The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-27
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(Continued from First Local Page) its immediate needs for many years. The creation of Greater Birmingham in 1910 brought into the school system large additional school population and A number of poorly constructed and temporary school buildings. Enroll ements have been rapidly accumulat1ng and present buildings rapidly deterior- ating, consequently the immediate half of the buildings recommended for the ultimate or 1940 program are need cd at the present time.
 With an existing congestion of 15,692 children or about AZ per cent of the enrolment and with an annual increase in this congestion of nearly one-fffth, the Board is firmly convinced that i'm mediate relief is demanded. It Is for the people to determine to what extent and how soon this congestion can be re- lieved and our schools made safe, sani- 2 tary and educationally efficient. af Respectfully submitted,
 t-9 ERSKINE RAMSAY, President. R. E. CHADWICK, Vice President, i. R. R. MOORE,
 F. D. MARTHUR,
 'fH MRS. A. w. BELL,
 O. Board of Education.
 New Type of Public School Plant The evolution of public education has called for a new type of school plant. sThe mediocre, ufiinviting class room structure of a generation ago was suf- ficient for the limited demands on the public school of yesterday before the standardization of industry, the develop ment of big business, and the growth of urban centers. But changed indus trial, economic, social and domestic conditions have occasioned a change in educational objectives and these. in turn, have called for new type of public school.
 The outstanding present-day cfuca- tional objective Is health. Educational and psychical research has evealed the importance of physical vigor in the learning process. Obviously, individual and community health activities can not be developed in class rooms. Gym flasiums and playgrounds are required Tor both elementary and secondary schools, and auditoriums are necessary for a comprehensive presentation Of health subjects. By means of motion pictures, demonstrations and illustrated discussions, health instruction on many other subjects can be given in the au- ditorium to greater advantage than in class rooms.
 The regular subjects of reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geography and history require class rooms as for merly. But even class rooms today have undergone change. They are better lighted, better ventilated, more
 
 in color schemes and arrangement making them much better places for work and study.
 Citizenship, worthy use of leisure and manual skill constitute additional ob- Jectives in modern education. There fore, music and drawing rooms, libra ries, workshops and laboratories, in ad dition to auditoriums, gymnasiums and class rooms are required in order to bring present-day objectives to realiza- tion. Furthermore, school buildings have become models in lighting, ven tilation, sanitation and safety. They also compare favorably with the mo- blest architectural assets of the com munity and are now ranked not only as the most useful but as the most at tractive public agencies.
 Industrial and business enterprises are constantly increasing the emphasis on safety and comfort of their em- ployes. Employers realize now that be- fore people can work to the best ad- vantage, before they can really be eff cient, they must be in fit condition to work. Hence, large investments are made to insure the safety, health and Welfare of employees.
 Children cannot be educated unless tAey are in a fit condition to learn. As loAg as cities were small, so that there WerN large open spaces for play and as lops as the home coulu assume the Varie6 responsibilities of health, thrift and character building, children were usually in fit condition. But with con gestfon in cities, came the shrinkage or home activities, and an enlargement or [ he scope of the public school. To- oay 1t is the school that must get and