Show many schools IL serious cerious menace tens of thousands of children in united states state are reported housed in firetraps Fire traps REPORTS FROM CITIES either on halftime study or in unsuited quarters survey conducted by chamber 4 i of C amerce committee new york tens of thousands of school children housed in firetrap sant hundreds handi eds of thousands of them either on half time or lu in makeshift buildings la is tile the condition in cities of the united states as disclosed in a report made public here the report was issued by the national co committee manittee for chamber of corn commerce coupe cooperation ration with the public schools on a survey conducted ron ducted by the american city bureau the committee awas was organized in february 1921 1020 to Inquire loquire into school conditions its executive committee Is headed by george D strayer of teachers college columbia university new kew york the evidence presented shows clearly that there are tens of thousands of children now housed in old unsanitary dangerous buildings says sir mr strayer in his introduction to the report many of these structures are liest best classified as fire firetraps traps data from cities doa was received from cities the report says these facts obtained from 75 per cent of all the cities reporting that in these cities even excluding those housed lu III annexes where conditions may be normal there are more titan than childrs children n who are either on half time because of lack of building buildt ng space or are re housed in portables rented build tugs attics basements or corridors it would require an average of two to 30 boota buildings in each of these cit ibs his to properly house those groups of children alone the report sets forth statistically the inadequacy of playground f pace it la Is clear that in many mally cities children are now housed in buildings in which there glicr Is less space on oil the playground titan than Is supplied in the classrooms in which they are taught bays sir bit strayer in the introduction three lullion buhion six hundred thousand chil children tire represented lu in this report on oil playgrounds grounds it Is stated und and the tudy study discloses that one half of them children anve each a play round less titan six by six feet per pupil and ninny many of thein haie hae no playground nt at nil all I 1 these facts of limited playground space says the report present one of tile the barlous frer lous problems confronting those who are interested lit in lie nel c fare of american school children whatever the cost adequate playground space should be provided for those school buildings already erected in congested districts public sentiment must become so strong that it will flit be considered a reach breach of trust for authorities to erect a scho building on a bite that will not a afford d adequate ide lunte playground spa space ce for all the alie pupils housed in tile building few fireproof buildings on the subject of ore fire hazard bazard in schools tile report states only five per cent of the total number ot of arild ings are of the types constructed vau bu aly ally called fireproof only a small number have tire elements to lessen the tie fire hazard to the children at least 25 21 per cent of the two poorest tapes of buildings are of two or more sl orles 4 and do not lune inie a fire c escape centie TI thirty aty nine per cent of these two to types are without fire extinguishers and less titan than ten pur per cent of them lave bare sprinkler equipment lu in tin any y part of the buildings only 11 per cent have automatic fire alarms such fuels facts as these demonstrate the existence of 1 a I real beat menace to the children of these cities one half of pres ant hay schools were lull built prior to 0 o 1807 1897 llie report direct li attention to tile large number of buscc bet vileen n ages ot of thirteen and sixteen years glenve tile alie public schools and adds acids there pro baIlly Is no more serious problem or one more difficult to solve now facing the lie people of tills this country according to the llie reports from 1 00 cities 6 per cent of the children line haie teft left school before their thirteenth year 19 per cent before fourteen 33 39 per cent before fifteen and 64 per cent before they are sixteen years old in the geographical groups lie fie report continues the highest per cent of these childre ii remain retrain in the western cities next in order are the great plains cities then the southern the great lakes and the lowest of all are the eastern cities in this last group only 29 per cent of the children sixteen years of age and 50 36 per cent of those front from fourteen to sixteen years inclusive tire are in school |