Publications of The University of Texas Publications Committees: GENERAL: J. T. PATTERSON J. L. HENDERSON LOUISE BAREKMAN A. SCHAFFER FREDERIC DUNCALF G. W. STUMBERG R.H. GRIFFITH A. P. WINSTON OFFICIAL: E. J. MATHEWS L. L. CLICK C. F. ARROWOOD C. D. SIMMONS E. C. H. BANTEL B. SMITH The University publishes bulletins four times a month, so numbered that the first two digits of the number show the year of issue and the last two the position in the yearly series. (For example, No. 3501 is the first bulletin of the year 1935.) These bulletins comprise the official publica­tions of the University, publications on humanistic and scientific subjects, and bulletins issued from time to time by various divisions of the University. The following bureaus and divisions distribute bulletins issued by them; communications concerning bulletins in these fields should be addressed to The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, care of the bureau or division issuing the bulletin: Bureau of Business Research, Bureau of Economic Geology, Bureau of Engineering Research, Bureau of Public School Interests, and Division of Extension. Communications concerning all other publications of the University should be addressed to University Publications, The University of Texas, Austin. Additional copies of this publication may be procured from the Division of Extension, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS l'ltESS ~ No. 3531: Auauat 15, 1935 A STUDY OF THE BUILDING NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC SCHOOLS By T. H. SHELBY Profeaaor of Educational Administration Dean of the Dlvlalon of Extension and B. F. PITTENGER Prof..aor of Educational Admlnlatration Dean of the School of Education and J. O. MARBERRY Prof..eor of Educational Adminiatration Cldef of the Extension Teachlns Bureau Dlvlalon of Extenalon ~Ua&.laHIED •Y THK UNIYK•ITY POUll TIMD A MONTH AND KNTKlllED A9 allCONDoCLAA llATftll AT THIE P08TOl'PICIE AT AUSTIN, TIDCU, UND-THK ACT 01' AUGU8T &4, 19ta The benefits of education and of useful knowledge, generally diffuaecl through a community, are eaaential to the preservation of a free sovern­ment. Sam Houston Cultivated mind ia the guardian reniua of Democracy, and while suided and controlled by virtue, the noblMt attribute of man. Itis the only dictator that freemen acknowledge, and the only security which freemen deaire. Mirabeau B. Lamar CONTENTS PAGE Foreword ---------··------------------------------------------------------------------------------· -7 Chapter I. Efficiency of the School Plant______ _______________ --------------··--------9 II. Building Needs of San Antonio as Indicated by the Present School Population and Its Probable Growth____ 44 III. Special Deficiencies and Needs in San Antonio's Ele­mentary Schools ----------------------------------------------------------------51 IV. The Junior Schools for White Children______________ ______________ _ 79 V. The Senior Schools for White Children _________________ _ ________ __ 83 VI. Summary and Recommendations____ ____________________ _________________ 93 TABLES PAGE I. Enrollment in San Antonio Public Schools, April 5, 1935 -----9 II. Public School Buildings of San Antonio Arranged in Order of Rank for Total Scores Allotted -----------------------------------__ ___ _______ ____ _ 12 III. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Elementary Schools-White -----------------------------· ----------------------------------------------------.. -·----------------14a IV. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Junior High Schools-White ---·-----------------·----.. -.. ________------.. -------------------------------------·------------· ___ ·--16 V. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Senior High Schools-White ----------------------------------·-----------------------------------------------------------·------19 VI. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Elementary Schools-White --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21 VII. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Junior High Schools-White -----------------------------------------------------------------------------... _ ___ 23 VIII. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Senior High Schools-White -------·----------------------------------------------------------___________ _____ 23 IX. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Elementary Schools-­Colored ----------·----------------.... ·--------------------------------------------------------------·------37 X. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Junior High School-Colored ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------38 XI. Distribution of Scores on San Antonio Senior High School-Colored ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------40 XII. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Elementary Schools-Colored ----··----------------------------------------------------------------------------42 XIII. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Junior High School-Colored -----------------------.. ------------------------------------------------.. ·· ·---------42 XIV. Distribution of Major Scores on San Antonio Senior High School-Colored ----------------------------------------------------------------------------.. -------43 XV. Census Growth for Five Year Periods by Census Districts.__ __ ________ 45 XVI. Scholastic Census Enumeration for 1934-35, San Antonio, Texas__ 47 XVII. Age-Grade Distribution of Children in the Elementary Schools of San Antonio on April 10, 1935----------------------------------------------------48 XVIII. Enrollments and Spanish Names for March, 1927, as Compared with May, 1934, for Elementary Schools of San Antonio ___ _ _ _____ 50 XIX. Site Analysis of Elementary Schools._______________ __________ --------------------------52 XX. Building Analysis of Elementary Schools.---------------------·-----------------------56 XXL Changes in "Belongings" in Elementary Schools, 1924-25 to 1934-35 --· ..·--------------------------------------------------------------------------------··-------------68 XXII. Membership in Senior High Schools for March, 1927, as Com­pared with April, 19.35 ---------------------------·---------------·-------------· __ __ ___ _ 85 FIGURES PACE 1. Graphic Representation of Elementary Schools-White____________________________ 15 2. Graphic Representation of Junior High Schools-White____________________________ 17 3. Graphic Representation of Senior High School&--White __________________________ 20 4. Graphic Representation of Site for Elementary Schools-White____________ 25 5. Graphic Representation of Building for Elementary Schools-White______ 26 6. Graphic Representation of Service Systems for Elementary Schools-White --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------28 7. Graphic Representation of General Classrooms for Elementary Schools-White --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29 8. Graphic Representation of Kindergarten for Elementary Schools-White ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------31 9. Graphic Representation of Special Activity Rooms for Elementary School&--White ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33 10. Graphic Representation of General Service Rooms for Elementary Schools-White ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------34 11. Graphic Representation of Administration Rooms for Elementary School&--White ---------------------------------------------------------------·····-·-----------------------36 FOREWORD This is the seventh school study which has been made by the Bureau of School Inquiry of the Division of Extension in coopera­tion with staff members of the School of Education. Other studies are: A Survey of the Galveston Public Schools, A Survey of the Goose Creek Independent School District, Construction and Reor­ganization Proposed for Galveston Public Schools, A Preliminary Study of the Laredo Public Schools, A Study of the Building Needs of San Antonio Senior High Schools, and A Survey of the Los Angeles Heights Public Schools. The present study was undertaken at the invitation of the Super­intendent and Board of Education for the express purpose of determining the building needs of the entire city, and of making such suggestions as the survey staff might see fit, based on data secured, with respect to measures that might be undertaken by the Board to remedy such conditions as were found in the order of need. Every public school building in the city has been scored accord­ing to the standard score card by each member of the staff and the median score taken for the official score. The study attempts to evaluate the present school plant in the light of established standards. It goes farther in indicating the general need of an adequate building program in a growing city, special deficiences and needs of elementary schools, the building problems of the junior schools and of the senior schools for white children. While much attention has been given to the matter of practicable suggestions, the survey staff does not claim that suggestions made are the best in all cases. We do believe, however, that with the facts available they represent the best judgment of the staff. The survey staff desires to express appreciation to all people con­nected with the public schools and also to those in charge of private and parochial schools for unfailing cooperation and courteous con­sideration. If the study is helpful to the Board and administrative officers in working out better school housing conditions for the children of San Antonio, the survey staff will feel fully repaid for its efforts. B. F. PITTENGER J. 0. MARBERRY T. H. SHELBY, Director. CHAPTER I EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL PLANT The San Antonio Independent School District is organized on the 5-3-3 plan. For white children, there are forty elementary school districts occupying forty-one school sites. There are seven junior high schools, three senior, and one junior and senior high school combination. For colored, there are five elementary, one junior high, and one senior high school. Table I is a report as of April 5, 1935, of pupil-housing in all these schools. T\BLE I. E R LL 1E. TI TO IO Pl BLI HOOL , PRIL 5, 1935 (Data from offic of \ . J. Knox, As i tant uperint nd nt of School .) Average ~ chool Enrollm nl Belonging \.D. B longings Elt•111t•11tary \ hit. 1 o. I Margil 6'16 553 506 545 o. 2-11 Lin 759 667 592 655 No. 3-T nan 69 83 67 80 o. 4 • 1ilam 638 522 475 532 o. 5-B11rnctt _ 751 671 583 657 o. 6-Lamar 371 297 280 297 o. 7 John..;on 1,257 1,011 925 1,042 No. 8 avarro 2,179 1,815 1,700 1,843 (). 9 Bowi · 1,071 916 863 954 o. ] 0 -Bonham 743 600 548 606 (), ] l ~rock Lt 1,.121 1,321 1,212 1,314 o. 12 Fannin 355 311 286 313 o. B Travi 628 514 484 516 o. 14 t•lson 62.) 506 139 502 ·o. IS . rnilh 671 5:rn 466 5:n . · o. 16-E. Brack nridg 412 367 31.5 369 o. 17 Tlarri tllJ9 '100 361 391° o. 18 II er IT :n8 :351 320 356 o. 19 Brisr·oc• 1,065 905 852 9Jtt . o. 20 \grw otton 565 475 M8 476 (). 21 J. T. Brackt nridg 1,998 1,760 1,572 J,795 o.22 Bt•a< on llill 618 518 500 548 o. 2:3 l ivt'r idt• 519 4:H m 454, o. 2' Jlillcn I 772 610 611 667 o. 2:>-ConzalP 2.38 212 185 207 o.26 llighland Park 78t 682 631 684 o.27 Collin-. ,ard n 1,179 1,022 932 980 o.28 Gn•t•n :387 :m 276 309 o.29 \1cl\.i11lt> 174 142 B6 145 o. :rn H. E. 11·1 667 593 528 585 o.:n Ira Ogd ·11 757 672 619 682 TABLE I. (Data from office of W. J. Knox, A sistant ~ uperintendent of chooJ..,.) Elementary-White No. 32-Barkley No. 33-Hood No. 34---Woodlawn No. 35-Fenwick _ _ No. 36-Ivanhoe .. _________ No. 37-Graebner . __ No. 38-Laura Steele o. 39-W. J. Knox No. 40-Durango Street Total Junior High-White Io. 60-Emerson No. 61-Harris No. 62-Hawthorne ------------­ No. 63-Irving _ ____ No. 65-Page No. 66-Poe .. 706 672 713 o. 67-Twain 1,422 1,352 1,270 1,357No. 87-Lanier .. _ . ____ __ _______ 1,201 1,223 1,136 1,237 Total __ Senior High-White No. 80-S. A. Technical No. 81-Brackenridge No. 83-Jefferson o. 87-Lanier __ Total Total White Elem en tary-C olored o. 50-Grant . o. 52-Brackenridge o. 55-Cuney o. 56-B. T. Wa hington o. 57-Dunbar Total Junior High o. 50 Grant o. 70 Dougla · Total enior High Colored Colored o. 86 Wheatley Total Total Colored Grand Total 1,832 1.159 1.361 1,492 813 701 670 716 489 441 404 133 ----------____ 127 138 129 135 ----·---------477 429 387 423 . __ . 189 163 144 159 183 168 862 28,314. 785 1,144 _____ 900 _ _ 1,201 1,271 746 161 134 756 24,254 782 1,159 764 1,248 1,224 145 119 698 22,210 728 1,091 726 1,174 1,147 163 132 766 24,373 779 1,179 768 1,265 1,233 ·--·--8,670 8,458 7,944 8.531 1,388 2,015 1,840 238 5,4.Sl 42,4-65 432 153 537 501 98 1,721 68 785 853 652 652 .'3,226 1,524 1,911 2,013 258 5,706 38,118 388 85 463 455 68 1,459 6.3 730 793 628 628 2,880 1,322 1,851 1,904 230 5,307 35,461 325 75 396 386 56 1,2.38 56 638 694 559 559 2,191 1,428 1,951 2,010 249 5,638 38,512 372 81 157 445 65 1,42.3 6.'3 727 790 636 6.'36 2,819 15,691 11,298 .'17,9.s2 ·11,:391 It is assumed that the administrative authorities of the San Antonio Public Schools are well informed as to the importance of the physical plant as an essential part of the educational program. "As is the teacher, so is the school," is an oft-quoted expression, implying a fundamental truth but it could also be said that "As is the building, so is the school," since its planning and construction are so essential to the welfare of the best teaching. There are four functions or purposes which the school building should serve: 1. The administrative function. The building and its equipment should be such that the school can be properly organized as a junior high school, a six year elementary school, a platoon school, etc. Operation should be economical and supervision and govern­ment should be possible on a high level. 2. The protective function. The health and morals of the children should be safeguarded. They should be secure from accident and injury. 3. The social function. There should be a variety of facilities in order to carry on citizenship and social training. This means playgrounds, auditoriums, gymnasiums, club rooms, libraries, student offices, and so forth. 4. The educational function. The plant should he adapted to a broad and generous course of study that will take care of the interests of the children and the needs of the community. Old type class· room buildings cannot meet modern standards and ideals.* It is generally accepted among school authorities today that the most efficient measure of evaluating school buildings is the Strayer­Engelhardt Score Card. The score cards for elementary, junior high and senior high schools were used in this study. The maximum score of each of the items in the score cards is ideal and should be thought of as the total possible score rather than a perfeel score. There are a few school buildings that contain practically all these ideals. The number of the school buildings scoring above 900 points, however, are very few. The following is an analysis given by Strayer and Engelhardt of the rating of buildings and these scores should be studied carefully in relation to the scores of the buildings in San Antonio: *Sacramento School Survey, Vol. I, page 108. 900-1000 A building in which is to be found substantially every ideal condition under the major scores and their subdivisions. 800-900 A very satisfactory building requiring little or no alteration or addition to serve effectively the educational program of school. 700-800 Satisfactory with reference to those spaces which have been provided within the building, but frequently lacking in important units not included. 400-700 These scores indicate units markedly inferior or entirely lacking in the construction of the buildings. In the lower range of this group, there is every suggestion for remodelling in order to make them reasonably serviceable. 100-400 Suggests the expenditure of funds only to the extent of making them as safe and sanitary as possible for such time as circumstances compel their use. They should be abandoned as soon as possible. The official scores of all public school buildings in San Antonio arranged in the order of rank are given in Table II. TABLE II. P BLIC SCHOOL BUILD! G OF A ANTO IO ARRANGED IN ORDER OF RA K FOR TOTAL SCORES ALLOTTED IWhit or I Name Grades olorecl Score Rank --To-.-8-.1---T-h_o_m_a_s_J_e_ff_e_r _o_n__I_-S-,i-·. _I _l._S_. -\ hit I 813 1 676_1__2 o. 81 Brackenridg 1---s;=-· 11. S. ---r-whi-te--C o. 86 Wheatley ISr. 11. • . I C:olorecl -l-M1--1 3 o. 80 S. A. Technical I-~r. ll. --Whit I 565 I 4 o. 31 Ogden I Elem ntaryWhite I_ 559 t-'65_ o. 87 Lanier Jr.~ White I 55.) \"o. 87 Lanier I Sr. Ir. S. White I 518 T 1­ o. 20 Collon El mentary Whi-te--1-515 I 8 o. :H Woodlawn El<>m ,ntar V hi-I --1 51J5 -,--8-­ o. 60 Emers<;;-Jr. Ir. S. \ hite --,-511 ~­~o. 62 llawthorne ---I~!I. S. Whit-c--1-,5.)5 I io o. 6!> [>age ~Jr. IL S. --, hit-e--1­ 5:~ 1 I 11 o. :>6 B. T. \V a"hi~-Elrm<'ntarv Colt~l-516 I 12 o. :>S Cuney El<'mentary Color('cl I 511 -,-l:~ ~6 Po<' .Jr.11.S. ---White l-511J -,-1:3 o. 67 Twain .Jr. 11. . . \\hit --,­ 501 JI ltJ ii. I Milam Elementary \\ hit--1­ 500 IS­--o-. -J 'I' nan El<'ment:m '\ hi-te--1­ IJ89 I 16 •) n Travi. I El('lll('IJI:~ \\hit(' I rn6 I 17 o. :rn Lee -1-l•:lt·nu·ntar · \ liitt· I '178 -, 18 ·1 \Hl F 11. Pl BLIC :c11001. Bl LLDI cs OF S\ ·\ TO IO \HR\ (,FD ] OIWEH. Ol-H\~K FOR TOT ·\l. ORE' \l,l,OTTED (Continued) \\hill' or Numc Cradl'" ( 'o Imed \\ hite \\hilt' \\hilt' \\hill' \\hit' \\ hite \\ tiite \\ hite \\hilt' \\! h11 (' \\hilt' \\ lllll' \\hilt' \\hill' \vh11e (), 2.~ Hi\!·r... icle El l'llH'lll a ry \Vhitl' 0. :!. 29 391 ;)() 392 ;31 :rn ~ 32 375 33 :n 1-3•J. In the above table no building scores 900 points. There is one building scoring within the range of 800 to 900; none from 700 to 800; thirty-one from 400 to 700; and twenty-eight are below 400. A very large majority of these scores are surprisingly low. In subsequent chapters of this study the deficiencies and needs, particularly of the schools for white children, are discussed in detail. (See Chapter III.) Table III below gives the distribution of scores on San Antonio elementary schools for white children. The principal subdivisions A, B, C, etc., of the major divisions, Site, Building, Service Sys­tems, etc., with the maximum scores, are tabulated for the forty-one schools. Figure 1 immediately following Table III lists again the total scores of the forty-one elementary schools and shows graphically the relation of each school to the maximum score of 1,000 points. TABLE III. DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES ON SAN ANTONIO ELEMENTARY SCHOLS-WHITE I il.l bj) I il.l ...... bj) :-8... :>< i ::: ..!4 il.l 1. il.l ... il.l il.l ::: :-8... :::: ::: il.l cd ... '"O il.l ::: ... ~ < ~ v ::: ..!4 ~ ::: ci5 cd 0 ::: il.l <.) il.l :>. ... il.l 0 ...... . '"O il.l en i:8 il.l ~ il.l 0 ::: 0 ~ cd il.l ...... :::: 0 ..!4 ...... il.l il.l il.l en il.l il.l ::: u :>. ·B ...... ci5 ...... s <.) cd ... '"O b.ll ..­ <.) il.l ... :-8 ... ;§ en ::: il.l ... ... ::: il.l ::: ~ :acd 0 :::: '-a il.l .....:l ::: il.l il.l bj) .... cd en en <;; il.l cd ~ en 0 :::: s cd ~ ... 0 .~ ...0 cd 0 ~ 0 'bb ::: ::a 0 ... ~ cd cd ... ·2 ·~ <.) ::: ::: il.l '"O ~ ·;; N (.) <.) cd ::: ... 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SITE 88 55 5 10 10 5 5 5 5 2 10 10 5 15 5 5 7 6 8 10 10 10 56 5 6 6 5 6 5 10 5 7 10 10 5 5 85 7 A. Selection 15 19 11 12 9 12 22 20 10 1011 12 13 12 20 19 14 12 20 20 20 22 14 11 · 12 15 10 14 13 20 10 15 12 17 19 18 10 20 8 30 9 8 20 B. Location 8 10 6 6 4 12 96 6 10 12 10 12 12 11 33 7 4 6 8 6 6 7 3 9 10 9 6 11 78 5 5 7 7 6 7 9 20 9 C. Topography 15 17 ' 128 76 21 20 10 23 23 7 9 13 12 23 19 15 22 20 21 22 6 14 11 7 14 9 6 6 11 15 18 8 7 86 8 18 Ia 8 35 D. Provisions for Use llO 79 93 8267127 113 57 124 77 84 125 82 129 59 124 121 7651 70 73 115 82 72 74 83 68 97 107 48 86 112 113 95 123 ll7 35160 85 69 87 108 II. BUILDING ll 13 12 67 1716 14 12 12 17 15 ll 12 4 16 17 12 16 15 15 15 9 8 96 9 8 14 10 9 7 10 8 16 ll 15 14 8 10 6 20 A. Placement 6248 5141 50 4.0 3162 46 45 44 44 41 68 40 47 22 42 52 35 69 70 1545 72 69 48 50 38 49 50 65 60 58 59 72 f8 70 63553590 B. Gross Structure 20 2635 30 1819 22 20 1621 24 26 19 21 23 22 40 32 24 22 28 21 40 31 38 2719 39 37 30 32 30 36 40 35 38 38 38 39 10 1050 C. Internal Structure 81 6252 75 65 109101 56 74 81 81 74 80 74 69 85 72 31 84 82 72 llO 79 43 109 91 2279 70 79 85 86 95 98 96 55 66 67 99 95 225 34 III. SERV1CE SYSTEMS 8 I 16 2122 15 18 15 22 20 20 25 16 20 21 12 2517 19 21 18 18 19 19 20 20 22 17 21 25 20 23 23 23 22 1723 24 23 15 7 7 50 A. Heating and Ventilating 16 6 12 12 14 9 8 10 13 14 12 6 19 8 15 6 12 17 16 18 19 15 15 15 17 3 18 8 8 8 19 14 9 7 10 8 3 4 16 85 30 E. Fire Protection 6 I 7 6 74 7 7 7 8 7 6 8 4 7 8 7 7 4 67 5 6 68 5 7 7 7 7 7 8 7 5 7 77 8 85 86 15 c. Cleaning System ll 1310 8 8 7 11 9 7 8 8 8 9 9 ll 5 9 ll 12 10 13 13 13 13 7 8 9 7 7 10 9 9 6 0 9 4, 8 9 12 11 70 20 D. Artificial Lighting 3 2 4 3 2 4 5 2 24 4 4 4 4 3 3 5 5 1 4 2 5 6 6 4 05 3 3 5 2 5 s 3 63 4 5 2 3 10E. Electric Service 2 1 0 2 0 2 20 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 02 02 00 10F. Electrical Teaching Aids 4 1 24 2 4 4 6 4 3 8 9 5 5 5 7 6 4 9 6 6 7 1 32 4 5 6 8 5 7 7 5 9 9 68872 5 20 G. Water Supply 20 14 18 18 18 15 15 16 13 22 22 20 12 0 12 13 20 14 18 6 7 18 16 16 12 23 17 20 19 5 13 14 6 15 18 815 6 17 14 23830 H. Toilet System 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 000 0003 1. Mechanical Service 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 02 1 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 01 1 0 1 11 112 l 1115 J. Lo;:;kcr Service 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 00 0 0 002 0 K. Laundry Service 4 6 3 6 6 6 5 4 3 5 0 0 4 4 6 3. 1 3 116 4 8 6 5 5 5 7 6 5 5 56 64 5 3 34652 6 20 L. Storage Service 150 102 133 113 '147109 132 122 151 ll4 107 100 68 146 132 127 137 162 139 94 150 151 151 145101 125 91 14-l 50 95 20 101 97135 1191049315015098205 78 IV. GENERAL CLASSROOMS 20 20 12 25 20 25 20 15 11 30 20 25 22 20 25 25 15 3020 10 :l5 5 30 30 30 30 30 5 10 54 18 1522 18 152010 30 30 15 1535 A. Location and Connection 35. 4743 47 45 47 60 65 58 48 66 29 57 62 61 4667 i 50 50 65 59 53 72 58 65 67 68 68 1542 45 23 51 506147406566463090 B. Construction and Finish. 24 22 26 26 26 26 29 30 30 31 19 27 28 31 28 32 22 31 31 31 31 31 15 23 32 26 31 3020 27 24 2029 2.3 21 31253032181640 --c. Illumination 2119 18 18 23 25 20 19 25 15 18 23 23 22 28 26 22 25 22 22 22 23 15 1615 23 20 18 2517 18 10 21 16 21 1625 L::2 18 1917 40 D. Movable Equipment. 15 15 15 20 15 20 15 15 20 20 15 20 15 15 20 18 20 20 15 20 20 20 20 0 10 15 15 1010 15 7 15 1515201520 152015103535 v. KINDERGARTEN 2 0 5 5 5 8 4 10 5 0 6 5 3 0 0 1 3 5 5 0 5 8 5 5 5 0 05 10 15 5 532 555 362 90 3 90 VI. SPECIAL ACTIVITY ROOMS':' 42 22 11 31 49 25 32 13 44 43 35 0 31 40 45 48 10 49 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 5 49 23 36 36 10 60 10 00 3613 10 125 0 VII. GENERAL SERVICE ROOMS 17 20 29 15 25 13 27 26 10 25 0 18 0 16 25 0 28 0 29 0 0 0 0 0 28 5 50 20 18 0 13 0 l) 00 20 00 10 5 50 A. Auditorium or Assembly Room 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 3 000 0 0000 25 B. Gymnasium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 0 000 10 0 c. Play Rooms or Shelters . o· 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 10 0 00 0 0 000 10D. . Swimming Pool ;d 14 20 17 14 11 15 10 0 17 15 10 7 18 15 0 17 20 10 0 0 00 0 20 0 0 05 16 15 0 6 10 10 00 16 0 0 8 30 E. Cafeteria or Lunch Room . Q4 13 16 13 24 10 11 14 18 12 7 4 18 19 13 1 18 24 15 12 12 12 14 2 18 17 11 5 10 ll 18 17 9 3 9 16 9 1012 8 12 60 VI.d. ADMINISTRATION ROOMS 2 10 3 3 6 2 10 1 4 4 8 7 8 8 3 6 10 4 2 32 8 8 5 7 10 3 3 383 4 3 734 8 6 32 525 A. Administration Offices 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 6 4 0 4 2 4 4 4 4 4 3 54 4 5 5 5 5 0 04335 JS 3 34 2 2 52 3 10B. Teachers' Rooms 1 2 0 1 2 2 2 2 3 5 4 2 42 4 3 3 3 0 0 3 3 0 25 4 3 340 21 3 15 2 12 3 0.2 2 15 c. Health Service Rooms 2 2 2 4 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 02 2 0 02 222 \4 2 3 1 12 2 10D. Custodial Service Rooms. 364 545 322 449 319 384 375 434 184 434 405 392 468 457 280324 351 360 355 475 374 478 559 253 463 137 486 5~5 466394344292311422 345489 500 265 3341,000 1,000 209 307 TOTAL SCORE *A. Art Room, 10; B. Home Economics Rooms, 10; C. Industrial Arts Rooms, 10; D. Library, 30; E. Music Room, 10; F. Science and Nature Study Rooms, 10; G. Other Rooms, 10. ~Iaxi mum ror LOOO 'o. .\largil 209 (I. 2 \ wt in 307 o. 3 T nan 189 II. :\lilam 300 (•. s B1111l!'tt 2(>.) ti. :, B11rnt'tt ,\n1w :~:3 I o. 6 Lamar •122 o. 7 .lohn-.011 :3 1.) o. 8 a\arro :~ 11 II. l) Bo\\ it· 292 II. I() Bonham :nt o. II ( IO<'kt•lt :39 o. :32 Barkl1·r 392 (), :1:1 l lood 2!i.1 o. '3 \Voudl irn 11 !i 1:> (). :3!i F1·11,\i1·k 166 0. 36 hanluw lr>:I n.'n Cn11·lrnc r 168 o. 18 I .aura lt•t>]f' 1!i7 Cl ••19 \\. J. Kuo 1:17 i o. 10 Duran"n tn 28" JOO 200 300 100 500 600 700 800 900 1000 I I I I I I I I - - igmt' 1. ,r phi r •pn·-.1·11 tal ion of 1 l1·11l!'11lary eho ]... white. 16 T BLE IV. \ TO 10 Q.) .... 0 u Cf) Q.) .... 0 u Cf) c:: 0 5 I 11 F. 1\1u iZ Room------:-~JO::----------;--:c2:--r---:2-1 2 _ l___l_ 311 2 I -6­ IO Jl I I III II (Conlinued) t:: Cl.) Cl.) ..... ,... ,... ,... 0 0 I !fl i bl) c u u ).., ·a Cl.) ·;::; Cl.) ; ·c;; c .... Cl.) bO .E E 0 ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ "' ~ ~ E-< E ~ "' E a ;::; I 1 I I 1 § {'­ lt:l {'­ l 0 22 :...2 j23 10 12 0 ff0 12 0­ 0 0 0 7 8 -6 20 :~.) () () () () () 10 () _Qj 0 20 10 9 12 11 1.1 11 60 115 28 A. \dmini-.lration (Hli ·e-. :20 11 17 --B. 10 :3 I :3 6 2 1 5 () () 2 -0 2 I I 4 'J()'[' \ [, COHC 1,000 1.000 .>11 ill .);3.) 553 l()() 200 :mo IOU .)()() 600 700 800 900 1000 I I I I I I 1,000 551 SU 535 o.65 Pa" 53·1 • o. 66 Pot 514 i ' o. 67 T\\ Uin 501 1 'o. 61 Burri 471 'o. 63­ Tnin Cf. VI GENERAL ERVI E ROO\I A. Auditorium 15 B. Cafeteria 20 __I=­ c. Gymna ium hcilitie-•·~0 0 co z ~ ~ 140 =: 56 I 91 1114 162 26 T :B ~I 3..!__ l I :~ J8 19 12 21 27 u () -0 0 17 19 12 5 5 C. Health Service Room ---~----51 10 5 15-1---_-_-~--6 D. Student Activity Roo~ 2 1 2 2 1 -----------1-~­ E. Custodial Servic Rooms 6 -L-3 l ,-41 () TOTAL ~ = 1=,0=00=1=1=,0:-----:0_=0=565 I~ a~ 1518 CORE 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 I I I I I I I I I I \laximum ' core o. 83 J iier ·on 813 1,000 1------------­ o. 81 Brach. midge 658 o. 80 ~. A. Technical 565 . -o. 87 Lanier 548 1------­ Figure 3. Graphi repr sentalion of enior high school whit . The score card for the senior high school, while differing some­what in allotted scores, is similar to the junior high school score card and for that reason the major divisions with principal sub­divisions are not listed in this discussion of the senior high schools. The Lanier and San Antonio Technical with scores of 548 and 565, respectively, are very low. Brackenridge with a score of 676 is high in the range of scores 400-700 discussed on page 12, above. The score of 843 for Thomas Jefferson is excellent. Thus far the discussion of the scores of San Antonio's public school buildings indicates definitely that the general rating is ex­tremely low to fairly satisfactory only. There is one outstanding exception and that is Thomas Jefferson Senior High School. It is without doubt one of the best senior high-school plants in America and should be a source of great pride to the people of San Antonio. Scored on the basis of the purposes for which Thomas Jefferson was planned and is being used, the total evaluation would equal or perhaps slightly exceed 900 points. But the high school score card used in this survey assumes an organization of the cosmopolitan type. The present program at Thomas Jefferson and also at Bracken­ridge puts practically no emphasis upon industrial arts shops and gives but little attention to household arts. These schools should each have a swimming pool and the score indicates a lack of study hall facilities in each school. For further comparison of scores, only the major divisions with the maximum score are given for all schools for white children in Tables VI, VII, and VIII. 22 TABLE VI. DJ TRlBl TlO OF \I \JOH . COIU-:S 0 S \ \ TO 10 ELEl\lE T\In SCJIOOLS \\ lllTE (Co111i1111t•dJ > > $: ~ 9 Bowie 29 57 56 97 15 5 23 10 292 o. 10 Bonham 1--· :30 I 77 71. T'Oli()I 5 36 I 11 3'11 o.11 Crocke1t -1-:·mI 8 tl 81 125 I 15 I . i :~6 I 18 I :3911 o.12 Fannin I ;391?3 79 91 10 I 7 I 15 I 10 I 32·1 o. 13 Travis I 37 I 115 95 . 117 1"51 101.9 I 18 I 186 No.M=Ne1~-1 :35 82 -10 1116-, 1-s-1-1r I:sru 1 :m 1 No. 15 Smith I -:i8f858111 M 151--3122 r121 360 o. 16 E. Brackenridge 1--· 110 169 71 107 115-or1:n-7 I 355 No.17-IIarris I 37172 I 66 100 l~__SI 11 _l~I 319 I· No. 18-llerII 34 I 74 80 109 15 I S I 31 I 16 I 364 o. 19-Briscoe I 27 I 8~ 74 132 1-1-1-.-5 I-.?ST 13 381 o. 20-Agnes Cotton l~i125lo9fl5o I W I-SI-491 24 I . 45 No. 21-J. T. Brackenridg I 25 68 69 I 102 I lS I 8 I 25 I 10 ~-322 No. 22 Beacon Ilill I 57 I 97 85 I B3 I 20 l--1-J.2 I 11-1 419 1~ ~2.3 Riv~ L. 112 -I 82 --::ri I 113 I 18 I_2 IJ2 I 14 I :m 0.2--uillrrest 1 ·· •IS I 107 79 L!_tt7 I 20 I . I ],) 18 IJI 0.25 Gonzal ' I 2:3 I 48 TL f-68 I JO I 0 0 4 l 181· NQ.26Uighland Park . so ] 86 I 81 r122 I 201_ 10 I 4tl 18 I 1:31 CollinsGarden 57 I ll~ 8S IM6 201 S :31 19 17S Green :31 I 87 82 1:32 15 SI 10 J:) 105 McKinley 116 ll.) 72 127 I 15 I 0 I -OT 371 % lO I 0 s 5 280 T \Il LE VII. DI. THIBl TIO . OF \J .TOR :CORE,' 0 TO IO J ( IOR llIGII CIIOOL. WIIITE 'f'l\BLE \Hf. DI. 'TH IBl 110 OF 1 JOI{ SCOHE. 0 A T NI ~E I<> I\ I llCI I SCllOOLS \: llITE rJ) s ~ ;:..._ Cf) bl) <1) c ·;; <.) :§ ... <1.l ·;:; Cf) -~ i:o s >---< ~ 1\foxi;;wm core 150 IJOO 1250 :>6 107 I140 4 1 100 I126 65 105 I1:36 59~~ 60 107 132 6S 95 11:33 J E c 0 p::: c rJ) .~ s § 0 0 .D p::: p::: 8 <1) 0 0 0 ... ... ·~ rJ) ... rJ) f) <1) ---< ~ ,..., ~ ~ 160 130 150 11 l 15162 91 41) I 47 11 l r--:t5TI5 102 I31'16 rJ) s 0 0 p::: c .s 'c;; ti ·a ·9 '"d ---< ~ > 60 17 19 18 1 <1) ... 0 <.) Cf) c; 0 E-< 114 52 51 18 105 17 51 18 bl) c ~ ~ ~ 155 I 16 rJ) E ~ J :,.., Cf Q) .~ c; Q) Cf. s 270 2:u 10:~­ 1 50 F E 0 0 p::: c .s ~ ·~ p::: ... 0 •f) s 0 0 ... ~ ..... (.) >---< ~ ,.,,. ~ ,.,,. ~ 140 l w 50 l 88 56 28 :~2 11 62 25 Cf) "-; 0 E-< 1,000 !>65 6.')8 81:3 5 18 Tables II to VIII, above, with graphic representation, present a general picture of the scores of San Antonio's public schools for white children. Considering now the elementary school situation, each of the eight major divisions of the score card is presented with detailed information from the standards for elementary school buildings. For each division a list of the scores is given with graphic repre­sentation, followed by discussion from the standards. The principal subdivisions are found in Table VI, above. Direct reference to the standards is indicated by indentation. I. Site: A. Selection; B. Location; C. Topography; D. Pro­visions for Use. (See Table III above.) The site for the school plant should be selected as a part of the comprehensive school building program in which all of the educa­tional needs of the community have been considered. This program should he adopted by the hoard of education and should become the working basis for the development of the physical plant in the community. A satisfactory school site is a part of such a compre­hensive scheme. In its selection, recognition has been taken of the city planning and zoning policies. The site selection program of the board of education has been coordinated with the programs of resi­dential development, street improvement, traffic control, and transporta· tion conditions and proposals. Twenty-seven of the forty-one sites score below 50 points out of a total possible score of 100 points. The highest score is 65 and only three sites have this rating. 25 0 75 100 I. SITE 1aximum core 100 o. 1 \fargil 25 o. 2 \ 11st in 30 0. :3 Tynan 65 o. I \lilam 59 No. 5 B11rncll 26 o. 5 Burnell Annex 46 o. 6 Lamar 55 o. 7 John on 34 o. 8 avarro 30 o. 9 Bowie 29 0. 10 Bonham 30 0. ] l Crork<·tt 30 No.12 Fannin 39 No. 1.3 Travi 37 o. 11 cl . on 35 o. 15 Smith 28 No.16 E. Brackenridge 40 o.17 Harris 37 o. 18 I f<.rlT 34 o. 19 Bri..,co1· 27 o.20 A{.!nc.., Cotton 63 o.21 J. T. Brackenridg' 2. o. 22 B<'acon Hill 57 o.23 HivcrsiclP 42 No. 21 Jlilkr t 45 No.25 Gonzale 23 (). 26 Highland Park 50 o.27 Collins Garden 57 o.28 (;r<'cn 31 o. 29 \frKinlcy 16 0. :30 H. E. l.c<' 56 o.:H Jra 0f!dcn 60 o.32 Bark) y :n (). 33 ]food 28 o.:H \: oodla\.\ll 6:3 No. ;35 F1·11wick 65 o.36 hanhot• 61 o.37 Craebn ·r 61 o.38 T.a11ra .'le l 65 o.39 W. J. kno\. 28 No.'10 D11ran~o llt' l 34 I I I I Figure 4. raphi r presentation of '-ile for cll'ml'nlary ...chools whit<•. 25 50 75 100 125 150 I I I I I I ~Iaxi mum core -160 () . Margi! 51 0. 2 A11 Lin 70 Cl. 3 Tynan 127 .. No. 4 Milam 113 'lo. 5 Burnett 67 Burnett nne-x 79 Lamar John. on avarro How if' Bonham Crorkett Fannin Travis cl son mi th E. Brack midge Ilarri TTerfI Briscoe Agne Cotton J. T. Brack nrir<'"t'nlation of adminislrntion rooms for el 'mcntary schools white. Building Needs of San Antonio Public Schools 37 T \BLE I . . I TRIB TI E E~IE T \RY II f \ fI >­ ~ ti) i:: u s:l cd cd ,... ,... ::s p::) u 0 I I I l() 0 C'1 l.() l.() l.() c 0 z z z 28 8 3 10 12 5 -21 62 1 62 15 Wi2 uo_t?E 8 3 11 11 5 17 8 19 19 8 128 129 57 13 5 16 17-7­ 1-­ 30 ~ 41 7 10 5 -8­-0­ 0 2 7 0 0 -0­ 2 110 25 -10­25 20 - 0 cd ~ ~ P:i l l.() 0 z ~ ..0 s:l ::s Q I t'­ l.() 0 z T BLE J . DI TRlBUTIO OF SCOIU,S 0 ELEME T \I' .IIOOL COL RED Cl) ell -0 ·c Cl) Cl) i::: ;... ;... Cl) ;:.... 0 0 ~ Cl) -;:: C.) C.) C.) ro ro i::: Cf} Cf} ;... ;... ::i 0 i:tl u s s I I I 0 :; ">< ~ .:::l ci ci ci r; ,­ % ~ r. _V_I_l._ G_E_ E-.... R-A_L_ S_E_R_\ _I -E-._R_0_0_1__ _ ____12Sl21I 7 ii :.a If, ro ~ ;... ro r: ..0 Q Q P:i ::i I I \0 t­ VJ LIJ ci ci ;::>:; ?; 25 -, 10 -, 1 0 -0­ A. Auditorium or Ass mbly Room 50 10 I_ 0 15 1 20 ­ -0_ ---B.~25 0 I 0 0 0-Gymnasium -0­ C. Play Rooms or helters 10 0 0 OI 0 D. wimming Pool I 10 0 r 0 OJ . 0 0 E. Cafeteria or Lun h Room . _/~1~ n} 7 I 20 20 . 0 0 VIII. ADMINISTRATIO ROO 1 ' I ' 60 ,_i_ _'_± 17 14, A. Administration Ofli.c s 25 , 2 2 6 8 0 10 I _O_/ 5 I 0 _/_O 0 15 I 2 I 1 . 4 ,--4 . 0 10 I 2 -1-.-2 /-2 0 TOTAL CORE ---'-1-,-~l3'il209T511 I 516 -----lf--1,ooooooi 236 TABLE X. DI THlBl TlO OF :cmrn o Si\ A T IO Jl TOI\ lllCT! CIIOOL OLORED Cl) Cl) (/) ;... ;... ro 0 0 bl) C.) C.) Cf) Cf) ::i 0 s s Q ::i ::i I s s 0 ">< ">< l .:::l .:::l ci r; ,..-; ?; -I. SITE ,---10033 --A. n:====~=====================l==--!IO-j__]2~ Locatio= B. Topograph) I 20 / 6 C. Provision" for l se I 10 ---,-7­ -U. BUTLDI G ____________.:./_ -1 150/ 76 --A. Plac ment 2oI._+10 --B. Gross . trurture 80 39 C. Inter~~] trurt urc 50 -~27 Ill. 'ER ICE . 't . TE\1. 250 86 A. I !eating and \ •ntilating 50 ---16 --I-3. Fire Prot~tion 'ystem 110 ~I 20 Building Needs of San Antonio Public Schools 89 DhTPIBl 1 TO OF . C RF \ T IO lllCJ[ ~C IIOOL .OLORED d) TABLE XI. DI TRIB TION OF SCORE E IOR HIGH CHOO >­ g Pool I 10 I 1-0­--E. Library -1-20 I 14 .f. 'tu Cf) s 0 0 P::: c :§ (..) < ........ cd·0 CLl 0. Cf) .....,; ,..... Cf) s 0 0 P::: CLl -~ ;:.. ~ CLl Cf) ........ cd ~ CLl i:: CLl 0 ......< "'"" > Cf) s 0 0 P::: i:: ·3 cd !:::: Cf) ·a "§ "'Cl < ~ "'"" > CLl ~ 0 (..) Cf) ~ 0 t-< Maximum Score I100 I 160 I 22S I20S I 35 I 90 Jl25 I 60 No. SO-Grant I 48 I 84 I 4.s 1116T151_6_12ll-6 ­ l,OOQ__ 341 No. S2-Brackenridge I 22 I so I 36 I 78 I 10 I 2 1-71-4 No. SS-Cuney I 62 1128 1101 1146 1 20 1 s 1· 3s r11 209 Sl4 No. 56-B. T. Washington I 62 1129 1100 1116 I 20 I s T401ll"l No. S7-Dunbar I 28 I 57 IlilJllOl_O_l_O_j_Ore) Sl6 236 TABLE XIII. DISTRIBUTION OF MAJOR CORES ON SAN ANTONIO JUNIOR HIGH SCHOO COLORED 2 if) .....,; bJl i:: ;.a '§ p:i ~ s 2 (/} ;;.., Cf) CLl (..) ·;; ~ CLl Cf) ......< ~ Cf) s 0 0 P::: i:: ·3 ;g·0 CLl P::: ~ 0 s 0 0 ~ ~ cd 0 ~ Cf) s 0 0 ~ ~ cd 0 ........ cd·0 CLl 0. Cf) > Cf) s 0 0 P::: CLl -~ ;... ~ CLl Cf) ~ ~ CLl i:: CLl 0 ......< :.,..... s 0 0 0 P::: i:: ·3 cd ~ ·a "§ "'Cl ~ ......< "'"":;..... CLl ~ 0 (..) Cf) ~ 0 t-< ~Iaximum S ore 100 lSO I 2so I 160 I 130 I lSO 60 I 1,000 o. 70-Dougla 33 76 I 86 I 82 I 31 I 33 8 I 349 T \BLE I\. DI THIIH TIO OF 1 \JOR .OHE' 0 A TO . E fOR IIIGII , CIIOO OLORED l\1aximum Score o. 86 \\ lwatlt•y bf) i::: ~ :::: ·- i:Q ~ ci CJ) s <1.l ':;) ;..., Cf) <1.l .~ ;... <1.l "" en .....; ~ E 0 0 i:i::: i::: .~ ~ ·u <1.l i:i::: 0 "" If) s 0 c ~ .E ::::: 100 I 155 I 270 I 11.5 .56 f 1:36 I l87T I20 If! t:. s c 0 0 0 If) i:i::: P::: s <1.l i::: 0 0 .~ .g ... "" o:l ~ <1.l "" o:l .t:: Cf) ·2If) 0 c;; ........ <1.l '§ o:l <1.l "" 0 '(3 i::: "" "O (.) <1.l <1.l -<"" Cf) c.. (.) Cf) c;; H ~ 0 ..; E--< > > lJ.0 110 50 I 1000, I 66 56 20 I Ml CHAPTER II BUILDING NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO AS INDICATED BY THE PRESENT SCHOOL POPULATION AND ITS PROBABLE GROWTH Table XV compares the scholastic census for white children in San Antonio, that is ages 6 to 17, inclusive, by census districts for the years 1924-25, 1929-30, 1934-35, 1935-36 and the probable number of children in each district for the year 1940-41. The year 1924-25 shows 35,134 children; 1929-30 shows 41,987; 1934-35, 49,417; and 1935-36, 50,220. The average growth per year for the eleven-year period is 1,371. The largest increase was the five-year period 1929-34, when the increase for the period was 7,430, or an average of 1,480 per year, and is accounted for in large part by the fact that the census age was changed from seven to six during that period. For the eleven-year period 1924-35, the census increase was 15,086, or 43 per cent. If 4,000 children be taken off the figure for 1935-36 {and the number of six-year-olds for the year 1934-35 was 4,209) we still have an increase of 11,086, or 31% per cent. This would seem to indicate an approximate increase per year of something like 3 per cent. In University of Texas Bulletin No. 2845: A Study of the Building Needs of the San Antonio Senior High Schools, a table is given on page 9 which shows the census increase over a twelve-year period before the age was reduced to six years. The average increase, according to this table, is 3.9 per cent per year. On the basis of these figures and considerations, an effiort has been made in the next to the last column of Table XV to estimate the probable census of the various census districts for the year 1940-41, and the last column gives the per cent increase over the present in each of the districts. It is believed that this represents a conservative estimate as to the number of children that must be provided for during the next five-year period. In round numbers, it is 57,000 white chil­dren, or a tbtal increase of 13.4 per cent over the present year. TABLE HO\\ TI I FOR FI\ E YEAR PERIOD BY CE Sl S DISTRI ~T (Data from up rintcndcnt's Office, Whit · Only) Probable Ccnsu5 1910 41 For chool \ear,, Pcr cent nu Over Di-.trit:t 192 25 1929-30 l2 1,177 18.0 2l. 832 1,:H8 1,968 1,990 2.S05 25.9 25. 685 129 511 S21 •116 1'1.4 26. 926 1,.36;) 1,767 l,82:3 2,228 22.2 27. 1,138 1,22:3 1,6:36 1,586 1, 76 12.0 28. 611 761 821 818 915 I J.'1 29. :30. 1.361 9:)7 308 uo:3 ;337 1,1Hl 291 l,177 281 1.227 3.4 4.3 :31. 11:3 1,219 1,805 1,770 2,225 25.7 .32. 669 3,111 ·I. 12:3 tJ,:382 5, 112 2:3.S :33. 1,121 1,167 981 1,170 1,190 1.7 31. 730 U2-t 1,182 1,557 .31.7 '1 otal 3:> 131 11 987 19.117 S0,220 r.:6.9:>8 1:3.it Children of Various Age Group The scholastic census, which was taken in March, 1934, of chil­dren who were of ages 6 to 17, inclusive, as of September 1, 1934, enumerates 49,417 white persons. Of these 26,926 were of ages 6 to 11, inclusive, 13,571 were 12 to 14, inclusive, and 8,920 were 15 to 17, inclusive. There were 31,805 who were 8 to 14 inclusive, that is, of compulsory attendance age. The average membership in 46 The University of Texas Bulletin all the public schools for white children for the month ending March 8, 1935, was as follows: 6 to 11 years of age 22,o:n 12 to 14 year of age 10,il 19 15 to 17 years of age 5,735 Parochial and private schools reported a membership on May 15, 1935 (a few minor schools not yet reported), as follows: 6 lo 11 years of age 2,609 ] 2 to 14 years of ag 1,159 15 to 17 years of age '161 These data account for 24,646 children of ages 6 to 11 of the 26,926 of these ages on the census rolls. If the membership figures for the periods taken be accepted as average memberships, we find a potential load of 2,280 children in excess of those for which it has thus far been necessary to provide facilities. In other words, 10 per cent of the children of these ages do not, on an average attend any school. The data also account for 11,608 children of ages 12 to 14, leaving a potential burden upon the buildings which they do not now have of 1,963, or 19 per cent. The data also account for 6,199 of the 8,920 who are 15 to 17, leaving 1,721 to represent the potential burden increase, or 30 per cent. When these figures are taken into account in connection with the more general census figures, as given in Table XVI, it is clear that San Antonio's burden of providing building room for her growing school population is a perennial one and one that will involve thousands of dollars outlay from year to year, even if we assume that the present facilities are adequate. In another part of this report, the shortage of building facilities for those now attending school is clearly set forth. (See Chapter III.) In general, the increase in school population appears to be taking place in the western, southwestern and northwestern portions of the city, particularly in the Mexican areas. The problem has been complicated for the school officials by the presence of relief stations in the Mexican section of the city. There is a tendency for Mexican families, being of a hospitable disposition, to take in their kins­people in need of relief in order that they may be near relief stations. This has resulted in great overcrowding in living quarters and much overcrowding in play territory and elbow room because of the tendency to crowd a great number of houses on a small lot. This tendency has produced very great problems of health and sanitation. In certain sections of the Mexican quarter it has also, of course, greatly over-burdened the schools in these districts. A typical school in this class is the Navarro No. 8 where conditions have become almost intolerable because of the sheer numbers of children enrolled and the lack of adequate sanitary and playground facilities to take care of them. Similar conditions have been found by the survey staff in other schools in this section of the city. San Antonio may expect to be hard pressed to provide suitable sanitary building quarters for its school children and, should the city fail to meet its obligation in this connection as it arises, an impossible situation is sure to develop within the next few years. E ll IERATTO FOR 1931~35, , \ IO, TE \ T\BLE VI. IIOL (Data from official files) White Ailor cl M F \1 F Total n111nliPr of childr ·n 6 )'Pars of age 2,123 2,086 150 130 Total n11mbPr of childr n 7 )Pars of agl' 2.2.)S 2,2'18 12'1 157 Total numb r of chilclren 8 )<'ar.· of ag<' 2,285 2.21'1 1'18 142 Total numb ·r of children 9 years of age 2,257 2,:~14 151 H2 Total numb r of childr ·n 10 )'<'ar of age 2,277 2,:B.1 1:39 158 Total numb r of childr n l 1 y ars of age 2,278 2.216 155 154 Total number of childr n 12 year of age 2,416 2,:n9 149 153 Total number of ·hildren 13 year of ag 2,236 2,207 150 154 Total numb r of children 11 year of age 2,161 2,142 154 149 Total number of childr n 15 year of age 1,679 1,707 139 137 Total numher of childr n 16 years of age 1,523 1,518 llO 149' Total numhPr of children 17 year of ag 1,279 l,21·1-96 121 Totals 24,779 240,638 1,668 1,746 Crand total numher of children 6 to ] 7 y ar of age, inclu._i,e, both white and colored, 52,831. The natural growth will necessitate the erection of one or more large buildings each year and the present overcrowded condition suggests pointedly that there should be an outlay of several millions of dollars to catch up with the situation which has developed during the depression period. As usually is the case, the greatest pressure of need is in the elementary schools, the second need is in the junior schools and in Sydney Lanier and Technical High. Age-Grade Distribution Table XVII is an age-grade distribution of white children in the elementary schools of San Antonio. The ages are taken as of September 1, 1934, and the grades as of April 10, 1935. It is assumed that 6 and 7 are normal ages for children in the first grade, 7 and 8 for the second grade; and so on through the five grades. Children whose ages were below these normal ages for the respective grades are under-age and those who are older would be considered over-age. It is to he noted that there are relatively few who are under-age and many who are over-age. The table does not indicate, hut the reports on which the table was based indicated 54 children in the first grade who are under six years. The table shows 2,44 7 who are over-age in the first grade, or nearly 32 per cent. The overageness in one case is nine years, with large numbers one, two, three and four years over-age. In the second grade, 1.8 per cent are under-age while 45 per cent are over-age, with large numbers one to four years over-age. In the third grade, 2.5 per cent are under-age, while 46 per cent are over­age. In the fourth grade, nearly 4 per cent are under-age, and 43 per cent over-age. In the fifth grade, 5 per cent are under-age and 41 per cent over-age. TABLE XVII. AGE-GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF CHILDREN IN THE ELEMENTARY CIIOOLS OF SAN ANTONIO ON APRIL 10, 1935 (Data from office of uperintendent of School ) Age 1 2 3 4 5 Total Grade 6 .-----------------2,982 I 87 3,069 7 ---------------2,295 1,120 109 2 3,526 8 T,l2ll 1,337 1,0~2 153 5 3,698 9 619 923 1,189 1,022 I 169 3,922 10 348 540 786 1,100 I:062 3,776 11 192 292 562 731 I 1,076 2,853 12 ................ --98 204 342 523 ~ 1,916 16 13 --------------42 87 185 296 473 1,083 14 -----.. 22 27 96 138 250 533 15 4 11 20 58 72 165 ~-·----------1 2 3 13 16 35 17 ............................ 1 6 7 18 1 1 Totals 7,724 4,630 4,374 4,037 3,819 24,584 This condition in San Antonio, which represents an overageness far in excess of the normal for the cities of the country as a whole, is no doubt due in large part to the presence of children of Mexican descent. It suggests two things for the consideration of the board in making future building plans. In the first place, opportunity rooms should be provided for limited enrollment and in charge of teachers specially trained, if not in every school then in central schools distributed in areas where overageness is found to a maximum de­gree. In the second place, it suggests that provisions should be made in some of the buildings, if not in all, for courses in citizen­ship, arts and crafts, and other types of hand work that will interest the older children of Mexican extraction. Some of this type of work was found in elementary schools, but the practice should be extended. The condition not only affects building needs, but complicates the playground problems. The greater the spread of ages, the greater the need for differentiated play activities to meet the needs and interests of the various age groups. Where school buildings are located now, or in the future can be located, in proximity to city play and recreation parks, these might be used for school play purposes and thereby serve effectively both the schools and the purposes of the recreation department. The board would do well to develop a plan and a definite policy with respect to securing adequate sites suitably located and of financing from year to year buildings to house the children of the elementary grades. Principles that should guide in the selection of sites and standards that should be adhered to in the erection of buildings are set forth in Chapter I of this report. TABLE XVIII. E ROLLMENT AND P I lI NAMES FOil MAHCll, 1927, AS CO 1P RED WITII MA , 1931·, FOR ELEMENT HY CIIOOLS OF A NTONIO (Dala from uperintendoot's Offic , Whites Only) March, 1927 May, 1934 Ludents Students wilh with School Enroll-, panish Per cent Enroll­Spanish Per cent Number ments Names Spani h ments Names panish 1 350 338 96.5 567 528 93.0 2 369 363 64.0 656 449 68.4 3 -------267 131 4.S.O 55 5 9.0 4 ---------------578 223 37.3 540 245 45.3 5 378 256 67.7 743 631 85.0 6 347 13 3.7 402 9 2.0 7 618 599 97.0 1,324· l,054 80.0· 8 -1,311 1,311 100.0 1,855 1,802 97.0 9 ----------------926 738 79.0 1,389 1,058 76.0 10 597 197 33.3 652 269 4.i.o 11 -------------1,015 659 65.0 1,405 1,123 80.0 12 -------------331 70 21.0 395 127 32.0 13 574 65 11.3 644 61 9.0 14 ---------------409 160 31.1 527 274 52.0 15 ----------------509 210 41.5 650 296 45.7 16 ------------------356 42 11.0 426 38 9.0 17 ----------------310 127 40.9 '1A4 179 40.0 18 ------------------352 56 15.1 394 93 23.0 19 ---------··-------666 450 67.0 1,078 855 79.0 20 -----------------591 19 5.4 626 18 3.0 21 ---------------___ l,383 1,355 98.5 2,339 2,306 98.5 22 ----------570 46 8.0 616 66 10.7 23 ---------------337 30 9.0 498 20 4.0 24 618 276 44·.6 671 317 47.0 25 203 203 100.0 257 257 100.0 26 -----------583 37 6.0 817 9 1.0 27 ----------976 283 30.0 1,235 560 45.~ 28 360 8 2.0 328 20 6.0 29 ----------------107 16 15.0 183 31 19.0 30 -----------·-598 153 25.0 659 220 3:rn 31 ----------------303 107 35.0 681 44.2 65.0 32 -----------1,112 1,112 100.0 2,032 1,786 88.0 33 -379 313 82.0 602 529 88.0 34 ---------------142 14· 10.0 535 22 4.0 35 -------------94 3 3.0 36 401 4,7 11.7 37 ---------191 32 17.0 38 181 42 24.:~ 39 111 12 10.0 Totals __ 18,383 9,980 54.2 27,203 15,838 57.0 CHAPTER Ill SPECIAL DEFICIENCIES AND NEEDS IN SAN ANTONIO'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS San Antonio, like most cities whose school system has grown up over a long period of years, shows wide variation in the adequacy and condition of its different school plants. This variation is par­ticularly noticeable in the elementary schools. There are good sites and poor sites; sites that are adequate in size, excellent in form, and well drained and at least acceptably surfaced; and sites that are cramped, disfigured, guttered, muddy, stony, and in other ways inferior for school use. There are good buildings and poor ones; buildings that are modern, safe, sanitary, well-lighted, and beautiful to look upon; and other buildings that are ugly, crowded, unsanitary and unsafe. Not all sites and buildings, to be sure, can be equally desirable. To make them so would require demolish­ment of all older ones as fast as new ones are built-an impossible program. But the minimum requirements of adequacy, safety, and sanitation can be met, in every school, and must be if the educa· tional program offered is fair and adequate. I. Conditions in Elementary School Sites Table XIX sets forth certain basic data concerning the sites of the various elementary school plants. Points emphasized are (1) size, in square feet of free site area per child, and (2) form, in terms of possible play areas of satisfactory size and shape. Size is represented in this table in terms of free site area per child belonging. By free site area is meant the area in square feet remaining after subtracting from the total site area the portion of that area that is occupied by permanent buildings. In a number of schools, mainly those shown here as overcrowded, the free site area is still further reduced by scattered temporary or portable structures. Thus the total site area of School No. 1 (Margil) is 32,994 square feet, and the occupied area is 11,376 square feet. The difference, 21,618 square feet, is the free site area at this school. The number of children belonging on February 15, 1935, was 569. Dividing this number into the free site area gives a quotient of 38 square feet of free site area per child belonging. TABLE XI . ITE ANALY IS OF ELEMENTARY en OLS qnar · feel fr<'• site area per School ame Form child belonging No l Margil ____ ------------------------____ Broken ___________ _ 38 No. 2 Au stin ___ ___ ____ ____ ____ _ __ __ _____ Broken ____ -------------------------112 No. 3 Tynan ___ ·---·-----·-Excellent _----------------------_ 865 No. 4 1ilam _____ ---------------------------__ Fair ·----------· --···----------------266 No. 5 Burnett _ __ __ ----------------____ Broken, bad ----------------------53 No. SA-Burnett Annex -------·--------_ Good ·--_---· --· ------------------400 No. Lamar _____ ----------------------------------Good _-----------------------------455 No. 7-Johnson ---· --------------------------------Fair __ --------------------62 No. 8-Na varro ---------------------------------------Broken ------------------------------45 No. 9-Bowie ------------------------------Broken -----------------------------99 No.10-Bonham ---------------------------Broken _ ---------·------86 No.11-Crockett. ·---------------------------------Broken _____ ------------61 o. 12 Fannin ------------------------------Broken _ _ ____ _ 193 o. 13 Travis _ -----------------Fair 171 o. 1 elson _________ ---------____ ---------Fair ----------------191 o. 15-Smith . ___ -----------___ . Broken 125 No.16-E. Brackenridge --------_ _ _ _ _ Good 217 No. 17-Harris _ --------------------------Broken 224 No.18-Herff _ ___ ----___ Fair 216 No. 19-Briscoe _ .. ----------------------Brok n . __ ------------78 o. 20-Collon Good 261 No. 21-J. T. Brackenridge ___ ____ Broken ---------------------60 No. 22-Beacon Hill _________ -------------------___ Cood _ --------------374 ro. 23-Riverside _____ --·-· -------------------. Fair 149 o. 24--Ilillcrest _______ ---------------------___ _ Fair . 119 No. 25-Gonzales ----------------------------Broken ______ --------------199 No. 26-Ilighland Park Good 245 No. 27-Collins Garden ----------------------------Fair 196 o. 28-R. B. Green ____ -------_ Broken _ _ _ __ _ _ 241 N ). 29 -McKiiJey _ ___ _ _ _ _ Good 566 o. 30 R. E. Lee _ ____ -----------___ Fair _ _ _____ __ 255 No. 31-lra Ogden ----------Good 206 o. 32 Barkley ___ -------__ Broken 51 o. 33 Hood ------------------------Broken 87 o. 3 Woodlawn ---------_ _ Excellent 253 To. 35-Fenwick _________ ---------· Excellent __ --------1,539 o. 36-Ivanhoe _ _ _ ___ _ _ Excellent 465 No. 37-Graebner Excellent 1,093 ·o. 38-teele --------------Excellent 748 • o. 39-W. J. Knox Fair 74,7 o. 40 Durango treet Good 92 Colored o.50 Grant Good 193 . ·o. 52 Brackenridge Broken 303 o.57 -Dunbar _ ------------------------_Fair 468 o.55 Cuney Good 189o.56 B. T. Wa. hinglon Good 225 From 100 to 200 square feet of free site area per child is gen­erally regarded as acceptable for elementary school purposes; less than 100 square feet is inadequate; more than 200 square feet is desirable, but not essential. With these standards in mind, the various sites may be classified as follows: Whit olored Tynan (3), ~lilam (<1), Lamar (6), E. Brackenridge (16), Harri (17), IIerfI (18), Cotton (20). B aeon Hill (22), High­ Brackenridg (52) Dc-.irable land Park (26), Gre n (28), Dunbar (57) ~kKinl y (29), Lee (30), Ogden B. T. Wa,hington (56) (31) oodlawn (31), Fenwi k (35), Ivanhoe (36), Graehner (37), t cle (38), Knox (39) Au-.tin (2), Burnett Annex (5 \), Bowie (9), Fannin (12), Tra\i~ Acceptable (13 l, 1\ Lon (14), mith (15), Grant (50) Ifo r,..,ide (23), Hiller st (21), Cuney (55) Gonzale~ (25) ollin Garden (27) \Iargil (1), Burnett (5), John­ son (7), l avarro (8), Bonham Inud quutc (10), ~rockelt (11), Bri o (19), J. T. Brackenridg' (21), Barkl y (32), Ilood (33), Du­ rango Street (40) Eleven of the "white" schools and no "colored" schools fall into the class with inadequate sites; i. e., with noticeably less than 100 square feet of play area per child. Of these Bonham (10), Hood (33), and Durango Street ( 40) schools are rather close to the line. Margil (1) , Navarro (8) , and Barkley ( 32) are very far below the line. By form is meant the shape of the free site areas: whether they are cut into by buildings and encroaching property so as to preclude large play fields; or whether they are available in large, usable units. Here the sites have been classified as "good," "fair," and "broken"; the last term being applied where the available play space is cut up into small, unusable areas by the intrusion of buildings or adjoining property. The classification is based on the opinion of the surveyors, and is liberal. Good White Tynan (3), Burnett \mh'. (5\), Lam a r (6), E. Brack 'nriclge (16), Cotton (20), Beacon II ill (22), ITighlancl Park (26), l\lc­1· inlcy (29), Ogden (31), Wood­hwn (34), Fenwick (35), lvan­hoc (36), Graelrner (37), St 'clc (38) Colored Cuney (55) B. T. Washington (56) Fair \lilam (tJ..), Johnson (7), Fannin (]2), Travis (13), elson (H}, Jlerff (18), Rivccide (23), llill­crc ' l (21 .), Collins Gardens (27), Lee (30), Knox (39), Durango Street (40) Dunbar (57) Grant (50) largil (1), Auslin (2), Burnell (5), Navarro (8), Bowie (9), Bonham (10), Crockett (11), Broken ' milh (15), Harri (17), Bris-Brackcnridg (52) roe (19), J. T. Brackenridge (21), Gonzales (25), Green (28), Barkley (32), Hood (33). Comparison shows that the elementary school sites in San Antonio are even less satisfactory in form than in size. Fifteen white schools and one colored school are seriously deficient from this point of view. Eight of the ten sites found to be too small are also deficient in form. The exceptions are Johnson (7), and Durango Street (40), which are described as fair in form. On the other hand, Harris (17) and Green (28), which were classified as desirable from the standpoint of size, are so broken up by buildings and indentations as to be comparatively useless for play purposes. The same deficiency in form is found at Austin (2), Bowie (9), Smith (15) , and Gonzales (25) ; although all of these sites were described as "acceptable" in size. Among the sites for colored elementary schools, only that of Brackenridge (52) is seriously defective in form. Deficiencies in form for playgroud purposes may be due to (1) invasion of the play areas by scattered or irregular buildings, (2) too small sites for the building or buildings contained thereon, or (3) irregular boundaries caused by indentation of surrounding private property. At least fourteen of the sites of the white ele­mentary schools are reduced in area and efficiency because of scattered buildings. These are Margil (1), Austin (2), Burnett (5), Navarro (8), Bowie (9), Crockett (11), Fannin (12), Nelson (14), Smith ( 15), Harris (17), J. T. Brackenridge ( 18), Gonzales (25), Barkley (32), and Hood (33). Among the schools for colored, Brackenridge ( 52) belongs in this same list. The fault is usually due to scattered temporary structures or to the retention of obsolete old buildings on the same site with newer structures. The remedy is (1) to remove the interfering structures by (a) re­ducing membership in the schools affected or (b) expanding the newer structures in such a way as to preserve play areas, or (2) to purchase adjacent property so as to enlarge the site. Specific recommendations in line with these suggestions will appear below. External indentations of site affect play areas adversely in ten schools. These are Margil ( 1) , Austin ( 2) , Johnson ( 7), Bonham (I0) , Travis (13) , Briscoe ( 19) , J. l'. Brackenridge ( 21) , Hillcrest (24), Green (28), Hood (33). The remedy here is the purchase of the property which causes the disfigurement, and its inclusion in the play areas. As to condition, the sites vary widely. The minimum standards call for a sandy loam surface, graded to drain rapidly away from the building and play areas. In flat areas at least, under-surface drainage should be provided. From these standpoints, a few of the sites may be classified as satisfactory. In most of them, how­ever, drainage is poor; even, in cases, toward the buildings. At a number of schools, such as Lamar ( 6) , Travis (13) , Gonzales ( 23), Knox (39), and Durango Street ( 40) ,-which were visited by the surveyors on wet days-much mud and standing water were found. It is probable that much of the settling and cracking observed in the foundations of numerous buildings is due in part to bad site drainage. A number of the sites are on good natural soil, and need only proper grading and drainage. In others, the soil is such that they are not usable in wet weather. Some of these have been partially surfaced, with gravel or tarvia, but usually the surfaced areas are inadequate and in poor repair. The sites should be put in such condition as to be available for use in all weather. 2. Conditions in Elementary School Buildings Table XX presents a summary of certain general facts concerning the elementary school buildings. The facts include the number of children belonging per classroom, the kinds of special service 56 The University of Texas Bulletin TABLE X". BLILDI G AN LY I' F ELEMENTARY CU OLS. White Children belonging per class­Propor-Propor- No. Name room (in-pecial tion tion Old Wor t Features cluding Rooms Tempo-Fashioned tempo-rary rarie ) 1. Margil 41 T, II, L. Stairs; size of rooms; lighting. 2. Auslin 39 A-C, T, IL 10/17 Concentration of wood stairs; no artificial light in 2 rooms; too little elsewhere. 3. Tynan 19 T,L, Mu. 4. Milam 36 A-C, T, H, L. 5. Burnett 38 T, L. 2/11 Remodelled Ba ·cm nt op ning into corridor; no firedoor; out-door toilcl . SA. B. Annex 38 T,II,L. ______ Remodelled 6. Lamar 30 , T, II. Cafeteria Trees clo e to building. 7. Johnson 49 T, II, L. 4/11 tove-h ated, unlight d portable , walls soiled; floor bad; over­crowded. 8. Navarro 50 C, T,L. 6/37 12/37 Old building and portahl crowded. over­ 9. Bowie 45 A-C, T, II, L, M. 3/22 Cottage horrible; firetrap; over-c r o w d e d; sub-basement class­ rooms; out-door toilet . 10. Bonham 35 A-C, T, II, L. 1/17 8/17 Portable; good outside concrete stair. 11. Crockett 42 A-C, T,H,L. 15/31 Ba m nt cla sroom ; n arrow, off-ize cla ·room ' ; no lights up-stair , old part. 12. Fannin 27 A-C, T, II, Cafeteria 2/3 Inside tairs to boiler room, and L,Mu. storage no fire door. Wide cla rooms, badly lighted. Frame cafeterias, stove heat. Wood stairs concen­trated. 13. Travis 32 -C, T, H,L. Building good. 14. Nelon 36 A-C,T,H. Cafeteria 4/14 Lack covered connections and walks. Out-door toilet . Portable cafeteria. 15. mith 33 A-C, T, H, L. Cafeteria 8/16 Stove heated cafeteria. Wood corridors and lairs, old part. Good play shed. 16. E. Bracken-30 \-C, T, IC, ridge ELE;\1E T RY Ti\BLE \.. Children belonging per clas -Propor-Propor­ o. Nam room (in-. p cial tion tion Old Worst F atures eluding Room T mpo-Fashioned tempo-rary rari ) 17. Harri 33 . T. II, II. 4/12 Ba. ement toilets, no inside con­nections, dark and inaccessible. Wood stairs and corridor, old structure. 18. Ilerff 33 A-C, T, II, L. 4/11 Bad foundation; narrow wood stair together at one end, old part, no others. Fire hazard. 19. Bri coe 37 A-C, T, L. 13/25 Bad lighting, old part; no arti­ficial light. Narrow wood stairs; fire hazard. 20. Cotton 26 -C, T, H, L. Good, new. 21. J. T. Brack­44 I,A,C,T,H,Kg. 8/41 7I 41 Lack central heat and artificial enridge light in old and portables. 22. Beacon Hill 32 L, M, -C, T, 6/17 Good condition. H,Kg. 23. River ide 36 L, ,T.II Kg. A-C 8/13 Lighting on narrow side of cen­tral cla. rooms on outh side of old tructure. Should supplement now, and abandon when possible. N eel permanent structure for A-C. 21. Hillcrest 37 L, , T II, Kg. 25. Gonzales 29 II, Kg. 5/7 2/7 W h o 11 y un ati factory; should replace; walk needed. Lack special features. 26. IIi1:d1land 31 L. :\1, -C. T, Wall badly cracked; wor t seen; Park II, K~. foundation . 27. Collin 37 L, -C, T, II, 8/28 Floor~ in old part bad. Garden Kg. 28. R. B. Green 28 I, L, \. , T, H, Good ondition. Kg. Woodwork 29. McKinl y 30 K~. 1/5 paration of 5th grad in tem­porary structure. Lacks p cial f atures. 30. Lee 34 L, A-, P, T, Good ondition. H, Kg, V.I. 31. Ogden 42 L. \. , T, H, Good condition. Kg. 58 Children belonging per class­ No. ame room {in-pecial cluding Rooms tempo­raries) 32. Barkley 47 L, C, T, H, Kg. 33. Hood 52 L, T,Kg. 34. Woodlawn 27 L, A-C, T, II, Kg. 35. Fenwick 22 T, H,Kg. 36. Ivanhoe 57 T, II, Kg. 37. Graebner 15 M, T, H, Kg. 38. Steele 27 LT, H,Kg. 39. Knox 33 ----------­ 40. Durango 41 A,H Kg. Street 50. Grant 32 L, ~\-C, H, Kg. 52. Brackenridge 7 L, , II, Kg. 57. Dunbar 16 55. Cuney 37 L, .\-C, T, H, Kg. 56. B. T. Wa.h-37 L, \I, A-C, H, ington Kg. , Cafeteria \ -C Auel-af t ria T Teach r II-Ilcalth L-Library QI< ELl~ME TAHY Propor-Propor­tion tion Old Worst Feature Tempo-Fashioned rary c. 12/32 Light ob truction from wings in 4 room . Seclu ion and sanita­tion of toilet bad. Portable cafe­teria of little u e. 6/14 8/14 Out id l o i l t ; blackboards. Lack of aved : c hools 11, 32 (5) Relieved Schools 19, 24 (3) Relieved chools 24, 27 (6) Relieved chools 11, 21, 32 coterminous with the attendance districts. It is recommended that in future these districts be made identical. In the absence of such data, the surveyors have had to fall back on the records of the "number belonging" in each school, which fortunately are available for the last ten-year period. (See Table XXL) From 1924-25 to 1934-35, the "number belonging" in the ele­mentary schools of San Antonio increased 69 per cent. During the first five years, the increase was 37 per cent over the number be­longing in 1924-25, and during the second five years it was 23 per cent over the number in 1929-30. In the city as a whole, the per cent of increase in number belonging in the elementary schools has been only a little better than half as great since 1930 as in the period from 1925 to 1930. Turning to the twelve overcrowded schools on the central west side, and adding two new schools-Ivanhoe (36) and Durango Street ( 40) -recently opened in this area, we find that the increase in number belonging over the last ten years has been 115 per cent. From 1925 to 1930 it was 44 per cent, and from 1930 to 1935 it was 49 per cent. In these schools, the growth has been almost twice as rapid as for the city as a whole, and has been more rapid during the second than during the first five-year interval. The problem of overcrowding, except for a few isolated cases, is clearly centered in this area. Even in these schools, conditions are uneven. In Bowie ( 9) and J. T. Brackenridge (21) there was an actual loss in number be­longing between 1930 and 1935. The latter's loss is explained by the recent opening of Durango Street School ( 40) in its neighbor­hood. At Austin (2) , Johnson ( 7) , Navarro (8) , Ogden (31), and Barkley (32), the gains during the period have been greatly in excess of the average gain for the city. In all others, the gains have been high. In suggesting remedies, it will help to consider first the outlying schools of this group. With respect to Austin (2), where the build­ing is overcrowded and where there is no surplus of site space, it is suggested that attendance district boundary lines be so altered as to throw some of the children into Schools 13 and 16. Austin School has grown nearly one-third in five years. Eleanor Bracken­ridge (16) has considerable excess of site for its present enroll­ment. Six or eight classrooms could be added here, to relieve Austin and provide for future growth. The site at Austin School should also be squared out by the purchase of intruding properties, and four to six rooms added. Further changes of attendance boundary lines to the south and east would throw into this school children from Hood ( 33) and Margi! ( 1) . There is also need for expansion of building at Ogden ( 31) and Ivanhoe (36). Both have abundant site area. At least four addi­tional classrooms are needed at Ogden, and six at Ivanhoe, to meet their own present needs. The possibility of further expansion of these schools, to bring relief to schools east of them, is suggested below. We now come to the center of the problem. What should be done to relieve overcrowded conditions, both in sites and buildings, at Schools 1, 7, 8, 11, 21, 32, 33 and 40? All are schools which have increased greatly in numbers during the past ten years. Schools 7, 8, and 33 have grown more than any other schools in the system since 1929-30. Present belongings and facilities at these schools are: Room pace for With Without Belonging Portable Portables itc pare for Margil (1) 569 500 500 216 Johnson (7) 1,095 836 532 700 Navarro (8) 1,9'11 HM 1,212 850 Crockett (11) 1,.125 1,178 1,178 BM .T. T. Brack nriclgc (21) 1,838 1,558 1,251 1.100 Barklev (32) 1,511 ].216 1,216 775 Iloocl (3.)) 741 532 301 650 Duran1,?;o (10) 782 725 72S 725 Total 9,802 7,989 6,921 5,8:)0 Study of these figures indicates a present need of additional site space for 4000 children. At the minimum satisfactory standards this would mean 400,000 square feet, in addition to area needed for expansion to plant. If present portables be eliminated, additional classrooms should be provided for about 3,000 children; if they be retained, for about 2,000. A minimum of fifty to seventy-five new classrooms is required to meet present needs. It must also be kept in mind that the number of children in this area has more than doubled in ten years and the growth has been almost constant in that period. Future need must be considered, at least in provision for sites. Fortunately, property in most of this area is not ex­tremely expensive. This expansion of school building sites might be regarded as something of an investment for the Board of Education. Original purchase price should not be exorbitant. So long as population continues congested in this section as at present, the sites will be utilized. Should population trends change, to reduce the need, they could be placed on the market at probably a higher price than they cost. This section will always be a part of the municipal area, to be used for residences or businesses. Any change that could take place in the occupancy of the area will probably enhance the value of land therein. The important thing to emphasize is that, of the parts of a school plant, sites are much more likely to be marketable than buildings. Liberal expenditure in this direction is recom­mended, because it is needed, and because there is so little chance of large loss. Several alternatives for handling the problem of these schools suggest themselves. One is to ~xpand site and building as needed at each. Another is to expand sites, and add temporary structures sufficient to accommodate the overflow at each school. Well-heated and lighted temporaries would provide better school accommoda­tions than many of the old buildings now in use. Their great dis­advantage is the site space that they consume. A third plan would be to establish one or two entirely new school plants in this area. A fourth is to develop accommodations at outlying schools,-such as 13, 16, 19, 31, and 36-and by shifting attendance boundary lines and even providing transportation, take children away from these congested schools, even if they continue residence in the districts. At least two of these schools-Navarro (8) and J. T. Bracken­ ridge (21 )-are too large for efficient administration. They should be reduced to not more than 1,500 attendants each, and, if possible, to numbers that can be accommodated in their present permanent buildings, and all temporary structures removed. At Johnson ( 7) the enrollment should be reduced to around 600, in order that the temporary structures here may be eliminated and site space con­ served. Margil School ( 1) should be reduced to 400 children, and the building remodeled to acconunodate only that number. Here again, all temporary structures should be removed. To compensate for these reductions and to provide for the general overflow, some at least of the remaining schools must he enlarged or additional new schools provided. Ogden (31) and Ivanhoe (36) possess site space to accommodate schools of 1,200 and 1,500, re· spectively. The problem, of course, is that of getting the children to these schools if they were enlarged to these proportions. A general migration of families out of the congested districts into these is hardly to be hoped for. The only feasible plan for using these schools to capacity apparently, would be compulsory attend­ance and transportation. Other more central schools where expan­sion is not impossible are Crockett (11), Hood (33), and Durango Street (40). In each of these cases, however, any important enlarge­ment in pupil capacity would mean large additions to sites as well as buildings. But if neither these nor the previous suggestions for expansion are practicable, the only apparent alternative is to provide wholly new schools. In fact, one or two new plants will be needed any way. Ideally, it would seem that a new site and building should be provided in the area between Schools 8, 11, 21 and 33, in the neighborhood of Commerce and Houston Streets. A school for 1,200 to 1,500 children in this area would solve the problem of overcrowding at the four schools mentioned. It is objected, how­ever, that the cost of a new, sufficiently large site here would be prohibitive. A practicable alternative would be the evacuation of Grant School (50) as a school for colored, and its reconstruction as a school for whites. The city school system has purchased an excel­lent site for a new colored school just west of Zarzamorra Street, near Dunbar School. This site is more central than Grant to the west side colored population. A new building for colored erected on this site would release the plant at Grant, as suggested above. Grant could serve to relieve conditions at Schools 9, 11 and 33; and these in turn, with some practicable expansions, could afford relief to Schools 8 and 21. The foregoing suggestions, if carried out, could provide from 50 to 70 additional classrooms; the actual total depending upon the amount of expansion that the board finds it possible to make in the present plants. It should be understood that appropriate increases in auditorium, cafeteria, toilet, clinic, and other special service space, as well as site space will also be provided. The city faces no small task in raising the school accommodations in this section to the minimum demanded by good standards for the present school population, and is also faced with the problem of keeping up with future increases. No small sum of money will suffice for the pur­pose. A considerable increase will also be needed in the teaching staff. 4. Remarks The surveyors are agreed that the most serious deficiencies in the San Antonio school system are to be found in the elementary schools. The space layout and equipment, even in the best of them, provides for a rather meager instructional program. In the poorest, practically nothing is provided for except the fundamental subjects. The range of difference between the best (such as Agnes Cotton) and the poorest (such as Gonzales or Knox) of these schools is startling. San Antonio enjoys the distinction of having one of the finest high school plants in the United States. It also has some of the worst elementary school plants that the surveyors have seen in any city. It is, of course, the privilege of the people of San Antonio to decide for themselves how they shall spend their tax money. But in so doing, they should take into consideration the relative needs of the different sections of the public school system. Is it a defensible policy to deprive elementary school children of essen­tials, and even of safety and health, in order to supply luxurious accommodations for children in the senior high schools? It is also San Antonio's right to decide for itself what relative school accommodations it will provide for different races and peo­ples. To the educator, however, the only recognizable difference is that of need, which is usually greatest among the under-privileged groups. The recommendations of this report have therefore assumed the same basic standards for all elementary schools in the city. 5. Summary The account to this point has been in terms of site and building deficiencies, with the introduction of specific schools as examples. It will help here to summarize the needs and defects of each indi­vidual school. To conserve space, schools where conditions have been found generally satisfactory are omitted from this list. School 1, M argil: Overcrowded site and building. Site area for 216 children; room space for about 500; number belonging, 569. Occupancy of this school should be reduced to 400, with eight classrooms and supplementary space. Building substantial. Needs fireproof stairs and corridors, and repartitioning of rooms to elimi­nate worst features of lighting and ventilation. Artificial lighting facilities need improvement. Lacks practically all educational facilities except classrooms. School 2, Austin: Site area for 750; room space for 650; num­ber belonging, 663. Should add four to six classrooms, to absorb 200 or more children from Margil and Hood. Improvement of artificial lighting in old part. Fireproof replacement of stairs and part of corridors. Also additional stairs in another part of build­ing, or fire escapes. Square out site. School 5, Burnett: Original school overcrowded, both site and building. Expand annex to bring relief. Eliminate outside toilets at original building. Remove portable classrooms to free site area for children's use. Firedoor protection for inside stairs leading to basement. School 7, Johnson: Play space for 700 children; room space for 532, plus 304 in portables; children belonging, 1,095. Should re­move portables to provide play area, or extend site. The present permanent structure will satisfactorily house only half the school, and the site, without the portables, will accommodate only two­thirds. A serious problem. Stove heat, and lack of artificial light­ing in portables. Interior walls badly soiled. School 8, Navarro: Both site and building overcrowded. Play area for 850 children; room space for 1,212, plus 232 in portables; belonging, 1,914. Should double play area, and eliminate 300 children or add to building. Additions to building at different times have usurped needed play space. Bad window lighting and seating arrangements in older structure. Different wings of build­ing off er mutual obstructions to light. Insufficient artificial light in old structure. This school is now too large for efficient manage­ment, and offers one of the most difficult problems in the system. School 9, Bowie: Site area for 950; room space for 687, plus 114 in temporary structure; belonging, 964. Building over­ crowded. Outdoor toilets in bad condition. No hand washing facilities. Frame cottage now housing three classrooms and nurses' quarters one of worst fire hazards in system. Building cracking badly in old portion. School 10, Bonham: Square out site by purchase of intruding property. School 11, Crockeu: Both site and building overcrowded. Site space for 814; rooms for 1,178; belonging, 1,325. Site should be doubled, and eight or ten classrooms added. Basement toilets need attention; lack air and light. Better artificial lighting facili­ties needed in old part. School 12, Fannin: Concentration of wood stairs and corridors in one end of old structure produces dangerous fire hazard. No fire escapes. Wide classrooms in old structure insufficiently lighted, either naturally or artificially. Inside stairway from basement under wood stairway to second floor. No fire door. The worst f ea tu re here, and the greatest need, concerns the stairs and corridors. School 13, Travis: Play area in front of building low; needs filling, grading and drainage. School 14, Nelson: Middle section of this building is heated by stoves, and inadequately lighted. Foundation trouble in west end of structure. Toilets reported inadequate. This site could be used to much better advantage if old buildings were removed, and the present brick structure expanded eastward to replace them. The site will accommodate a considerably larger school when cleared of these scattered buildings. School 15, Smith: Wood corridors and stairs in old part. Stove heat in cafeteria-auditorium, which is in disconnected frame struc­ture. The play shed at this school is a commendable feature which could well be copied elsewhere. School 16, Eleanor Brackenridge: The worst feature of this school is the bottle-type staircase in the old section. Here two narrow flights of stairs descending halfway from the second to the first floor, discharge into a single narrow central stairway for the rest of the descent. At a time of panic, this arrangement could produce serious consequences. These stairs should be replaced. Space underneath the stairs is used for storage; an intolerable prac­tice. The temporary frame structure housing two classrooms should be removed, and the building expanded to include them. There is aite space here for a larger school. Present building close to over­crowding if portable structure were removed. Should add six or eight classrooms. School 17, Harris: Site bad; low and cramped. The original building and the cafeteria unit should he removed, and the newer unit expanded to replace them. The small site is otherwise entirely inadequate. The toilets in the original building are, to all intents and purposes, outside toilets, since they can only be entered from out-of-doors. Both as to sanitation and accessibility, they are the worst in the system. This old structure has the deficiencies of inadequate lighting and wooden stairs and corridors mentioned frequently above. School 18, Herff: This school presents another serious fire menace in its old-fashioned wood stairways and corridors concen­trated in the west end. There is evidence of foundation trouble. While the play area is large enough for the enrollment, in terms of square feet per pupil, it is somewhat disfigured by the placement and irregular outlines of the building. School 19, Briscoe: Here is a school, crowded to its building capacity, which is too large for its site. It has play area for 735 children, and a "belonging" list of 946. The site should be ex­tended at least by the purchase of the projecting property in the southwest corner. In the original building, natural lighting arrange­ments are not good, and there is no artificial substitute. Some rooms have their only windows on the narrow sides. Narrow wood stairs in this section should also be replaced. School 21, /. T. Brackenridge: Overcrowded in both site and building. Play area for 1,100; room space for 1,254, plus 304 in portables; number belonging, 1,838. Site should be expanded and at least 300 children removed. Stove heat in old part. No artificial light in old part or in portables. For convenience of access, boys' and girls' toilets should be exchanged. Stairs in old portion need replacement. School at present is too large for good management. School 23, Riverside: Central classrooms on south side of old structure offer a serious lighting problem. Windows on narrow side. School 25, Gonzales: Muddy site, needs surfacing and walks. Outside toilets, poor condition. All frame structures should be re­moved and brick structure remodelled and expanded. Present physical plant among worst in the system. School 26, Highland Park: Serious foundation trouble at this school. Walls and floors very badly cracked. Apparently dangerous. Should be examined at once by responsible architect and needed repairs made immediately. Compares favorably with the best ele­mentary school plants in the city except in this particular. School 29, McKinley: Fifth grade separated in frame portable with stove heat. Site here would permit expansion of main structure to include this grade and accommodate four to five hundred more children. This school is not far from Gonzales, and could absorb the Gonzales School if desired. School 31, Ogden: Building overcrowded. Room space for 600, with 675 belonging. Site area sufficient for a school twice its present sire. Add at least four classrooms to meet present needs. Consider further expansion to bring relief to schools east. School 32, Barkley: Overcrowded site and building. Site area for 775 children; room space for 1,216; belonging, 1,511. Portable cafeteria, not much used at present, should be removed to conserve play area. Lighting in some rooms obstructed by close wings of additions to building. No auditorium. The site here should be expanded and the enrollment reduced. School 33, Hood: Another badly overcrowded plant. Site area for 650; room space for 304, plus 228 in portables; number be­longing, 741. Both site and housing accommodations should be doubled to meet local needs and relieve neighboring schools. Out­side toilets. Three portable buildings, some with stove heat. Stove heat in old main structure. Inadequate lighting. Wood stairs. School 36, Ivanhoe: Building overcrowded; room space for 300 children, with 456 belonging. Toilets reported inadequate. Splen, did site here makes possible expansion to almost any probable size of school. At least four new classrooms now needed. Consider further expansion to bring relief to schools east. School 39, Knox: Much like Gonzales. Outside toilets. Build­ings in poor repair. Should be abandoned or completely rebuilt. School 40, Durango Street: Overcrowded. Site space for 725; rooms, all in temporary frame structure, for same number; with 782 belonging. This school represents an interesting innovation in elementary school buildings in San Antonio. It is composed of seven units; each a one-story frame structure. In most rooms light­ing, blackboards, etc., are entirely adequate. Well distributed gas heating units provide direct heat in each room. Except for the play space occupied by these structures, they appear to meet their purpose very well. A single two-story brick and concrete structure would, of course, occupy much less site area. The site should be added to, and surfaced. It is sticky in wet weather. Covered walks should be provided to connect the various units, and new units added as extension of site space permits. School 50, Grant (for colored) : Outdoor toilets. Interior con­struction of building very bad. One of worst fire hazards in the system. Corridors of wood construction, at varying levels on second floor. Wood stairways, with storage space underneath. All rooms stove-heated. The corridors and stairs should all be fireproofed, the stoves removed, and central steam heat provided. Could be utilized as school for whites to relieve congestion, if new school for colored is provided. School 52, Brackenridge (for colored): A small school in a large, obsolete plant. Lighting, heating, sanitation, and fire pro­tection all of low order. Either this school should be abandoned and the pupils transferred elsewhere, or the old main building should be completely renovated. Outdoor toilets. CHAPTER IV THE JUNIOR SCHOOLS FOR WHITE CHILDREN San Antonio includes grades six, seven and eight in its junior schools. There are seven regular junior schools which are well distributed over the city in buildings that have all been erected within the last fifteen years. They are relatively modern and in good to fair condition. In addition, Sydney Lanier is a six-year high school in the Mexican section, with more than 83% of the pupils in the junior grades. Enrollments and average belongings in junior schools, including the junior grades of Lanier, for the four weeks ending April 5, 1935, were as follows: (Data from office of W. J. Knox.) Enroll­Average ments Belonging Erner on --785 779 Harri __ 1,14-J. 1,179 900 768 1,201 1,265 Lanier -------------1,201 1,237 Page 1,271 1,233 Poe 746 713 Twain 1,422 1,357 Total --8,670 8.531 Average belonging exceeds enrollment in some cases for the reason that transferred pupils who were previously enrolled in some other school are, in accordance with instructions of the State Department of Education, not counted as enrolled in the school to which they are transferred. The junior school buildings were erected to accommodate 500 to 650 pupils each. All of them have many more than this number. Serious overcrowding occurs in Harris, Irving, Page and Twain and at Lanier. The maximum load in any of these buildings should be 800 pupils. The excess in each of the schools listed above is there­fore fifty per cent or more. It should be remembered also, as shown in Chapter II of this report, that there is a potential enrollment in­crease in the city of about nineteen per cent, considering only junior high school age, twelve to fourteen. 80 The University of Texas Bulletin The scores a sign d lo thesr building arc a followH: Lanier (for junior high school purpo c ) ss:3 Emcr on 511.l Hawthorne 535 Page 5;~4 Poe SH Twain 501 Harri , '171 Irving 469 The chief reason for the low scores is the fact that these schools fall far short of the standards with respect to provisions for broad­ening and finding courses that should be found in junior schools. They all have a general science laboratory, which was generally rated about half of the standard required. They totally lack a biology laboratory, lecture rooms and dark rooms. Most of them have cooking and clothing laboratories and, generally, a house­keeping apartment laboratory. The latter were generally quite in· adequate, especially in the larger schools. All have woodworking and machine and metal shops, though generally inadequate for the numbers served. Electrical shops were found at Lanier and Page. Three of the schools had no commercial work and the others ranked low with the exception of Lanier and Page, which were barely adequate. All of them have provisions, though in several cases quite inadequate, for art and mechanical drawing. Arts and crafts were absent from most of the buildings and were worthy of special mention only in Lanier. Some effort has been made to provide an instrumental or music room in most of the schools, but the score in provision for music is pretty low and suggests neglect of this matter in the original plans. If more attention were given to music in junior schools, especially in the matter of stringed instruments, these schools would not only serve as better feeders for this work in senior schools, but such a program would contribute vitally to the development of a symphony orchestra in the city, which has long been advocated by some of San Antonio's public-spirited citizens. In auditorium and audio-visual equipment, only two buildings, and one of these was Lanier, received a score of more than fifty per cent of the standard. Many factors that go to make up an effective auditorium unit are lacking and in most cases provisions are inade­ quate. The survey staff suggests that in junior school plants for the future, provision be made for auditoriums of sufficient size to meet the needs of the future when additions to buildings may be made to accommodate increased enrollments. The reason for this is that the auditorium unit, when once built, cannot be enlarged satisfactorily, while other rooms may be added. Even the cafeteria may be enlarged or other provisions for it be made much more satisfactorily than is the case with the auditorium. The auditorium and library units should, by all means, be planned to meet future needs at the time the building is erected. Libraries that are intended for study centers, with librarians in ,charge are generally provided, but are inadequate as to size and materials in most of the buildings with large enrollments. In view of the fact that study halls are provided in none of the buildings, .the library as a study center is a matter of much importance and should be adequate to meet the needs. In some of the buildings only half of the children for any given study period could be taken -care of in the library. A gymnasium is found only in Lanier, though all buildings have bathing and dressing facilities. They are inadequate in most cases for the number of children served. The weather conditions in San Antonio suggest outside physical education work for the most part. It might be advisable to consider open pavilions for this work during periods of rain, which occur from time to time. All build­ings are provided with cafeterias, but most of them are barely adequate as to size and equipment. Inadequate provisions have also been made for teachers' rest rooms, offices and study rooms. Ad­ministrative offices are barely adequate in most cases, as are custodial service rooms. Health service rooms are uniformly inade­quate as to space and as to equipment. It is probable that many of these shortcomings, which reduced scores on buildings that are otherwise good, cannot be satisfactorily taken care of in the present buildings though something could and should be done in some cases. However, in planning new junior schools, standards as re­quired for broadening and finding courses and for activities appro­priate to junior schools in a city of the importance of San Antonio should be given attention. A glance at Table XVII on page 4.8, showing age-grade distribu­tion of children in the elementary schools, adds argument to this suggestion. There were, on April 10, 1935, 3,740 children in the grade schools who were 12 years of age or over on September 1, 1934, or a little more than 15% of the total belongings on that date. More than 200 of these were of senior school age, i. e., 15 to 17 years of age. San Antonio has adopted the wise policy of passing these older pupils on to the next grade from year to year, whether they pass the work of the previous year satisfactorily or not. These facts suggest still greater liberalization of the curriculum in the junior schools, with a greater measure of offering of a pre­vocational sort. It also suggests provision in some sections of the city, at least in the Mexican section, of opportunity classes. This matter needs immediate attention. The overcrowding at Twain and Irving will he relieved when the new junior school planned for the northwestern portion of the city has been provided. The situation at Page can he relieved in part by an addition to Poe, which has fairly ample grounds, and by a shifting of lines between these two districts, and in part by additions to Page, whose grounds are fairly adequate. Emerson and Haw­thorne are somewhat overcrowded and may need additions within the next five years. Harris and Lanier should he considered together. They are both badly crowded, Lanier's crowding being due to the presence of pupils of the junior years. They are heavily Mexican. It would seem highly desirable to erect another junior school in the south­western part of the city to relieve these schools. Such a school, erected on an adequate site, might ultimately become a six-year high school, similar to Lanier, with provisions for agriculture, horticul­ture, and allied subjects. It is believed that, if these suggestions are carried out, and sugges­tion with respect to Lanier which will be found in the section on senior schools, the junior school situation will he fairly well cared for for the next five years. It is suggested that the ground across the street from Twain be graded and improved and the street closed for traffic. The grounds to the north of Emerson should he pro­cured and the street closed, if possible. CHAPTER V SENIOR SCHOOLS FOR WHITE CHILDREN The survey made by the Division of Extension in 1927, called attention to the fact that San Antonio's actual high school enroll­ment, as compared with potential enrollment, was very low when considered with other cities of comparable size. It was shown, moreover, that for the seven-year period, 1920-27, increase in high school enrollment in San Antonio was only 30.4 per cent, while for the United States as a whole it was 92.4 per cent. This was true in spite of the fact that San Antonio's population had increased 40 per cent for the ten years preceding 1927, a much larger per­centage increase than obtained throughout the country. It was shown in that report that high school building facilities were wholly inadequate, both as to amount of space provided and as to usableness of space for high school purposes, and that only about half the pupils of high school age were enrolled in any school, elementary or high, public or private. In view of these facts, it was suggested, at that time, that two -courses were open to the board, viz .. "to build a high school which would accommodate at least 3,000 students north and west of the present site of the Main Avenue building, or to build a smaller high .school slightly west of north of the present site of Main Avenue and then build a second high school in the western section of the -city."1 It was further suggested that, "should the board decide to erect a high school in the western section, it is strongly recommended that emphasis be placed on vocational courses and that the building and equipment be adapted for this purpose. With respect to the present Main Avenue plant it is the judgment of the surveyors that one of two courses might be followed with profit to the school inter­ests of the city. Should it be deemed advisable by those in author­ity to erect only one new high school as suggested as an alternative above, Main Avenue, with some remodeling, might be turned into a technical (trade) high school, with a part-time day program and an evening school program as conducted at present . . . . Should two new high schools be erected, Main Avenue could serve the needs of !Building Needs of San Antonio Senior High Schools, University of Texas Bulletin No. 2845, p. 21. the junior college and a part-time day school and the night school program."1 Since the 1927 survey, the following changes have been made, generally in line with survey recommendations: Thomas Jefferson High School, a million dollar plant, capable of housing twenty-five hundred students, has been erected in the extreme northwest section of the city. It has an adequate site and is, in every way, except for some roof leakage, an elegant and commodious building. It is easily the best school building in the city and one of the best in the country. Main Avenue, now San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School, has been turned into a vocational day and part-time school and continued as an evening school. A splendid building for machine shops, etc., has been erected. It also offers a college preparatory academic curriculum. Sydney Lanier, at that time a junior school, has been turned int<> a six-year junior-senior school, with emphasis on trade and voca­tional work, arts and crafts and commercial courses. At Bracken­ridge, the site has been greatly enlarged and improved. Com­mendable work has been done by the present hoard in adding a rather large area to the site on the southeast, giving room for the R. 0. T. C. drill program and for a play field of adequate propor­tions for boys, and in adding a similar play field for girls to the southwest. Additional grounds to the southwest are in contempla­tion. These areas are being graded and sodded. These additions and their improvement, make adequate provisions for a senior school of 2,000 or more pupils. The athletic field for this school is located some distance away and adjacent to the Thomas Nelson Page Junior School. The adequacy of the buildings, as to amount of space and its usefulness, has been greatly enhanced by the addi­tion of a cafeteria building, a gymnasium for boys and a play room for girls with showers, lockers, etc., and by improving the auditorium acoustical properties and the addition of asbestos curtains to meet the fire regulations of the city. Not only has the capacity of the building been enlarged, hut such objectionable features, as the cafeteria in the middle of the main building, which necessitated passing through it in going from one wing to the others, has been corrected. 1lbid., pp. 21-22. Adequate library provisions have been made in the new arrange­ment. Home economics quarters have been greatly improved and pro­visions for music and dramatic work have been made. Bracken­ridge is now a good school plant. Improvement in landscaping and plantings in front make it an attractive school. T\BLE IL ME\1BEP HOOL' F R l\11\R II, 1927, A. PH.IL, 19:~5 Membership or !ember hip or Belonging Belonging Percentage rhool March, 1927 April, 1935 Increase Brackenridge 1,558 1,911 22 plu Main venue 1,660 Became Technical High JdTcr on 2,013 ydney Lanier _ 258* San Antonio Vocational and Technical High 1,521 Total 3,218 5,706 83 *Senior high ehool grade only. The effect of these improvements in high school facilities on attendance is noteworthy. Table XXII, entitled "Membership in High School for March, 1927, as Compared with April, 1935," tells the story. The total membership in 1927 was 3,218, while for April, 1935, it was 5,706, an increase of 83% for the eight-year period. For the five-year period, previous to 1927, the increase in high school membership was only about 14 per cent. The scholastic population of the city has increased only about 26% since 1927. Thus the increase in high school membership was at least three times as great as was the increase in scholastics, due largely to the improvement in high school service. Senior High School Housing Problems Thomas Jefferson High School, while off center as to population, is adequate for the present, at least, to take care of the north and northwest section of the city. Brackenridge is adequate for the south portion of the city. A study of the high school population map of the southern portion of the city shows that the school is almost perfectly located in the center of its school population. For accessibility, it could hardly be better. Moreover, with recent im· provements, it is not now overcrowded. Such additions as are needed to give optional courses in vocational and semi-vocational fields could readily be made, making it more of a cosmopolitan high school and taking care of certain of the academic students who now attend Vocational and Technical High on account of these voca­tional offerings. Similar additions could be made at Thomas Jeffer­son with the present building accommodations. In this way, Voca­tional and Technical High would receive considerable relief. Vocational and Technical High and Sydney Lanier off er serious problems. The student bodies of these schools are growing rapidly. Both are badly overcrowded. Vocational and Technical High, with a capacity of 800 to 1,000 pupils, has more than 1,500 this year. It has grown to this figure from 600 during its first year, 1931-32, an increase of more than 150 per cent. The problem at "Tech" has several angles. It is the judgment of the surveyors that those in charge should decide, definitely, what kind of a school the so-called Vocational and Technical High School should be. At present, it appears to· be a sort of three-ring affair. It is in large part a trade school and to a much less extent a real technical school. It would seem that not only is the name "technical high" a misnomer, but that there can be little justification for making it a real technical school, which generally presupposes regular high school gradua­tion. Its offerings therefore would be in the nature of post-graduate work. San Antonio can ill afford such an institution. The matter resolves itself then into a consideration of a day and trade pre­paratory and part-time school and an evening trade extension school, in which boys and girls of high school age and men and women are prepared for the various trades and commercial work, such as bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting and the handling of office details. The present equipment lends itself very well to a trade school program and much use is already being made of it for this purpose. Academic students might well attend one of the other high schools which, as indicated above, should be made more cosmo­politan so as to give optional courses of a manual and semi· vocational type. The trade school should be only for students who can meet certain definite standards as to intelligence and training. It should in no sense be a dumping ground for the so-called "dumb-bells." Pupils who cannot measure up to the requirements in these respects should he placed in an opportunity school, located in a central place in the city, where a program adapted to their needs can be provided. The dominant purpose of the day trade-preparatory pro· gram should be to fit boys and girls for entrance into a skilled occupation. This objective should not be lost sight of in an attempt to conform to academic standards for the purpose of granting high· school credits. The site of Vocational and Technical High is altogether inade­quate. The entire physical education program for the 1,500 or more boys and girls is conducted on yard space, belonging to the school, large enough only for two basket ball courts. The school, however, has the use of the space across Galitzen Street which is being used for the boys' physical education program. Its use may be withdrawn on a day's notice. The ground space is cut into by private property in front and on the northwest corner. All the ground to the north and west, lying between Romana and North Flores, and that lying to the southeast between Main Avenue and Galitzen, should be secured and an added strip to the south, the width of the borrowed play space and extending from Main to North Flores, should be added. Such an addition would give grounds of fairly adequate dimensions. It probably will never be any cheaper than it is at the present time. A second and perhaps a third story should be added to the Machine Shops building on North Flores. The foundation of this building, we were advised, is such as to carry five more floors and these should be added as needed. Present classrooms, laboratories and shops are crowded far be­ yond recognized standards for effective work. Additional fields of vocational training should be added as time goes on. This type of school is peculiarly fitting and proper in San Antonio on account of the large percentage of Mexican population, who, in increasing numbers, are finding their way to this school and to Lanier. Provision should be made for library facilities adequate to the enrollment. They are at present altogether inadequate. Provision should also be made for bathing and dressing room facilities and gymnasium facilities in keeping with those provided in Brackenridge and Jefferson. Sydney Lanier High School is peculiarly a San Antonio institu­tion. It has made for itself a place among the schools of the southwest in meeting the problems of education in a Spanish· American population. As a means of lifting the educational level of this group, it is unique and should not, in the judgment of the survey staff, be materially changed from its present program. The school was begun in 1922 as one of the eight junior schools then established. The enrollment was only 126 for the first year when it was housed at the J. T. Brackenridge .school pending com· pletion of the Lanier building. The present plant was occupied in 1923. The junior membership on April 5, 1935, was 1,223. For several years, it has been a six-year high school, the senior depart­ment having a membership on April 5, 1935, of 258. The enroll­ment in the senior grades was only 135 four years ago. This in­crease in interest in high school education on the part of Mexican children is significant for the future of the city. The school is located in the heart of the Mexican section in the southwest part of the city, and its school enrollment is approximately 98% of Mexican descent. The problems presented by the general conditions in the Mexican quarter of the city are many and difficult of solution. In the first place, living conditions are generally unsatisfactory. Homes are often small and crowded on small lots, with inadequate space inside the house. Relief stations in the section have aggravated the crowded conditions during the depression. Facilities for proper sanitation are note adequate. Even running hydrant water is scarce. Several families must often use the same hydrant. Toilets are often out of doors and are not provided in adequate numbers. In some sections pit toilets are found. The unsanitary living condi­tions cause San Antonio to have the highest tuberculosis death rate of any city of its size in the United States except one. Most of the people are poor and many of the parents are illiterate. It is stated by Principal Brewer that 75% of the children in Lanier can neither read nor write Spanish. They speak a modified form of Spanish handed down from their parents which the Principal termed "San Antonian." Only 41 of the children in the entire school reported that they speak English at home. Six hundred thirty-five reported that they speak Spanish, meaning "San Antonian," and 621 reported that they use both languages, which, according to the Principal, means largely "San Antonian." The following facts secured by the Principal through question­naire from the pupils throw much light on the conditions under which they live: 1. Number of children in family: 1 (55); 2 (138); 3 (171); 4 (197); 5 (185) ; 6 (149) ; 7 (126) ; 8 (109) ; 9 (73) ; 10 (30); 11 (7); 12 (IO) ; 13 (3); 14 (1). 2. Father living (610); Mother (746); Both (956); None (20). 3. English spoken at home (41); Spanish (635); Both (621). 4. Wood or charcoal users (584) ; Kerosene (375); Gas (384). 5. Houses with running water (966); Without running water (302). 6. Candle users (11) ; Kerosene (530); Electricity (731). 7. Houses with city sewerage (676) ; Without sewerage (605). 8. Homes with bathroom fixtures (503); Without them (753). 9. Number owning homes (526) ; Number renting homes (744). 10. Number of rooms at home: 1 (17); 2 (240); 3 (366); 4 (259); 5 (165); 6 (109); 7 (49); 8 (21); 9 (9); 10 (4); 11 (1); 12 (1); 13 (1); 14 (1); 15 (1). 11. Those living on paved streets (443); Gravel (735); Dirt 001). 12. Garbage collected by city (1107) ; Not collected (129). 13. Homes that need to burn garbage (17 4) ; Do not (713) . 14. Recent illness at home (288) ; Without illness (906) ; Duration of illness: few days (288); one month (37). The program of the school includes six courses in English (four of which are required); algebra; two in biology (both required); health education (required) ; shorthand; typewriting; commercial arithmetic; bookkeeping; Spanish; shop (automotive, auto paint and trim, upholstery) ; mill work and sheet metal, including acetylene welding; mechanical drawing; foods; clothing; public speaking; chorus work; orchestra and band; art, handicrafts; journalism; plane geometry; American history and government; world history; industrial geography; commercial English; glee club; music appreciation; printing; landscape gardening. The courses are planned for students who must enter a trade when school days are over. The arts and crafts belonging to Mexi­can people are stressed in the pottery, clay modelling and weaving. The school is highly socialized and puts emphasis on student participation in school management and in extra-curricular activi­ties. The auditorium is used twice a week for programs of self­expression put on by home rooms and clubs. Dramatic productions are put on from time to time. There is a little theater room which is used for small groups in dramatic efforts. Both English and Spanish are used in plays and songs. Public speaking is stressed and opportunity given those in public speaking classes to perform before an audience in the auditorium. In connection with English training, much attention is given to Journalism. Efforts first find outlet through English classes and then through publications. Many of the plays and other programs depict life as it is found in Mexico and the southwest. Visual equipment makes possible the use of films and slides both in teaching and entertainment programs. Good citizenship is emphasized by having it function throughout the school program. History teaching points towards the functions of a good citizen. Students do all the printing for the school. They make posters calling attention to the qualities of a good citizen of the school and to the need for better spoken and written English. They participate in the management of the school through an organized students' council with its various committees, viz., The House and Grounds Committee; The Speak English Committee; The Color Committee, which prepares for athletic events and en­courages good sportsmanship; The Information Committee; The Activity Committee; The Handbook Committee; and The Fire Drill Committee. Traffic Committees and gatekeepers keep pupils in their appropriate places during the school day. Many clubs are found in the junior department. The list varies from year to year, but the following is typical: Aircrafts Art Artcraft Boxing Clipping Costume Dance Embroidery Games Gift Club Girl Reserves Hobby Homecraft Junior Dramatics Pantomime Popular Songs Printing Recreation Sketch Social Hour Spanish Dramatics Spelling Stamp Tennis Travel Tumblers Volley Ball Whittling Woodworking Senior clubs in which membership is secured through invitation are: Photo play Happy Collegiates Symphonian Society Kodak Ye Merrie Stenos The service clubs are the Blue Jackets, Gate Keepers, Library Assistants, Information Clerks, Leaders Club, Student Council, Traffic Directors, and Whatsoever Girls. Many school parties are planned and held as regular school functions. The school has a stage crew of students and a committee of students that manages the cafeteria hour. The school is active in athletics and other contests of The University Interscholastic League. It has an active and helpful alumni organization. The gymnasium facilities and play courts are used by various community groups almost every night and all through Sunday for games and contests. The most urgent need is ground space. As the school has grown, rendering additional building necessary, the grounds, which were never large, have become less and less adequate. The board now owns additional ground to the east, but it is not directly connected with the present site. The entire block to the east of the school should he secured and the street running south of the building should he extended east and the street that now jogs to the north and then goes east should he closed. This would give ample play space. If the street to the east of the present site cannot be closed, arrangements should he made to block it off from traffic during the school day. Additional classrooms and laboratories are much needed. Classes now average 44 pupils, with many enrolling more than this num­ ber. The teaching of English would be made easier if groups were smaller and talking and recording devices employed to enable the student to study language sounds and thus train his ear. The auditorium and cafeteria are too small for the present student body and will he increasingly inadequate as the student body grows. There is need for enlarged facilities for physical education in the form of locker rooms, dressing rooms and showers. Vocational shops should he enlarged. Shops intended for twenty students are now taking care of thirty at a time, thus handicapping the student. Clinical facilities for health service are inadequate for the school at present and should he considered in the new addition. Pro­ vision should he made for an adequate library. It is suggested by the survey staff that an addition be made to the present building on the west, corresponding with the wing on the east, which was added a few years ago. The Mexican people of San Antonio are becoming more education minded, and the "pulling" influence of the set-up at Lanier is just what is needed to encourage them to continue through the senior high school. The six-year high school should therefore be con­tinued. To prevent future crowding, a new junior school should be erected to the south and west in part to relieve Lanier and in part to relieve Harris. CHAPTER VI SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The study reveals, quite definitely, that sufficient attention has not been given in the past to public school sites and buildings. In both instances, many of the schools are far below the standards one might expect in a city of the size and importance of San Antonio. It is therefore recommended that sites for future expansion in school plant be procured as rapidly as finances will permit and that careful attention be given to location and size of site in accordance with a definite policy adopted by the Board of Education. Increasing attention should be given in future building construction to the educational demands of a modern plant. To this end, it is strongly recommended that architects who plan a given building shall con­sult always with school officials, particularly the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent in charge of the phase of education which the building is to serve, and the principal or a committee of principals. No more important matter, in the judgment of the staff can be found than this, if the best to be had is none too good for the children of the city. 2. The study indicates a probable increase in the scholastic population of the city of about fifteen per cent during the next five years. This means a scholastic increase of 1,200 to 1,500 pupils per year and indicates the need of the equivalent of at least one rather large new building for elementary pupils each year. This does not take into consideration the present emergency situation in the ele­mentary schools which is discussed in Chapter III. The total need of the next five years, if pupils of the elementary schools are to be provided for, calls for building construction whose cost will run into the millions. 3. The inadequacy of school plants tends to be concentrated in the central west side in the area occupied largely by Spanish· speaking people of the city. Here in this section, and elsewhere, serious fire hazards exist and many buildings are deficient in pro­visions for heating, lighting and toilet facilities. Even in the best of the plants, provision is made for a rather meager elementary school program. Detailed recommendations with respect to special deficiencies and needs in elementary school sites and buildings are found at the end of Chapter III, pages 73 to 78. 4. It is recommended that a new junior school be erected in the northwestern portion of the city to relieve the overcrowded condi­tions found at Mark Twain and Washington Irving and that the street north of Twain be closed so as to make possible better use of the playground now provided at that school. We also recommend that additional ground be purchased at Emerson. We recommend additions to the buildings of Page and Poe. We recommend the erection of a new junior school in the southwestern portion of the city on a suitable site to relieve Harris and Lanier. We recommend that the curriculum of the junior schools he liberalized so as to include additional opportunities for broadening and finding courses, particular attention being given to adequacy of auditorium and library facilities and to provisions for music training and com­mercial courses. 5. We recommend the purchase of property jutting into the grounds at Vocational and Technical High School between Romana and North Flores and between Main and Flores, including a strip south of Galitzen, a portion of which is now used for play space. We recommend the erection of two more stories to the shop building of this school. The library of this school should be enlarged, addi­tional laboratory and shop rooms added, and adequate provision made for showers, dressing rooms and toilets. 6. We recommend the purchase of the block of ground lying across the street immediately east of Lanier, the extension of the street to the south of Lanier property straight on east and the closing of the street to the east of Lanier and the one that jogs north and then east through the proposed new grounds. If the street to the east cannot be closed, it should be blocked off during the school day. We recommend the erection of a wing on the west side of Lanier corresponding to the new wing erected a few years ago on the east side. This will make possible desirable changes in the interest of efficiency. We recommend that both Jefferson and Brackenridge High Schools be made more cosmopolitan so as to take care of academic students who now attend Vocational and Technical High because they want to take certain courses offered only at these schools. These courses are taken as optional courses. 7. We recommend provision for at least one opportunity school in a central portion of the city for the benefit of pupils who, for one reason or another, do not now profit greatly from attending either the standard junior schools or Lanier or Vocational and Technical High School. We believe that attention should be given to building problems in the following order: first, the elementary schools; second, the junior schools; and third, the senior schools.