Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-04-14
MANY SCHOOLS
SERIOUS MENACE
Tens Of Thousands Of Children in
United States Are Reported
Housed in Firetraps.
REPORTS FROM 429 CITIES
46s,o00 Pupils. Either on Half-Time
Study or In Unsuited Quarters
Survey Conducted by Chamber
Of Commerce Committee.

new IOTk.-leHS VI lHUuSuiiuS Vi
school children housed in firetraps and
hundreds of thousands Of them either
on half time or in makeshift buildings
is the condition in 429 cities of the
United States, as disclosed in report
made public here.
The report was issued by the na.
tional committee for chamber Of com
MERGE cooperation with the public
schools on a survey conducted by the
American city bureau.
The committee was organized In
February, 1920, to inquire into school
conditions. Its executive committee
is headed by George d. Strayer OF
Teachers college, Columbia university,
New York.
The evidence presented "shOws
clearly that there are tens OF thou
sands of children now housed In old,
unsanitary, dangerous buildings says
Mr. Strayer In his introduction to the
report. MANY Of these structures are
best classified as firetraps.'
Data From 42e Cities.
Data was received from 429 cities.
The report says: These facts, OBJ
tanned 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,WO
children who are either on half time
because of lack Of building space OF
are housed In pOrtables, rented build
ings, attics, easements or corridors.
1t would require an average of two
3O-room buildings in each of these cit
les to properly house these groups Of
children alone"
The report sets forth statistically
the inadeQuacy Of playground space.
at 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
Sir. Strayer in the introduction.
''T'hree million six hundred thousand
children are represented in this report
on Fairgrounds" it Is stated, land the
study disclOSeS that One-half of them
Il $4,000 children-have each play
ground less than six by six feet per
pupil and many Of them have no play
ground at all.
These facts of limited playground
space says the report, present one
of the serious problems confronting
those who are interested in the well
fare Of American school children.
Whatever the cost, adequate play
ground space should be provided for
those, school buildings already erect
timent must become so strong that it
will be considered breach of trust
for school authorities to erect school
building on site that will not afford
adequate playground space for all the
pupils housed in the building"
Few Fireproof Buildings.
On the subject Of fire hazard in
schools the report states: only five
per cent of the total number of build
ings are OF the types constructed usu-
ally called freproOf. Only small
number have freproof elements ito
lessen the fire hazard to the children.
At least 25 per cent of the two poor
est types Of buildings are of two or
more Stories and do not have a fire
escape. Thirty-nine per cent of these
two types are without fire extinguish-
ers and less than ten per cent Of them
have automatic sprinkler equipment In
any part OF the buildings. Only II per
cent have automatic fire alarms. Such
facts as these demonstrate the exist
ence Of real menace to the children
Of these cities" One-half of pres
ent day schools were built prior to
1897.
The report directs attention to 1.-THE
large number of children between the
ages Of thirteen and sixteen years who
leave the public schools" and adds:
"rhere probably Is no more serious
problem or one more difficult to solve
now facing the people Of this coun-
try"
According to the reports from 900
cities 9 per cent of the children have
left school before their thirteenth
year, 10 per cent before fourteen, 80
per cent before fifteen, and Ga per cent
before they are sixteen years old.
''In the geographical groups. the
report continues, "the highest per
cent Of these children remain In the
western cities. Next In order are the
great plains cities, then the southern,
the great lakes, and the lowest of all
are the eastern cities. In this. last
group only 20 per cent Of the children
sixteen years Of age, and So per cent
Of those from fourteen to sixteen
years, inclusive, are in school,"