New-York tribune., 1922-11-25

school construction.
aWith this sole object In view recon-
| mendations will be submitted to the
Board of Education to effect such
| changes in method, personnel. etc, as
| will accelerate school construction.
Among them may be considered the fol-
| lowing points brought out by the recent
survey:
"l--The personnel of the Bureau of
CONSTRUCTION in the higher branches of
| the service must be increased and
| strengthened In order to give added mo-
| meptu 10 school planning. The selec-
| ticn of the new assistants or associates
should be made by the Superintendent
of School Buildings. Civil Service lists
will not afford the material needed for
this purpose.
"2-The Plan Department must pro-
ceed to adopt new formula fer evoly-
ing complete and final plans for new
schools. The superfiuous drafting de-
tail, the lack of sufficient authoritative
supervision, the cost of drafting, the
submission of alternate plans by con-
tractors must receive attentive remedies.
"3-The adoption Of standardized
plans that may be adapted to many new
schools viii further reduce the time of
construction. II speed is to be had the
interior of buildings at least must be
adapted to type plans for various plot
contours. Architectural individuality
may be obtained by giving the exterior
personality.
"4--In preparing standardized plans,
alf bureaus and divisions carrying On
educal lional and recreational work In
school buildings should be consulted. In
this way our new buildings will meet all
the requirements of our varied activi-
Tho otr vol ttot, lee,
for the regular school curriculum but
also for extension and special activities
will in this way bn included in type
plans.
"5-The drafting forces and allied
branches must be increased adequately
to take care of the new program.
"6-One architect cannot possibly
handle the building program. Part Of
the work must be given to architects
familiar with school construction. The
so-called farming out" of architectural
work may cost more in the way Of ar
chitects fees, but time is the main con-
sideration. Other cities throughout the
United States give work to architects
not in the regular employ of the city or
school system.
Great Cooperation Necessary
"ff the recommendation partly COM
pleted are to have efficacy 1t will be
necessary for the Board Of Superntend-
ents to give the fullest cooperation in
submitting recommendations for the
content Of school buildings. Frequent
changes, inclusions and eliminations
must be avoided. The most cordial as
sistance must be vouchsafed by the bor-
ough building departments, Beard of
Estimate, Municipal Art Commission and
the Sinking Fund Commission. The
legal changes necessary before adopting
short CUTS and new procedure must be
quickly formulated and pressed for sdop-
tion. The restriction of civil service
lists must be removed and exemption
granted where skilled artisans are
sought.
1T probably will require some time
before this forward-looking plan Of
building schools can be fully studied
and adopted. In the mean time we are
looking forward to the professional staff
to invent or adopt such measures in
school organization as will afford every
child his full day of instruction. The
ideal for which We are striving is
seat for every school child. While we
are valiantly. struggling toward that
goal let US for the sake of posterity
so adjust our present facilities to our
oSHooi PoPuiaplSH Ny 70 give e8GN Child
his opportunity for complete education.
We have no desire to cloak or disguise
the part time situation through the adop-
tion Of distorted school organizations.
Statistics prove that this was done by
former boards of education and more es-
pecially by that board which approved
the Writ plan. We are solicitous, how
ever, of the child in school and at leis-
ure, and most earnestly recommend that
such community facilities, such public edi-
fees and such available space as may be
idle in school vicinities be used to sur
round the child with educational inau-
ences for the full school day.
All Is for the City's Youth.
"The present small Board of Educa-
tion is composed of members who are
giving their time, their efforts and
their sober thought to the school chill
dren OF this great city All of the
members unstintingly and without
thought of recompense are Joined in
the enterprise of regainine for the bows
and the girls of to-day what their pre-
decessors enjoyed, viz, five hours of
instruction in seat that was theirs
for their school life. Their efforts ara
not prompted by anticipation of reward