Evening star., 1925-04-24
5O-ROOM SCHOOLS
IN DETROIT VISITED
Ballou Is Told Huge Buildings
Have Proved Best for
Platoon System.
BY JAMES v. CHINN.
Stan Core sPondent OF The Star.

DETROIT. Mich. April 24-Im-
mense elementary schools containing
80 classroomS, built on sites covering
between eight and ten acres. greeted
DIR. Frank W. Ballou. superintendent
of the District public schools. and
Osgood Holmes. assistant municipal
architect, as they started "a tour of
De$roit's schools today in search of
new ideas in sehoolhouse planning.
The immensely of the buildings as
well as the sites on which they stand
made a striking impression on the
committee of school planners. No
elementary schools of their size had
been observed by the, Washington
officials since beginning the investiga-
tion trip. which has taken them to
Baltimore. Philadelphia, Rochester,
Buffalo and Cleveland.
One on 45-Acre Site.
Detroit has three of the 50-room eIe-
mentary schools and three more are
under construction. All are locat
in rapidly developing residential sec.
tons outside the city limits. One of
those nearing completion is a single
story structure, located on a 45-acre
site. 1t is novelty in schoolhouse
building, and the Detroit school
authorities told DIR. Ballou that it was
designed as an experiment, and if the
tax payers indorSe it more like it will
be erected.
The immense elementary schools. il
was pointed out. are necessary be.
cause of the platoon system of opera.
ton. Although the work-study- play
plan has been introduced in the older
type smaller schools, having but II
rooms, the Detroit officials say that
large buildings are better for the
platoon system.
Detroit is the center of the develop
ment of platoon schools in the United
States. Eighty-seven of its elemen-
tary buildings have been platooned
since the system was adopted in 1919,
and the Board of Education is def
initely committed to a policy of con-
tinued expansion. All of the new
buildings under construction, are de-
signed for platoon operation.
Studies Platoon System.
A careful study of the platoon sys-
tenn is being made by. Supt. Ballou be-
cause of the sporadic agitation in
Washington for the introduction of
the work-study- plan in the Dis
trict's schools. DIR. Ballou expects to
Ernest Greenwood, vice president of
the school board and chairman of its
special platoon investigating commit
tee. Mr.. Greenwood had hoped to
make personal investigation of the
platoon schools here, but was pre-
vented from joining DIR. Bailou and
Mr.. Holmes because of the serious
illness of his mother
The Washington school planners
learned that Detroit is making
strenuous efforts to keep it's school
construction in pace with the ever.
increasing demand for school facilities
s30,OOO,OOO in Eight Years.
Thirty million dollars has been in
vested in new schools in Detroit in the
last eight years, and the Board of Edu.
cation has just, prepared a budget
calling for the expenditure of $4,000.
900 for additional school accommoda.
tions for the current calendar year.
Like Washington, Detroit plans to rid
it's school system of all of it's anti.
quated, old-type three-story buildings
in the new development program. The
Detroit school officials long ago saw
the wisdom of acquiring school sites
far in advance of their use and
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