Evening star., 1925-01-18
SCHOOL OFFICIALS CALL PLAN
FOR PLATOON SYSTEM UNWISE

board that the superintendent and
those associated with him in the ad-
ministration Of the school system viii
cooperate with the board in carrying
out that policy"
DIR. Ballou began his statement by
pointing out that he has complied
with every request of the committee
for information or assistance and has
placed much data before it both for
and against platoon schools.
A joint statement prepared by First
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Stephen L. Kramer and Assistant
, Superintendent Robert l.. Haycock, was
read to the committee by the former.
1t declared that no attempt should be
made to organize platoon school until
there are in the community enough
pupils of elementary school standing
to occupy a building of at least 20
classrooms.
For instance" it said at least $40
pupils are necessary to justify the
special facilities required in platoon
school. No attempt should be made
to erect a platoon school until funds
are adequate for a building that
| would contain at least 20 classrooms,
an auditorium, two gymnasiums and
ample outdoor play space.
Handicaps Are Cited.
with these factors in mind, it
should be pointed out that number
of difficulties must be overcome in
| the establishment of a system of
platoon schools in this city. Very
| few of our elementary schools now in
use adequately lend themselves to
platoon school organization until
they have been modified to con-
siderable extent. Only IA of our
elementary schools have assembly
| halls, and of these only are 16-room
buildings. The sites of very few of
our large buildings are ample enough
| for the building of additions to the
| present buildings without the pur-
| chase of expensive improved prop
erty In Washington there are many
| buildings of only eight rooms or less,
built upon small sites that do not
readily lend themselves to sufficient
extension to accommodate platoon
school"
Garnet c. Wilkinson, first assist
ant superintendent in charge OF coll
ored schools, told the committee that
| only a very few of the elementary
schools under his direction have the
necessary adjuncts of a platoon
| school-ample play space and assem-
bly, halls, while none has a gymna-
sium. There are only four schools
with assembly halls he added, while
but three have anything like ade-
quate Fairgrounds. He also pointed
out that most of the teachers are
trained for traditional school work,
and if the platoon system is adopted
| they will be required to undergo a
difficult readiustment.
Sees No Added Advantage.
Frank c. Daniel, principal of Nc
Kinley Manual Training School.
argued that he could not see any
great advantage claimed for the
| platoon plan which could not be in
corporated in the present system.
The platoon system, he declared
would not give a pupil as much time
for fundamentals as under the ira
ditional system; that the idea OF
| is not educationa11y correct ana that
| the furniture could not be adjusted
| to fit the smaller pupils in the
platoon schools.
| The chief opposition to the platoon
school Is presented by Miss Rose
Lees Hardy, director of primary in
| struction, is that it denies a pupil an
! opportunity for self-expression. ut
| would be a tragedy" she declared, ito
! put young children in platoon schools,
| especially little children who should
| have that mothering influence Of one
| teacher"
| Ben w. Murch, supervising principal
| of the first division, concurred in the
| joint statement of Assistant Superin-
| tendents Kramer and Haycock, and
| declared that with the ive-hour
school day Washington should not un-
dertake to establish platoon schools,
adding that under present conditions
| it is impossible.
Disadvantages Are Shown.
Young children could not adapt
| themselves to the numerous changes
under the platoon plan, Miss Janet
| McWiilian, supervising principal of
| the fourth division, told the commit
| tee, while Miss NJ. Gertrude Young,
| administrative principal of the Hill
| ton-Peabody Group School, said that
| every child should have its own desk
unshared, which is not possible un-
der the platoon plan.
DR.. E. G. Kimbal1, supervising