Evening star., 1925-03-25

remarkable things I have observed on
the inspection trip"
Despite the economy measures, Buff
falo is paying considerably more than
Washington for its new schools That
city is paying from 81 TO 3S cents per
cubic foot for its elementary schools
and AZ cents for its high schools. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Harris figures, Wash
ington pays between 81 and SO cents
per cubic foot for the elementary
schools. He estimates that the new
Mckinley Technical High School will
. cost 35 cents cubic foot.
Buffalo Program Ending.
While Washington is just planning
to launch its five-year SIS, 200, 900 school
development program. the committee
learned that Buffalo is nearing the
completion of a similar project
costing ST., 1000, 900. In its execution
the Buffalo school designers adhered
strictly to the 26-room type of
elementary school. All cities visited
thus far by the committee have adopt
ed the large type of elementary
building. Washington, however, has
hung on persistently to the 16-room
elementary building in the face Of
DR.. Ballou's advocacy of the larger
school.
In Buffalo, as well as the other
cities visited, all new buildings of the
elementary type have gymnasiums
and assembly halls, features which
DR.. Ballou has tried vainly to have
Congress approve for Washington's
schools. Instead of separate gyms"
for boys and girls. as found in the
schools of Rochester, Philadelphia
and Baltimore, Buffalo's schools have
one large room set aside as a gym
nasium. divided in the center with
folding doors. Thus boys and girls
can be segregated whenever desired.
These gyms" are in almost constant
use, as the New York State law re-
quires all pupils to devote four
periods week to physical training
Buffalo is the first city visited by the
committee which does not have a junior
high school. Although only about 60
miles from Rochester, the center of
junior high school development in
America, Buffalo has not converted its
system of education from the tradi-
tional S-4 to the progressive 6-3-3 plan.
School authorities are favorable to it
and have organized the sixth, seventh
and eighth grade classes on the de-
partmentalized plan, in preparation for
the change, but say that politics has
preciuded the actual conversion.
The committee also learned with sur
prise that Buffalo does not contemplate
the erection of additional technical high
schools but plans to build in their stead
trade schools where graduates of the
elementary schools may fit themselves
for vocational handicrafts. The labor
unions and employers are cooperating
with the school authorities to make
these schools a success
Unions Give Credit.
Supt. Ernest S. Heartwell told the
committee that although the unions
have their apprenticeship rules, they
have agreed to give credit in terms Of
apprenticeship to the pupils who take
the course in the trade schools. More
over, he pointed out, the unions and the
employers absorb into the industries
the embryo artisans turned out by the
trade schools.
The committee, however, did not
get excited over the trade school
idea; for Washington's industries
fade into insignificance in COMPARE
son with those of Buffalo and there
is little need for such schools. Only
two schools were inspected by the
school planners in Buffalo, a new
senior high school, the Bennett, now
under construction in a rapidly de-
veloping residential subdivision, and
an elementary school, opened two
months ago. The high school is cost
ing Buffalo S2,0o0,O0o. exclusive of
the site on which it stands. This
was donated by philanthropic
friend of the public schools.
The distinctive features observed
in the high schools were a large nat
atorium with galleries at each end
for spectators, huge athletic field,
linoleum floors on a concrete base
and open stairways. Another inter-
esting feature of this school was two
passenger elevators, the first seen in
any OF the schools visited by the
committee during its expedition.
TOO costly for Washington" was
Mr.. Harris comment