Evening star., 1925-04-25
DETROIT SCHOOLS
ERECTED CHEAPLy
Have Beauty Lacking Here,
at Same Cost-Fact Is
Hard to Explain.
BY JAMES v. CHINN.
(StaH Correspondent of The Star)


DETROIT, Mich, April 25.-Detroit
is building new schools with striking
architectural embellishments and cost
ly interior finishing at 35 cents GU
bic foot which would cost Washington
so cents to duplicate, DIR. Frank w.
Ballou, superintendent of schools, and
OSgood Holmes, assistant municipal
architect of the District, estimated to-
day after inspecting seven of the city s
most modern public educational in
stitutions.
Washington is paying 35 cents GU
bic foot for its new schools, according
to Mr.. Holmes, and they represent the
last word in economy. For the same
price Detroit is getting buildings more
esthetically treated than those in the
National Capital, as we'll as better in-
ished interiors.
Some of the schools here contain
convenienoes and few dignified frills
and ornaments which, DIR. Ballou said,
he would not dare recommend for
Washington's new schools to be erect
ed under the S19 ,00o, 900 five-year
building program.
Walls Are Plastered.
The walls and ceilings of all of De-
troit's new schools, for instance. are
covered with plaster-a large item in
the ultimate cost of a building, with
plasterers collecting SIS a day here
for wages. Washington's proposed
new buildings will be plasterless in
the interest of economy.
The Detroit schools also have ex-
tensive terrazzo and promenade limo
leum floors throughout the corridors
"a floor covering which has been
found too costly for Washington.
Detroit school officials were unable
to explain satisfac actorily to the Wash
ington delegation just why their
schools are costing less than those in
the District. Wages are al high here.
they said. as in any place in the
United States, while building mate
rials probably are not any cheaper.
This fact has presented the Washing
ton school planners with a perplexing
problem which undoubtedly will re-
ceive serious attention when building
contractors are asked next Fall to
submit bids for the first buildings
called for in the initial installment of
the five-year program.
Seven Schools Studied.
Of the seven schools inspected today
by DIR. Ballou and Mr.. Holmes, five
were of the elementary type. Both
were anxious to observe the innova-
tions in this type of building, as plans
are in the process of preparation for
eight of the elementary schools pro-
vided in the first installment of the
building program. An intermediate
school-a junior high school with a
Detroit name-and the nationally
known Cass Technical High School
were the other two buildings visited.
The latter is huge structure, seven
stories high, with an enrolment OF
5000 students. 1t was built during
the war at a cost of more than $4,000
600 to meet the demand for highly
trained technical men. The schools
auditorium seats $500, just 1,4o0 more
than Washington's largest school au'
ditorium in Central High School, while
its immense lunchroom provides ac
commodations for 1000 students.
The elementary schools inspected
| were the Poe, Brady, Doty, Ferry
and Hutchins. The one which com
manded the most interest from DIR
Ballou and Mr.. Holmes was the Ferry
erected at a period when Detroit OBJ
viously lavished money freely on It's
| schools. 1t has expensive ornamental
| lighting fixtures in every classroom
! large pneumatic clocks projecting out
| from the walls at frequent intervals
| throughout the corridors, and porce
| lain cuspidors with running water, re
/ CeSSSu III tuc Willis VI lfiC
These novel cuspidors cost Detroit $50
each. School officials explained their
| presence as an unusual schoolhouse
| fixture as a convenience for tobacco
chewers who attended community
gatherings at the school at night.
Old Buildings Revamped.
Another school which interested the
visitors was the Poe, an old-type eight
room building on which has beer
| added an extension of equal size to
gether with a gymnasium and assem-
bly, hall, for conversion into platoon
school. A number of other of Detroit's
older buildings have been revamped In
this fashion to meet the requirements
of platoon school.
| AS for new ideas in schoolhouse con
struction, Detroit has taken the
| initiative in installing dual heating
systems in all of its buildings of recent
construction. Hot air is the primary
| heating method. Steam is used as ar
auxiliary. The hot-air registers are ir
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