Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-29

The Increase In the number of puh'i'
school children this year over last will u
the largest in the history OF Philadelphia
according to Henry J. Gideon. chief Of the
Bureau Of Compulsory Education, who Ii
now working on the school census.
For some years past an overcrowded con.
dition has existed in the public schools
and the Board Of Education has been
laboring to overcome this. They had build
Ing plans worked out for this year that not
only would have taken care of the increase
but have done away with the necessity for
many students being on half time. How
ever. the board has been greatly handi.
capped by lack Of funds, and has been able
to carry out but small part Of these
plans. says Albert II. Raub, In charge OF
school organization.
In June, 1917. there were 195,035 chill
dren enrolled in the grammar schools
1908 IN the high schools and 963s in con-
tinuation schools. OF this total Of 221,77l
there were 20,252 on part time. The in
crease indicated by the school census to
date Is approximately per cent. This
means an increase In enrolment of about
5000.
New schools and schools with larger ac-
commodations that will be ready for the
present year are:
The oliver Wendell Holmes School,
rifty-ffth and Chestnut streets, the new
Junior high school; will accommodate
1880 students; thirty-one classrooms.
The Taggart School. No. 2, Fourth and
Porter streets will accommodate 1900
students: thirty-one classrooms.
The Kensington High School, Cumber.
land and Firth streets: will accommo-
tttdA 70 ttpA NJ tuht rla
rooms.
Addition to Francis Scott Key School,
Eighth and Wolf streets completed Oc-
tober 1 (; will accommodate COO students;
twelve new classrooms.
The Francis Reed School, Moore and
Sartain streets, completed October 1 4;
will accommodate $50 students: seven
teen classrooms
Addition to the Northeast High School,
Eighth street and Lehigh avenue. COM
pleted February /: will accommodate
1000 students; twenty-one new class
rooms.
The Birney School, Ninth street and
Lindley avenue. completed February 1 /:
will accommodate $50 students; fifteen
classrooms
The Fox Chase School. Rhawn and d
streets, completed February /; will ac-
commodate 400 Students six class
rooms.
These new schools and additions to old
SCHOOLS Will make room for $3.50, more
students than last year. which Is less than
the increase indicated by the census. These
new accommodations represent an outlay of
more than s2.500.000. The Board of Educa-
tion has plans for the construction of six
new school buildings that would virtually
DO away with the crowded condition. They
hope next year to be able to carry through
q building program that will correct the
present evil.
The increase last year over the previous
year in the number of children enrolled
was 02S. The average increase for the
last six years has been but OH. Owing to
the rapidity with which the smaller indus
trial towns around Philadelphia have been
growing. the Bureau of Compulsory Educa-
tion had expected a decrease in enrolment
last year. according to Chief Gideon. The
fact Of the large increase indicates that
this city and such towns as Wilmington
and Chester are growing at the expense of
the rest of the United States. he says.
The largest increase has been I'm the
number Of negro children. Last year there
were 1859. The census indicates that
there will be 20 per cent more this year, an
increase of 1920.