The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-03-17
CANNOT SLASH
BUDGET AND CARE
FOR CHILDREN
(coutinued From Page One.)

will take care Of over 5000 pupils.
liz they are not allowed, we shall
have about $4,000 pupils, at this
time next year, for whom no school
provision has been made.
"Detroit's growth Is 50 rapid that
there must be $50 or 800 new
teachers, each year, to take care Of
the increased number of pupils. The
teachers payroll must thus increase
$500. 900 to $250,00O q year.
There 10 no chance for argument
on this matter, II we are to make any
serious attempt to educate the chill
dren of Detroit. They cannot be
educated without schools.
The elementary problem is the
most important and pressing. but
the high school problem Is also SER
ious. Our high school population
is increasing about 600 year. This
means that We shall need one new
high school every two years. Two
new high schools were authorized
last year. but they are not ready be-
canse Of trouble in securing sites.
I'VE must plan for two years
ahead. because OF the time 1t takes
to secure property and erect build
ings. 1t IL for this reason that so
many requests for land for sites
have been made this year. 1t Is bet
ter to buy land now than to wait
until the price advances.
"The aldermanic committee seems
inclined to cut out the appropriation
Tor . building ut Fort and Green
aves., In the Eighteenth ward. There
arc six primary schools In this dis.
trict. OF these, the Mcmillan and
Beard are overcrowded. the Bennett
will be In another year, the Higgins
has only been relieved by the aboli.
ton Of the high school grades, and
the Morley and Cary are in danger of
crowding. II we build large new
school ON the proposed site, we can
take the seventh and eighth grades
from these schools and put them in
the new building, together with
four.year high school course.
1T 10 objected that the site is in
. factory section. So are the homes
Of the people. There are 5000 chill
dren In that vicinity. who must be
provided for. II we buy this prop.
erty, we can secure 10-acre site
the only large school site In the city.
affording plenty Of space for football
games and other recreations of the
students.
IAN appropriation of 100000 has
been asked, with which to buy site
for an addition to the Cass Technical
high school. Property In that district
II increasing rapidly In price, and IL
we do not buy now. we shall have to
pay much more in q year or two.
The addition Is needed. We must
have more space for the boys, and
we need q technical school for girls,
in which they can be taught domestic
science. More room is also needed
for the continuation classes, which
instruct boys and girls from the
stores and factories. The addition
will also supply a large auditorium.
The only gathering-place Of sufIicient
size that n now afforded 10 obtained
BY shutting OF the gymnasium
classes.
1.-THE only city, outside Of New
York and Chicago, which has a. seri-
Gus . school problem AZ Detroit, 10
Los Angeles, and there they are
meeting Il sQuarely. The increase In
the school population Of Los Angeles
10 S,577 q year. The city has only
70 halliday sessions. It has 2.4S7
teachers, to our 1860. II has 179
schools. valued 1t $10,165.65 Ten
years ago, 1t had only 81. valued at
q, 500 900.
Can We afford to have the report
spread about the country that In the
grades below the NTH and sixth, the
children of Detroit can secure only
halliday education?
II do not know what the attitude
OF the common council will be, but
am. sure that the aldermen will listen
to our arguments before they take
action. We have the figures to show
them the utter need OF the city for
increased school facilities. and we are
ready to make q full explanation.
Moreover. the people In the districts
affected are on the alert, and will
doubtless manifest great interest In
seeing that their desires for better