Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-29
WILLIAM ROWEN
On the Schoolhouse Problem

A SCHOOLHOUSE within easy distance
\ of every child. with a seat there for
every one and no child compelled to attend
school on a part-t time basis. is the goal of
William Rowen, president of the Board of
Education.
This can best be accomplished asserts
Mr.. Rowen, by building smaller school
buildings and more of them. As it Is. he
says, most of the schoolhouses being built
are of the forty two division (cassroom)
type. whereas he holds that twenty-two-
division building would serve the purpose.
solve the urgent problem Of overcrowding
and avoid a number of objections to be found
to the larger type Of building.
THE smaller type of building says Mr..
Rowen, 'costs about one half rs much as
the larger one. This means that you could
build virtually twice as many buildings
with money available as you can If the
larger type is chosen
'The central sections of the city are
comparatively well provided for, but with
the outlying and suburban sections, such as
Germantown. Logan, kensington, Frank
situation is n little different. In these sec
tions they are crying for schools, and there
is no question that their cries are justified.
"Children in these sections now have to
walk ten TO fifteen squares to school. This
means lot to the little one. and when you
cOnSlucT tNpOSuTt III Duu NtulItI anu
of accidents from automobiles and trolley
cars, this matter becomes one of great i'm
portance. There Is also the question Of
expense where those Of little means are con-
cerned, as the items of carfare and lunch
amount to something, particularly il there
are several children In the family.
These communities are now doing with
insufficient room and many of the school
buildings are not fit for occupancy. They
also form large part of the part time
sufferers Since these outlying communities
nav their full share of the school tax. it
seems to me that they are equally entitled
with other sections to have their needs
supplied.
but there are other factors to consider.
In these days of changes and developments
and improvements, the population drifts
from one part of the city to another. In
some sections of the city. for instance, we
have badly overcrowded conditions, while
others have been greatly depleted by an
exodus to other sections and the school
buildings are only partly filed. A large
schOOlhOuSe in q waning section is more or
less of n liability. while the smaller build
ing is not only. lesser one, but can nearly
always be utilized.
I'm case of a fire or some similar disaster
the loss is n more serious one with the
larger type of schoohouse than it would
be with n building only about half the size
"Lcaving the question of economy for the
moment, the smaller school is more prac-
teal in the handling of classes. In the
present forty two division or larger schools
1t is virtually a physical impossbility for
the principal to really supervise. He or
she should be able to get around from class
to class to see what is being done and to get
in intimate contact not only with the teach
crs, but with the pupils themselves This is
out of the question in the larger schools,
while in the smaller ones it could be done.
''The small school principle holds good not
only in the elementary school, but in the
| higher schools as WELL A few years ago.
| when we had the high schools only in the
center of the city, ! know from personal OBJ.
| servaton that a great many people did not
| send their children beyond the elementary
| grades because they could not afford the
| costs involved in carfare, lunches. loss of
! time and other details.
since the district high schools have been
! bnit the high school population has almost
| doubled. Even considering other factors
| does this not indicate something? Wuld
| not the further application of this principle
| still further tend to expand the high school
I'VE need more higher schools. Ger
mantown and West Philadelphia are crowded
/ TO the limit of their capacity. While the
! Junior high schools to be built will take
| some Of the strain away. both these sections
need at least another school. ! favor here
building schools that viii house about 1000
| students instead Of the 1900 they now ac-
! commodate As with the elementary schools,