The Cordova daily times., 1922-05-11
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SHOWS
 INTEREST IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Cordova Chamber of Commerce. is cooperating with the Civic Develop ment Department of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States ir a nationwide survey which will answer the question: Are our school build ings helping or hindering the effort to give our children the best possible start in life?"
 The National Chamber recently sent to hundreds of local chambers pam phlet called, ""The Schools of Your City, Building and Equipment" and tabulation sheet for the use of those who examined the school plants. This pamphlet is being used as e guide by members of chambers of commerce ill learning the facts as to the schools in which the children of their cOmmun- ity receive the training designed to make them more effective workers md citizens. It demonstrates what stand ards may be taken as typically Amori- can by presenting the best thought of experts.
 The pamphlet asks some questiors which every parent and taxpayer should find of vital interest. Nearly every American city has some school buildings of which it is proud, but the question is, are there any schools in your city which you should be ashamed? Were the school sites in your city chosen for the convenience and safety of the children and with an eye to the probable future of popu- lation or with piece of cheap land or the desire to make the school build ing a show" place the deciding fac tor? Were walking distances, rail- road crossings, main thoroughfares, uses of adjacent poperty, given pro- per consideration in locating the school? Do we compel our children to attend school in buildings where i'm proper lighting ruins the eyes, wrong seating twists the backs and poor san itation promotes disease? Are the children herded in fire traps? Are they crowded into the streets for their playtimes?
 The Chambers of Commerce of some sixty cities, including Cordova, have already sent in their findings as to their school buildings. These cities cover 27 states and range in popula- tion from 1000 to 315,O00. The total number of school buildings examined is over 700. Some of these buildings have been in use since 1S40 others have just been completed. In many of the cities, there are numerous school buildings to which the citizens may point with pride because of the fine arrangement of rooms, lighting ventilation, heating, water supply and
 
 are some schools in which the children are not getting a fair chance. For instance, in twenty-three of the schools examined all the rooms have insuffi cient light and in addition there are 442 rooms in various schools where the lighting is poor. In 46 of these rooms the children must face the light. The ventilation of 156 schools is reported unsatisfactory The heater rooms in more than half of the schools are not 1 fire proof The heater is located under the stairway in 65 schools. In 35 schools the doors do not swing out Three hundred and thirty-two schools do not have stairways inclosed in fire resistive material. Scores of toilets are reported to be without adequate ventilation and light. It does no good to the child who attends school with poor light and ventilation and made quate play space to know that more
 
 the city have proper equipment. The adequacy of the schools in a commun ity is judged in the survey not by the one fine building but by the average of all.
 With the season of new building anc repairs coming on, the statement made at the close of the pamphlet, "The Schools of Your City," is most timely "the time to correct faults in the school plant in your city Is. now! The destructive fire, the deadly epidemic may not wait upon the convenience of those who are responsible for the welfare of the children. Injured eye sipht twisted backs CramDed lungs