The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-26
INSUFFICIENT SCHOOL ROOM.
From the Philadelphia Press. =

From the Philadelphia Press.
With $lG3,3j 9,Ol6 spent annually In the
support of the public schools of the United
States II would appear AS II every one OF
the II, lij 1S children Of school age should
have all the facilities necessary Tor OBJ
tanning an education. Some OF this goes
into permanent improvements, II Is true.
but if the rest was equally distributed
according to school population there
would be an average of at least so for the
education of each child enrolled. But it
is not evenly divided, Massachusetts eN-
pending about S25 for each child enrolled,
New York about so and Pennsylvania $l6.
while South Carolina spends only 500.
While here is Il great disparity 1t would
seem that the first three states ought 10
be amply provided with school facilities.
-:-:-
But It is in these neighborhoods which
spend the most money for schools. and es-
pecially in the large cities, where the loud
est complaints are made of inadequate
facilities. The beginning of the present
school year has made this fact more than
usually prominent. From every one or
the large cities in the north the uniform
story comes of a lack of school room.
Even in Boston, which prides itself on its
public schools, the facilities are found far
below the demand. In some parts of that
city the authorities have been compelled
to erect temporary wooden buildings in
connection with the main school houses.
where the younger classes can be accom-
modated. But this shows a disposition at
least to give an opportunity to every child
to obtain an education.
-.-:-
The outlook in New York city is less en-
couraging. That city's school enrolment
is about 235, ,0OO but of this number nearly
one-iifth is unable to find room in the
school houses, and this Notwithstanding
the fact that that city spends nearly $6.-
0DO, 600 annually on its schools. The s!tua-
ton in this city is well known. With an
al nv IN nf 80 and n N N
rollment of 130.000 pupils there are prob
ably one-iifth as many more who could
not be accommodated with sitting room
in the school houses. Chicago had $4,000
children enrolled in its schools when they
opened last week, but notwithstanding the
most strenuous exertions and the renting
of 2l3 rooms outside the school buildings
1t was found that there We're 1l.OOO more
children than could be accommodated
-:--
brooklyn, with an enrolment Of 1ls,OOO
Cincinnati with 10000. Baltimore with g.
600 and st. Louis with 5000 enrolment ill
find themselves in the same embarrassing
circumstances. Turning a child away
from the doors of school house and shut
ting it off from the knowledge 1t seeks
looks so unciviliZed and un-American that
it is n sight few care to contemplate.
And yet 1t has been done In thousands of
cases during the past ten days and In
rities that pride themselves on thoir
wealth and social progress. If this IS the
situation in the better favored neighbor-
hoods and where the greatest effort IS
made to supply tie demand, what must he
the condition Of things In rural districts
and in states where only one-tenth as
much is spent in providing school accom-
modatiOns?
-.-.-
Some Of the reasons given for the dis
couragng state Of affairs in the large
cities are of an eminetly practical ma
ture. The indianapolis Journal thinks
that 1t is caused partly by the disposition
to erect elaborate and expensive school
buildings instead Of plain. substantial
structures. Not long ago n war was be-
gun in Chicago on the "fads" In the
schools of that city which used uD money
which, it is claimed. ought to be spent
in more useful ways These "fads" are
the teaching Of Latin, higher mathc-
mates. the modern languages and music.
Politics Is also the cause Of the waste Of
much schoS money. School expenses
would naturally increase with the popu-
lat;on. but in recent years they have
grown out of all proportion to this in
crease. The American people do not be-
grudge liberal expenditures for the educa-
ton of the rising generation. but they do
ask that the money for which they are
taxed shall be cOnscientiously and skill
fully spent for the purpose intended.