Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-08

situated in the nhdat OF = natural
school population. IL an easy and
economic unit OF administration.
We do not need To discuss the ma
turc oe tho w9rk-study play plan OF
1t Ia sufsicicht to say that
there In nothing radical In 1t and that
II In rather n method OF administration
than an experiment In education It
self. Tho newspapers OF our city
have been very generous In explain
ing this to the general public, and 1
think there are no illusions upon the
subject. Two advantages OF build
Ing schools on the work-study- play
plan. however. should be pointed out:
First IL In economical In capital
costs, that In. we could take care OF
about one-third moro children In n
building constructed for the work.
form OF administration
than In a building OF tho traditional
type.
Second; This form OF administra-
ton lends itself most naturally 10
schools large enough to accommodate
about 1000 pupils.
Pnpii Distribution In Wilmington.
We have taken from reports FUR
nishcd by your board enough data to
plot upon n city map the number OF
children both white and coored, in
each block. from ono To Ave years
inclusive. from six To eleven inclusive
and from twelve to fourteen inclu-
slvc, thus including future pupils up
TO the end OF the ninth grade.
We have worked out the pupil pro-
portion on this basis because we felt.
and we know you feel, that it will be
In tho near future for the
city of Wilmington TO build new grad
I'd schools and also separate Junior
high schools. and we have assumed
that In the new schools that are TO
be built, tho ninth grade will remain
In the grammar school building, at
least for the next few years. This
VIII serve TO relieve the congestion
m the high school. which is already
beginning 10 be felt.
We are laying before you prints
showing tho location and area OF
ground upon which schools are now
built; also prints OF ground which may
be purchased for future school sites.
The majority OF schools should be
huilt upon entirely new locations or
upon some of the present locations
greatly enlarged. IL we should settle
ON a unit OF 1000 or $500 pupils 10 n
building taccotdins TO location) the
number of school buildings in the
city viii be considerably reduced. The
price received for the abandoned
buildings could be applied subsequent
~ To the reduction OF the indebted
ness or toward the purchase of new
sites Tor future buildings.
Playground Space.
Hardly anyone viii question the
necessity OF providing playground
Tor each OF the new schools. To
erect a large number of smaller build.
inss would require an excessive
amount OF real estate both for build
Ing sites and for Fairgrounds. The
iarser buildings can be more widely
distributed and high site costs can be
avoided I'm the majority of cases. but
Set not altogether. There Is. how
eyer. the possibility OF placing our
Nv schools close to some of the parks
and Fairgrounds already owned b,
the city. The National T1iucatior
Association OF America recommend,
an area for building and play space
combined. Of 272 square feet per pupil;
the American Fairgrounds Association
considers 13o feet OF play ground pe,
pupil as necessary. These areas prob.
ably cannot be secured in the NOR,
thickly settled portion Of a city. an,
We are not recommending them 70,
Wilmington at this time, but we thinl
II wei 10 keep I'm mind the practic.
IN some OF our cities. that 90 squar,
teet or play space per pupil is an es
sontial and 100 square feet of pla,
space per pupil is desirable require
ment In connection with each publl,
sch9oi. III this standard should b,
adopted, an area OF l00, 900 SQUARE fee
or 2.2s acres would be the minimum
area Tor play space for 1000 pupl
school. This is somewhat larger thar
the majority OF our city squares. an,
unless we can take advantage of th.
city parks. We shall have TO secure fo
building and for playground an are;
equal 10 double city square with III,
street between vacated. This ma,
seem excessive, but II is unoues.ion
ably essential to proper development
OF the children and IN addition pro
Nides ground for extension in the fu
ture II ir should be necessary.
Pupil Distance From School.
The element Of distance travele,
by the children from home to schoo
must determine the location of III
building. We believe that pupils 4,
the elementary grades should not hav
10 Walk over mile, preferably three
cutters OF a mpe; pupils in tn
junior high school grades should no
walk over one and one-half miles
preferably one mile. Assuming six
teen squares 10 mile, We have indi
Gated the possible location OF III
large schools, showing that a YER
small number OF pupils will have I
Walk more than sixteen squares. an
the larger portion Will have TO traye
considerably less than this. II II /
thought that the sixteen square dis
lance is excessive for the two q
three lower grades. II is possible I
retain or construct few small school
Tor these younger pupils at point
where the maximum length OF thei
journey will be only about eigh
squares. These small schools shoul
be comparatively inexpensive, as n
special activities are required I'm tn
hrst three grades. or course the Chi
dren within eight or possibly te
squares OF the large schools shoul