Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-06

SILENT AFTER
SCHOOL VISITS
Make No Comment, but Seen|
to Be Divided ON Whether
Buildings Are Crowded.
PORTABLEs CONDEMNED

Although members of the state
board of tax commissioners were
careful not to express any official
opinion following their PERSONAL In,
yestigation yesterday into conditions
at public schools Nos. IS, 36 and So.
it was evident that their individual
opinions might be summed up as fol-
lows: \
1. That the indianapolis schools ars
badly crowded and something must
bed one to relieve this condition.
g. That great care should be taken
by the board of school commissioners
to see that for every dollar expended
on new buildings the maximum of re-
suits is obtained.
8. That the use of makeshift build
ings for school purposes should be
discouraged.
4. That perhaps the available space
in present buildings is not being
used as fully as it might be. \
Just what should be done to re1ievs
these conditions was not so easy to de-
termine apparently, and this matter WHY
be threshed out tonight at a public hear"
ing on the remonstrance Of ten members
of the Taxpayers League Of Indiana
against the approval OF the SS47 600 bond
issue proposed by the Indianapolis board
of school commissioners for the erection
0 fadditions and, with the exception OF
No. g., remodelling the old buildings at
schools Nos. 49, 80, SO and 60. Owing
to lack of time 1t was found impossible
to visit No. 49, but a trip will be made
to that school at 80 o'clock this after
noon.
The meeting tonight, which win be the
second one on the remonstrance, will
be held in the HoSse of Representatives
in the Statehouse, and indications are
that a record breaking crowd of parerts
adm children attending the four schools
in question and citizens of the neighbor-
hoods in which the schools are located
viii be present to urge upon the State
tax board the necessity Of approving
the bond issue.
BROWN THINKS
SCHOOLS ARE CROWDED.
At the conclusion OF the inspection
trip, John J. Brown, president of the
State tax board, seemed to sum up the
view of the entire board when he said
TO Bert S. Gadd, member OF the board
of school commissioners There seems
to be no doubt that your chools are
too crowded.. There should be relief,
and the whole matter resolves Itself
down to the necessity of your board
making every dollar go as far as pos
sible and in getting the utmost in an
educational way for your school chTx.
dren.''
There seemed to be a tendency on
the part of some members of the State
tax board to believe that perhaps tbs
utmost use was not now being made OF
available building space, and that per-
haps indianapolis is not getting as much
for its money in school buildings as 1t
should.
This last ndea was advanced very
frankly by Philip Zoercher, a board
member, to L. a. Snider. building adj
wiser of the board of school commission
ers and member of the firm of Snider y
ROtz, engineers for the school board Mr..
Snider answered that he believed MI.
Zoercher would change his mind If he
had full detailed figures and other data
at his disposal.
The use of makeshift buildings for
schOolrooms was condemned unreservedly
by VIII Hough Of the tax board. Mr..
Hough first came into contact with build
ings of this character at school No. 16,
Bloomington and Market streets, where
four story old residences are being
used for cIassrooms in addition TO the
regular buildings.
Il think these children should be puts
into the rooms in the regular building
by adding a number Of pupils to each
ROOM" he said. Il realize this would be
a violation. perhaps, of the State rules
regarding the number Of pupils permit
ted in a certain space, and it might, make
necessary breaking up of some classes.
This, of course, is an administrative
question, but I think anything should be
done to get the children cut Of these
old houses. Psychologically, the effect
on a child in attending school in build
fni of this character is bad. It de-
presses the child and may seriously at
feet his entire school life"
At No. SO, Capitol avenue and Twenty
Eighth street, the board was interested
particularly in the much discussed third
floor of the main building that has been
seriously objected to by residents Of the
neighborhood Two old dwellings, now
used as temporary classrooms, also came
in for some discussion. Apparently the
State officials did not regard conditions
at No So as alarming as had been
painted to them at the first hearing last
Thursday.
SEEK BUILDING;
GET FIRE ESCAPE.
As the visitors were leaving the build
ing, Joseph G. Hayes, who has been ac-
tive for years in efforts to better condi-
tions mt No. SO said, for fourteen years
we have been fighting for new building
and all we have ever got are some fire
escapes. I suppose this fall win find US
still fighting"
Last on the list came No. g.. Wallace
and East Tenth streets, an old four class
room, Stucco and lath building dating
back to the days when it was a township
school. The building is old, poorly con-
structeds and the engineer almost had
tears in his eyes as he told Of his
troubles in trying to heat it in cold
weather. However, one OF the visiting
party remarked that, old as it was, and
poor as it was, in general design with
its rooms provided with ample window
space. modern school architects might
learn a little something in school design 4
ing from it. -
Residents of the neighborhood say
building is so fimsy and it "shimm -
and shakes so badly in a high wind that
they sometimes are doubtful of its safety.
If the new ten classroom building
planned by the school board for this
schol is approved and built, the present
structure will be abandoned.
The members of the State board of
tax commissioners were accompanied by
H V. Wenger, engineer for the board
Others making the trip were Clarence e.
Crippin, Charles L. Barry and Bert s.
Gadd of the school board; Ralph w.
Douglass, business director; L. A. Sni-
der, building advisor and member of the
firm of Snider & Rotz, engineers; c. W.
Curtin, superintendent Of buildings and
grounds, and Frederick c. Schortemeier.
attorney for the remonstrators
Bids on the bond issue have been ad-