Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-30
CONSIDER THE CHILDREN

CrrERlNTENDENT BECOME IL. fortu
~ nately. able to look at the schools of
the city with a judgment undullcd by long
familiarity with prevailing conditions and
with purpose unbluntet by long contact
with the difficulties in the way Of betterment.
II he had not come afresh to the task he
would not have had the courage to recon-
mend building program involving the OK.
penditure Of $50. .S37 900. This sum IS
needed. he says. not to provide for the
future demands. hu. to replace the build
!n:" th arc unfit for school purposes and
10 buitd new srhoo!houses 20 accommodate
tho present school population.
This newspaper has begup today the
publication OF n series OF articles intended
to call to public attention the present con.
dit!on Of the school plant. The first article
is devoted TO an outline Of DR.. Broome's
recommendations. Succeeding articles will
show in what sort Of buildings the children
ar" compelled TO spend their days.
There are ninety. six buildings built fifty
years o. more ego. Some Of thcni arc NOR"
than 100 years old. rkcy worc butt nt
t.r!r when l'tr'c attention was paid ~
proper lighting and when sanitary arrange.
MrntH were III" most primitive. They have
been patched up IN one way or another. but
IL is dsgraceful that in a city of the size
md wealth Of Philadelphia It should be
considered necessary to use them.
There are classrocms SO dark that art,-
hc,a, !gh. has TO Re provided in order that
the children may see the!s textbooks.
There are stairways 30 narrow that
man OF ordinary size rubs his shoulders on
III. wall IN ascending them.
In some cases the exits TO the street are
80 cramped that IN the case Of a Are-and
the buildings are not fre-proof-the chill.
dren would be In danger Of falling and pil!ns
M IN a heap az the foot Of tho stairs IN
their haste to get OUT.
In others the toilet room i the only place
provided for the teachers 70 rest or TO cat
their lunches.
In still Others the overcrowdins ia SO
great TINT two children are compelled 10
occupy scat intended for one.
And the plant is so inadequate :hat nearly
so 600 children who ought to be IN school
all day can be accommodated only IN part.
time classes.
As a beginning az tpttermcrt DR.. Brnome
has suggested thar $l5OOo.0OO be spent
during the next two years on new build
;ncS and enlargement Of old ones.
T'"rc i imperativ" need for TWO new
senior ich school buildings. for eighteen
;,n!or high schools, for twelve now elcmen-
tary schools and for remodcins and I'm
rrov!rg I13 old buildings.
II this plan is carried out adequate school
accommodations will be provided for the
children in the older parts Of th" city as
we'll - for those in the districts farther
away from The center o. the town which
have been developed witain went -ii""
Years. There wi, remain, ~ coarse. ~"
Necessity oi providing ;or the increased
school population which accompanies The
general increase IN population Of he city,
II !l.iterary is % be reduced. If we are to
h&vo Il population % voters capab." Of torr"-
iyc an Intelligent ini.ln"ll on public Uues-
tons AID becoming valUabi" citizens n a
,olro, ra,y, her. must he the Utmost gem
orosi'- in rrov!din: money 70 bring the
school r,ant up ~ dN.c.