Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-15
"HALF EDUCATION"
FOR $4,000 PUPILS
IN CITY SCHOOLS
While Boys and Girls in
Some Sections Are on Short
Time, Institutions in Other
Places Are Empty.

While 1900 boys and girls are re-
ceivng half" education because of in
| sufficient accommodations in some pub
lie school, other schoolhouses are unoc-
| cupied and classrooms in various sec
tions of the city are out of use.
This remarkable condition was re-
| vealed by the last monthly report on at
tendance presented to the Board of Ed
ucation by Or. William c. Jacobs, Acting
Superintendent of Schools, and by other
records at the educational headquarters.
While the Property Committee is attempt
Ing to sell old buildings because there
are no children to fill them" it is also
planning the erection of new structures
to house youngsters who can not find
seat in the public schools"
About $500 pupils go to school each
morning at o'clock and study until
noon, then they are dismissed in quick
order so that an equal number can oc-
cupy their places in the afternoon. In
consequence, each of the II 900 little ones
studies half as much geography as he
would under ordinary conditions, has half
as much time to solve arithmetical prob
lens and sings two verses of four-yerse
songs.
PHILADELPHIA ALWAYS MOVING"
All OF this is due. according TO ]. Hor-
ace Cook. Superintendent of Buildings for
the Board OF Education, to the fact that
philadelphia Is always moving" THE
Board OF Education has been trying for
years to solve this problem" Mr.. Cook
said today. 1T is satisfied that II has
taken every possible step toward relieving
conditions.
But neighborhoods come into existence
before we can erect new schools. And
then when We erect them and have ap-
parenty solved the problem the neigh
borhood changes from a residential to a
manufacturing locality and the children
move away.
1T would be absolutely impossible to
adjust the school system TO the constant
changes of the city's child population In
some neighbOrhoOds We have children and
no schools. In others there are schools
and no children. A few years after we
have built schools where there are chill
dren, factories take the place OF houses
and parents and children move TO another
part OF the city.
ION the north side of Wood street be-
low 18th Is school property whose value
Is estimated at $4,000 1t was once the
Robert VauX School for Negro Children,
and, although II was abandoned about
ten years ago, II is still in an excellent
condition. There are no children of any
color In that locality, and the building
serves, II is said, TO accommodate tramps
who on winter nights succeed in escaping
police vigilance Unfortunately. we can't
move that school TO Southeastern Phila-
delphia
PLAN TO RELIEVE CONDITIONS.
"The Board Of Education is now occu-
pied IN an attempt 10 increase the facili-
ties Of the school system. so that the
number Of half-time children can be re-
duced TO a minimum. Draughtsmen are
drawing plans, and experts are at work
determining where the buildings are most
needed"
An illustration OF the conditions which
Mr.. Cook described is found in the neigh
borhood of 47th and Locust streets. At
47th and Walnut streets Is the West
Philadelphia High School. erected two
years ago at a cost of 81 10000.
While boys and girls are attending
school in that building land II Is slightly
overcTowdedD their younger brothers and
sisters are attending the elementary
schools In that neighborhood on half
time" To relieve conditions there, the
Henry C. Lea school Is being erected.
Several Classrooms will be ready for oc-
cupancy within a week ana when COM
pleted this school will accommodate 400
children.
Wings are 10 be added 10 the Rhoads
School at 18th and Parrish streets and TO
the Bridesburg School. The Horace How
ard Furness School. at ID and Mifnin
streets. built about a year ago, Is over
crowded. II ls one Of tbs lsFgest elepasa-
A. -