The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-27

 Eany playground at all. N- F -z----=----==-- I Detailed Report of the Physical Con- l ], dition of School Buildings By Dr. F. B. Dresslar, U. s. Bureau of Education. January, 1923. Physical Condition of Elementary | Schools
 Although the majority of the ele- mentary schools cannot be considered old buildings they. are poorly construct ed, insanitary, pborly lighted, and ventilated, and lack practically all fa- cilities necessary to modern education. In fact. the situation Is so pressing program can give to Birmingham the kind of school accommodations con- sidered essential in the education of children today.
 Of the 32 white elementary schools, are not suitable for further service. | These are:- 7
 Barrett, Bush. East Thomas, Gibson, Kennedy, Moore and Thomas.
 The remaining schools may be used if thorough-going plans for alteration. improvement or expansion are devel- oped. They are as follpws:
 Acipco. Alley, Ayondaie, Baker. Bar ton, Fairview, Gate City. Graymont, Hemphill, Henley, Lakeyiew, Martin, Minor, North Birmingham, Powell, Pratt, Robinson, Seventeenth Avenue, s. Highlands. Ullman, Woodlawn and Wylam.
 The particular defects of the schools recommended for abandonment and of those recommended for rehabilitation and expansion are enumerated in the detailed report on individual schools which follows.
 Elementary Schools Recommended for Replacement
 | rCha 6,,t1 ing Is a fire hazard. It is also insani- tary, over-crowded. poorly lighted and ventilated. The toilets are dark and insanitary. The stairs are inflamma- ble and the dry floor joists are exposed over the furnace. There are only 26 square feet per child of unoccupied ground space.
 ?. Bush School-The whole building reveals decrepitude and decay and should be abandoned at the earliest rooms are very dark and the other half are improperly lighted. The build ing is unsafe, the walls badly discol- ored, and the black-boards in very poor condition. There are only 1e square feet per pupil of unoccupied
 3. East Thomas schobl-yrhis Is a small primary school of Night frame type of construction, and unfit for
 4 Gibson schooI-This is one of the oldest buildings, miserably planned and unsatisfactory. It is incapable of ex- pansion but may be replaced gradu- ally by the use of detached annexes. If this Is done, however, more site area Is essential. If possible all the tenn porary buildings should be eliminated
 5. Kennedy school-This building is of the old type, bilaterally lighted and incapable of expansion. It has narrow toAA hnlI ,tzfI oil cts. The temporary class rooms are so close to the other building that fnsuf- ficient light Is permitted to enter, and are therefore, entirely too dark. In fact, the whole environment is injuri- ous to the health of the children. The playground space yields but 72 square feet per pupil o5-.. ap '.e
 6. Moore School-An old frame build ing heated by stoves, houses the first five grades at this center. The class rooms are lighted from two or three sides and the toilets are in a damp insanitary basement. Overflow enroll ment is cared for in an old residence with the partitions removed. This tenn porary building is fully as unfit as the main building.
 2. Thomas School-This school is but a small two-room house for the pri- mary grades. There is not sufficient demand for a school at this location. Elementary Schools Recommended for I
 1. Acipco School-The Acipco school is a small but good building. It is of fire-resistive type of construction, is safe, well-lighted and ventilated. The school includes at present, class rooms, an auditorium and ample play ground space.
 2. Alley School-This is a four-room building with only one room used for a class of first and second grade pu- pills. The estimated increase in popu- Tn ct Rf tndt l. cates that larger school building will be necessary in the future.
 8. Avondale School-The Avondale is one of the recent elementary schools for Birmingham. It is of fire.resistive construction, contans 1T <, well-lighted and ventilated class rooms, two ample home economics rooms, a general shop, and a library. Provision has also been made for a small auditorium by a temporary partition between two class yields 442 square feet per pupil.
 4. Baker School-The Baker building Is small but fairly well constructed. The building was planned for expan- sion. so additional rooms may be add ed at a minimum cost. There is plenty of playground space At this building, viz., 336 square feet per pupil. 5. Barker Schooi-The Barker School is an- old-fashioned type of building, containing 16 regular class rooms of
 
 monies room, a shop and an auditori- um used also as lunch room. It is over-crowded and includes only 50 square feet per pupil playground space.
 6. Central Park-This school is one of the more recent buildings. The re- cent addition is of fire-resistive con- struction and contains four good class rooms and two ground floor rooms. The original building is of non-fire- resistive construction and contains four class rooms. The chief criticism Is the lack of indoor health quarters, an auditorium and special rooms for shops, home economies, drawing, ma ture study, music and library work. The playground area is ample for the present enrolment, yielding 4OS square feet per pupil.
 2. Cunningham School-owing to the improper orientation of the Cunning ham building. the lighting Is unsatis- factory. The main building includes IS regular class rooms, an undersized domestic science room and a shop. A combination auditorium-luneh room is also provided. The school Is over