Evening star., 1935-02-24
School Building Could Aid Industry
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
A comprehensive program Of school,
building construction could, by itself,

A comprehensive program Of school,
building construction could, by itself,
go along way toward reviving the
almost dormant construction industry
in the United States. according to
studies which have been made Of
school needs. Careful estimates Of
legitimate requirements in only 20
States Of the Union show the need
for $186, ,026, 900. Such figure would
indicate that, were the entire country
covered, the total sum would be per-
haps twice as great.
The construction industry has been
! as hard, II not harder, hit than any
major industry in the land and yet
Is Is generally agreed that no single
industry provides more different kinds
Of employment. So many factors are
involved in construction that any job
puts to work, In addition to those on
the actual site Of the work, quite q
number needed to produce and pre-
pare for assembly the diverse raw
materials.
School construction has declined
heavily during the depressed years
with unfortunate results. While the
housing Of schools Is but a part Of
education, 1t Is regarded as an ex-
tremely important part and now a
| serious deficit has accumulated. An
indication of how serious this Is may
be shown from q comparison of the
decline In amounts spent year by
year. In 1880 the outlay on public
schools amounted to 1870, 0,o7s.oo0. In
1881 this had fallen to 1920, ,240 900
and the next year to s210,9e6, 900.
Then, In 1888, the lowest year Of the
depression, there was an abrupt drop
to 500, ,058, 900.
There Is no telling what would have
happened If the New Deal emergency
measures had not gone into effect.
In 1888 some 10000 schools were COM
| pletely closed. 1t will be recalled how
entire cities owed their school teach
ers arrears Of many months salaries
There was very little building financed
locally. Although an attempt was
made to start revival, even in 1884
| the outlay amounted to only sl0l,-
468, 1000. For 1885 there has been
budgeted the sum Of sl07, 144,0 900, but
very little improvement when it is
considered that these figures cover the
entire Nation. over the lowest point
Many Modern School Houses Needed.
The office Of Education of the Fed
eral Government has reported that
between 1881 and 1884, In 262 cities
capital expenditures on school struc-
lures declined Just over 80 per cent
This, in effect, means that little more
than repair work was done. 1t means
that the school plant Of these cities
did not keep even. Meantime, OF
course, the population Of these cities
was growing-not only the total popu-
lation, but, more particularly, the
numbers Of children of school age
A study made by the National Ed
ucation Association shows the rela-
ton between expenditures for school
structures and enrolment Of pupils
since 1925 Taking that year, which
has been frequently cited as an ap-
proximately normal one. as represent
ing base OF 100, it Is shown that the
new building index number for 1885
is down to about 30, while enrollments
for 1885 are above IT'S. Obviously
this is an aggravation of the situation
on both sides-more pupils and less
funds with which to supply schools.
In hard times it is customary for
people to put up with what they
can get. no matter the inconvenience,