Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-15
1905 CHILDREN
HERE HAVE NO
SCHOOLROOMS
CONTINUED From Page one.)


a very considerable number of primary
classes, whose educational interests are
not suffering greatly by half time work /;
1t includes only classes which should, to
receive proper educational attention, be
on a full-ttme basis. In forty four build
ings the number Of children crowded into
he schoolrooms is in excess of the maxi
mum number permitted by the State law.
Also in forty-six instances the school
board is using portables, old cottages,
Htc., as school buildings, present condi-
lions of location and maintenance being
b violation of the State law.
Ten classes are seated in halls and
assemblies unfit for schooIrooms, four
are housed in basement rooms and three
occupy rooms in the third story in alb
solute violation of the law. This is a
group Of 1905 children, or approximately
10 per cent of the total elementary en-
rollment who are not properly provided
with any place in any schoolroom re-
garded as such under the law.
February of 1921 will see greater over
crowding than that Of today; next Sep
TENDER worse than February, and SO on.
1t must be remembered that children
spend only certain years of their lives in
our schools; therefore proper educational
opportunities cannot be long deferred,
and any considerable period of time lost
by the child cannot be regained.
"Those facts state the conditions.
thinking only Of the legal requirements.
Educationally, conditions are worse
an enrolment IN excess Of the maximum
set for educational efficiency.
AGE LIMIT CHANGE
TO INCREASE NUMBERS.
1.-THE raising of the age limit of the
compulsory attendance law will increase
the number Of children who must attend
school. This factor must be taken into
consideration, for there is already a
well-dehned and vigorous movement
among child welfare workers, which as
serts that all children must attend school
until they have completed the eighth
grade or have reached the age Of 49, Such
an increase would add largely to the
already perplexing problem of housing
our school population.
Several years ago the demand for bet
ter schools for Indianapolis became IN
sistant In all parts OF the city. At that
time comparative study was made of
the situation in indianapolis and twenty
four other cities. This study showed
that Indianapolis had Jagged behind in
expenditures for educational facilities. A
study made at the present time would
show that since that time she has not
kept UP with other cities near her IN
rank, although the board Of school COM
missioners began preparations to carry
forward program OF catching up with
- In
construction work is in progress.
The designs for school buildings, and
the details were carefully thought out
by experts IN various lines, and efforts
were made 10 eliminate all unnecessary
ornamentation or expensive friIls.' How
ever, believing that the most economical
thing is to build well and to build so
that the structures viii stand the test
OF time. the board has endeavored never
TO sacrifice essentials. Over many Of the
features we wish to point out this board
has no control; many OF the features are
determined by the sanitary schoolhouse
law Of the State All plans for school
buildings have been approved by the
state Board Of ACCOUNTS. the State Board
or Health and the city health depart
ment. and In each instance also the
necessity for the Improvement and the
amount to be expended has been investf-
gated and approved by the State Board
Of Tax Commissioners.
There are various other buildings. be-
sides those under construction, that are
imperative II the children Of Indianapolis
are 10 be given the educational oppOrtu-
mites to which they are entitled This
board expects TO be able to 20 ahead
with those just as soon as general condi-
lions for their erection are favorable
and the board sincerely hopes this will
be soon. 1t believes the best way to
operate during the unsettled times which
are coming is for 1t to go ahead with
Its plans, get all preliminary plans pre-
Of favorable conditions when
ever those conditions develop.
EFFORT To catch
UP" WITH POPULATION
Ordinarily 1t takes several months to
prepare plans and specifications for a
modern school building. With this in
mind the board has instructed several
architects to so ahead with plans for
specific building projects. 1t feels sure
the great mass of the people Of Indian
apolls realizing the vital importance of
progress will Join with the
board in its hope that the task of catch
ing up with our population will not be
long deferred, and that soon this city
will be In a position to give that which
is right and just, full school privileges
for every Indianapolis child"
The subject Of school enumeration with
a discussion OF its relation 20 a per-
manent school census and new rec
ord system was included in a report by
Z. U. Graf, and referred
to a committee composed of Julia Il.
Tutewiler, B. S. Gadd and Superintend-
ent Graf for consideration. The report
dealt with the comparatively inefficient
former system OF enumeration and stated
that by slightly increasing the expense
the system could be made 100 per cent
better.
Because of the failure to check up,
there were innumerable Implications and
omissions in the former system, Super
intendent Graf declared. A system now
in use is n permanent census in tenta-
tive form, but has not yet been developed
so that It is OF greatest possible service,
according to the report.
In September, 1919, a checking up
showed that over 10000 children were In
the schools who had not been enrolled
in the preceding May. when the usual
yearly census was taken. "A part Of
this number is accounted for by change
in age or immigration to the city, but
by far the greater portion of them had
been missed by the old system Of taking
nm enumeration each spring without ref
erence to the old" the report states.
The report emphasizes the difficulty in
securing for n short period people trained
I'm index work and upon whom dependa-