The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-14
CONDITIONS IN
SCHOOLS OF U. S.
Report Says Many Housed In Fire
Traps and Makeshifs Buildings

Traps and Makeshift Buildings
Tens of thousands of school chill
dren housed in fire traps and hum
dreds of thousands of them either
on haH-time or in makeshift build
mgs is the condition of 429 cities of
the United States as disclosed in a
report made public in New York.
The report as issued by the ma
tional committee for chamber of
commerce cooperation with the pub
lie schools on a survey conducted by
the American City Bureau.
The committee was organized in
February 1920, to inquire into
school conditions. Its executive COM
mittee is headed by George D..
Strayer, of Teachers College, Co.
lumbia University, New York.
The evidence presented "shows
clearly that there are tens of thou
sands of children now housed in old
insandtary, dangerous buildings"
says Mr.. Strayer in his Introduction
to the report. "Many of these struc-
lures are best classified as fire.
traps"
Data was received from 492
cities. The report says: "These facts,
obtained from rs per cent of all the
cities reporting, show that in these
cities even excluding those housed
in annexes where conditions may be
normal, there are more than 453,00O
children who are either on half-time
because of lack of building, space or
are housed in portables, rented
buildings, attics, Easements or cor
ridors. 1t would require an average
Of two 3O-room buildings in each of
these cities to properly house these
groups of children.
Need of Fairgrounds
The report sets forth statistically
the inadequacy of playground space.
1T is clear that in many cities chill
dren are now housed in buildings in
which there is less space on the play
ground than is supplied in the class
rooms in which they are taught"
says Mr.. Strayer in the introduction.
"Three million six hundred thou
sand children are represented in this
report on Fairgrounds" is stated.
'tand the study discloses that one
half of them, ,soO,o 900 children
have each a playground less, than six
by six feet per pupil and many of
them have no playground at ALL"
"These facts of limited play
ground space" says the report, pre-
sent one of the serious problems
confronting those who are interest
ed in the welfare of American
school children. Whatever the cost
adequate playground space should
be provided for those school build
ings already erected in congested
districts. Public sentiment must be-
come 50 strong that it will be con-
sidered breach of trust for school
authorities to erect a school build
ing on a site that will not afford
adequate playground space for all
the pupils housed in the building"
On the subject of fire hazard in
the report states: "Only five
per cent of the total number of
building are of types of construc-
tion, usually called fireproof. Only
Z number have freproofing ele-
ments to less the fire hazard to the
children. At least rs per cent I
Of the two poorest types of buildings
sre of two or more stories and do
not have fre-escape. Thirty nine
per cent Of these two types are with
put fire extinguishers and less than
len per cent Of them have automatic
sprinkler equipment in any part Of
de Buildings. Only II per cent have
u stounatic fire alarms. Such facts as
hese demonstrate the existence of a
,eal menace to the children of these
titles" One-half of present-day
;chools were built prior to 1897.
Children Leave Schools
The report directs attention to the
..lo. of ob;Jdrao hotuoop