The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-30

would be inconsistent with the present congestion of more than 15,O0O chil- dren," says the survey report.
 Present high school units, even after being expanded to the limit, cannot ade- auately house the 1880 estimated high school population, much less the 194O population, the report sets out.
 One high school center cannot care for future high school students in the western section of the city, it is set forth.
 Completion of the John Herbert Phillips and Woodlawn high schools, expansion of the Ensley plant to its capacity, and erection of the first unit of a new high school ir West End, will provide the necessary accommodations for high school students up to but not including 1880, says the report.
 On account of the rapid growth in the western part of the city, the for nation of three new elementary white school districts and one negro district is recommended. A new white ele- mentary school district for the eastern section and new high school districts in the southwestern or West End sec tion and in South Highlands, also are recommended.
 Present NoodS
 Pointing out how the present needs should be cared for, the report says comprehensive plans for the 1850 school population should be developed now and executed in the order of greatest need and is rapidly as finances will permit. This policy, it is declared, will end eisting congestion and consti- tute a solution of both present and fu- ture building problems.
 Using data compiled by the tele- phone company in a commercial sur vey, the survey shows that in 1920 there were 4.24 persons to the average Birmingham family and that by 1910 this may be decreased to 4.21.
 Ratio Estimates
 The following ratios are used in estimates of the number of children for whom schools should be provided:
 Per. of total population
 White Negro Elementary grades ...20.4 22.4 Secondary grades ... 4.3 l.3
 "Birmingham," the report contin- ues, lis not meeting the housing and educational needs of it's children on the rolls at present. Portables, base ment rooms, churches and stores are being used. Many buildings are un- safe, poorly planned and constructed, inadequately and improperly lighted and ventilated, unattractive in appear ance and lacking in modern require ments.
 ''The lack of even the minimum amount of playground space at most of the schools is situation which the city cannot longer safely ignore. Worst of all, the unsatisfactory class rooms and temporary rooms are oyer-crowded and 15,692 children are not provided with satisfactory housing accommoda- tions. Tt seems absurd, in the face of these unsatisfactory physical condi- tions in most of the schools and the serious congestion, to estimate the fu- ture number of children that Birming- ham should begin to plan for now. Yet, such method is the only sane, con- sistent and economical one in evolv- ing comprehensive solution of the city's school building problems"
 Rapid Growth
 Birmingham, it is shown. has grown much more rapidly than the state of Alabama both in white and colored population. The city's average decade increase since 1890 is 109 per cent, as against 15.S per cent for the rest of the state. These figures tell well the story of Birminghams school build- ing problem.
 Facts concerning Birmingham abil- ity to establish an adequate and mod ern school system will be presented in forthcoming chapters of the survey. Two more chapters are being com piled, and these will detail many il- luminating facts about the city's bond ed indebtedness, its tax rates, its tax able values and the like.
 Up To Citizens
 Future chapters also will show. in round figures, the amount needed to accomplish the desired ends. After that, the board of education will leave the issue up to the people. They must decide how to relieve the conditions described and make the schools "safe, sanitary and educationally efficient"
 A great city-wide campaign for bond issue large enough to remedy the situation disclosed in the survey report will be launched by various civic or ganizations after all it's chapters are placed before the public.
 Additional significant excerpts from Chapter are herewith presented:
 The exercise of foresight in the selection of future school centers and adequate sites, and in expansions of the present plants is the only policy that will enable Birmingham to stead- lily meet the growing housing demands and the increasing educational require ment. The development of plans i'm mediately, for the greater school sys- tenn of Birmingham and the gradual execution of such plans periodically over a period of years is the only scientific and possible solution to the rapidly growing school needs.
 The school population of the south western and northwestern sections will more than double by 1940. The east ern section will also practically doube. its population. The north and south central divisions exhibit normal growth.
 All the enumeration districts of the eastern section show increases but the rate of growth Is far more rapid ins some districts than in others. In four districts there is a quadrupling of the 1920 population. Six almost treble their number and four prac- tically double their 1920 population.
 The children in the enumeration dis tricts of the eastern section are served st present by the Avondale, Barrett Cunningham, Gate City, Gibson, Ken nedy, Robinson and Woodlawn ele- mal capacity of the present schools is 3,75S pupils. The 1940 estimated school population for these districts is 9,515 children, and the 1880 estimate is 6,935 children.
 Need Replacement
 The Barrett, Gibson and Kennedy schools are recommended for replace ment. Their combined normal ca pacity is 1,120 There are actually then, normal school accommodations for only 2,63S children, necessitating new building provisions for 4,297 chil- hran hu 1Q20 and R 2Q7 nhiIdran hu