New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-30
Netv School Building Plan
VIII Be Taken Up To-day

FUNDS which the Board of Estimate pro-
poses to allow?
IN the report of President Somers
or the Board of Education on October
~. i9lS. to the Board of Estimate it
~ stated that S116S.422 expended i'm
me, ON projects For which the
qua appropriations were allowed (sites
having been already procured). would
ssurh'sh 2o,a21 sittings. Accepting that
inquire for the cost of sittings we can
easily determine how many sittings a
gwen sum will buy.
The Cost of Sites
Now the proposed immediate appro-
priation of $l0.00O000 is to consist
Of SS.25o,000 for buildings and $780,
WV tor sites. Sites are acquired with
PAINFUL slowncss. and money allotted
Tor sites this month will make ready
for buildings to be erected in 1920. OF
tho $S,250,o00 for buildings 1890, 900
must be devoted to completing the Cur
tbs, Newtown and Bryant High schools
and S2oS,000 Tor equipment for ele-
mentary schools and for the Evander
Cnllds High School now, after many
years OF waiting, approaching compile
tlon. Other large sums for costs Of
craftsmen, rent of leased buildings
for temporary accommodation of the
! chlldren and for Improvement of play
grounds will leave. net, for new struct-
ureS to relieve part time not more
than 100000.
II the work OF the Buildings Bureau
be facilitated in every way contracts
to thot amount can be let within six
! months The new schools will then be
ready, with good luck, by September,
192o-not before. They will furnish.
at the most, 21,5O0 sittings. But by
that date $4,000 at least will be need
ed. Therefore. there will remain q
shortage of $500 and double that
number Of children, or $1,000 will con-
tinue on part time or double session, a
that penalty. No very spectacular
progress,
Slow Rate of Reduction
For expenditure in 1920 another ST.
5000 IS to be furnished, out of
which, II the proportions remain the
same CAS- is likely). the amounts neccs-
sary for sites for the Julia Richmsn
High School, for two vocational schools
and other unacceptable expenditures will
leave but $4,500000 for elementary
school structures. With that sum 16.-
125 Sittings can be provided, which. if
contracts are let early in 1920 and the
luck, remains good, will be ready for
the kiddies in September, 1921. But by
that time $500 new sittings will be
needed. SO there will be a deficiency of
37,975 sittings, and 74,750 will remain
doomed to part time and double SEES
sion. Then the term of the city ad-
mlnistration will eXpire-not in blaze
Of school glory.
BY completing the programme Of APP
preparations in their last year and
starting buildings which will be ready
by great good luck in 1922. the num-
Der on part time and double session
in September OF that year may be re-
duced to $4,000.
1t is plain that much more liberal
and rapid appropriations must he made
in order to get within sight OF giving
every child a reserved seat before the
end of 1921. To reach that difficult
goal sites must be purchased and con-
tracts must be let before June. 1920,
| for elementary school buildings to the
staggering amount Of $25,000,000 In
addition, the appropriations planned
for high schools, vocational schools,
new cottages at the Flushing parental
school, a teachers training school, and
further miscellaneous purposes in 1919
and 1920 would amount to over $1,000
600, making total necessary within
eighteen months of S32 100000 Such
figures may make the financial author-
ties gasp. They compelled a previous
administration to seek a solution by
putting existing school seats to fuller
use. But at no smaller price more
slowly paid can the policy of "every
child a reserved seat" be effectuated.