Evening journal., 1915-06-07

An interesting situation in regard
to the public school system in VIII
mington is revealed by the follow
ina discoveries: Only six of the thir-
" elementary school buildings have
been erected in the past twenty-five
years Nine or almost a third are
more than forty-fve years old twelve
more are over twenty-five years old.
The dates for three schools we're not
available The oldest school proved
TO be No 4, built IN 1852 Repairs and
additions TO these buildings have not
corrected the defects Of construction
belonging to the epoch in which they
we're built: and even the last built
schools have remained faithful to his
toric traditions in many respects.
II is a far cry from the architec-
ture of the hfties to the scientific ef-
6ciency of modern building construc-
ton both in industrial and educa-
tional fields
Il is almost impossible to over-esti-
mate the effect OF building construc-
ton upon the individual whose days
are spent within its walls. Industry and
science, aiming at the greatest efti-
cheney of the worker, have produced
the glass and steel factory, perfect as
to lighting and ventilation and have
included rest rooms and recreation
fields among the necessary equipment.
Industry without science, and inciden-
tally without heart, still furnishes
examples of building construction det-
rimental TO the health and even the
lives of the workers.
In school buildings. the extremes
ere almost as great, when one COM
rares the unsanitary and ill-con-
structed buildings still in use In
some places with the model schools in
progressive cities.
Poor light. close air, and unsani-
tary surroundings are multiplied in
their effect upon children II Is for
this reason that conditions in our
public schools should weigh heavily
upon the public conscience.
Lighting.
In one OF our elementary schools
where high buildings shut out the
sky line. children were found work
ing IN rooms lighted bysf -four or six
electric bulbs. In one Of the rooms
a. the day Of a visit only three OF
The six lights we're In order. II one
wanted to paint a melodramatic pic
ture II would not ,he dificult TO COM
pare the children doing sums by in
SUFFICIENT candle power in this school
70 the babes" in New York tene-
ments making artificial flowers by
the light Of the actual candle.
The United States Bureau OF Edu-
cation standardizes the amount OF
light in school rooms as twenty 10
y twenty per cent window space 20
floor area. Compared to this only
twenty-eight per cent. Of the rooms in
the thirty elementary schools In VIII
nincton have the standard amount OF
light In the placing Of the windows,
as we'll as in the amount of light,
the rooms fall short Of the standard.
The light should come from one side
only. falling over the left shoulder.
IN the large majority of the rooms In
our schools. II comes from two ad-
jacent sides and In thirty-eight cases
falls over the right shoulder of the
pupil, casting a shadow on his paper.
In several cases this has been reme-
died by the care and foresight OF the
principal or teacher who has had the
position of the desks changed so that
the light would come from the left
Every study of schoolhouse con-
struction brings out the injurious ef-
fects Of cross lights and of light from
three sides: yet In going through oui
elementary schools you find forty-ninC
rooms or nineteen per cent. with win
dove on three sides and 25 rooms ol
10 per cent with cross lights II II