sGhoo
buildings, the elias rOoms have been made 100 small au
have been furnished with more seats tnan correct sa
pupils would have dictated. The local school officers
naturally DESTROYS that the schools under tic, ~
care should he large and nourishi1g, nave III
many instances failed 10 exercise the anthoip
LEGALLY conferred upon them IN Tie management OF tne
schools III order by sautary regulations TO check lS
great evil of Ove~crOwdng The principals OF SCHOOLS;
zea0us in their dcsre for large number or pupils anu
in their competition in this respect win nelghpolne
schools often also urged aud harascd by the constant
import nifty of parents. have III nany instances croWue
their classIoOms by admitting more pupiis mo ,htn
tian their CAPACITY would permit Independently on me
matter Of the Overcrowdng Of the assToons, mere
no doubt that more efficient system OF NCntheuon
,eled IL our sch ,ol buildings 10 make their sanitary
condition in all respects satisfactory. ..n, 90 Tho
TIE opinions OF experts differ greatly IN resaru ~ .c
proper amount Of surface that should be allowed per
pupil lut all agree that this should be very much more
than is mt present allowed IN most OF our primary ue-
rart,nruts and schools And here the Committee have
Ten much embarrassment from the fact that any great
and sweeping reform in this particular would he Tue
mcaus OF cXcluding from the schools very large mum
Der of pupils. They feel however mat some reform
SHOULD bc made, and that iAcIe should DC some eeneI
regulation o the Board 10 serve rs guide 10 trustees
aud PRINCIPALS IN the admission OF pupils aud aso ~
check 10 evte, ut least upon TIE cHccSsNr cr'w
ing oi the class which is now 20 great an e' IL am
against which 50 many complaints are .iue. VIII,
thor FORE they do not fec Wdrlait"d IN TeclnhfIuhe
the large allowance Oi air space per pup WhiGh many
sanarns of high reputation deem reqnlsi,e they mere
with submit a minimum allowance N TINS respect
which. when compared with the condition OF thlnSs
now existing VIII be te"a ~ oo gead am , iiy.i
change; While the other regGlailohs mere WIN snpin.eu
are calculated ~ reduce IN short time we a'"hIance
OF VI the schools now excessively crowded. ana pre-
vent the evil in the future by pIolps piC.pd nun
admitting more pupils into heir schools tlan can Or
properly accommodated. The effect OF ms NE Mogit
also be 20 egua1c IN some respects the ateu"ce ~ u
fcreuf schools 9nd wards. This is much neoied since
often certan schools crowded TO OVERLOOKING w4he
others ia their immediate vicinity are bdl lS.i9 n
OF full remedy Tor the evils oomp%iHri OF can
pl'itd Elt1tlF IN 'fl'lu
the auonni OF school accommodation; aud Tor rms a
considerable expenditure of money WI he needed,
Hence complete reform can only he gradual ana Is 70
be hnpcd that the community. mn io-ianing the u'ul-
ties surrounding auy acton of tie Board ~ tis respect
viii p4cn.Iy await the fun realization OF the plans ana
policy OF which The regulations herewith Submitted con
ltrio ma io,.atory ,rp Your Committee therefore
submit for consideration OF toe Board the iooWho
as amendments 20 tue bylaws: ~,
Amend Cton 80, page 90, 81 the Manual ny Nl'lhS
thereto the following az t.ic foot oi pace lDi .,
SIC s9 ~ DC o f S II pn n,d any School Or
class whenever occupied by the same is nci 10 the
extent of is -ittin2 capacity. , ,,-.
ia liking ;hc sttln. capacity of rooms, inc lolONnE
shall be 4 minimum allowance o; door surface ana ar
auDre for Dupls In The lower grades u! primary
schools and departments, > square fcct ana 40 cunc
feet; IN the three higher grades. square fect and 20
c,lnr feet in the lower grades Of grammar schools,
.,r IRE feet and % cubic feet in the four higher
CRATES square feet and loo cubic feet In the adhI"
sior nf pus those residing the Mtars-t 10 any school
saH III aii cases have the preference. al rejected iph
c4ne shall be 10 the nearest school having accom-
mediation for them.