PROBLEM 86

PLANNING THE EQUIPMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

Problem: The Board of Education at Smithville, N. K., has awarded the contract for the building of a new junior-senior high school to accommodate 700 children. Smithville is a community with approximately 7,000 population and shows promise of considerable growth in the near future. The building has been planned so that additions are possible with a minimum of cost. The superintendent of schools is attempting to solve the problem of equipping this building. The equipment of the administrative offices presents special difficulties.

In Diagram 1 is shown the space provided for the administrative offices of this new building. The space includes an office for the superintendent of schools, a large room named "Board Room," an office for the high school principal, and another office for use by special teachers and supervisors. A storage space and vault space have also been provided, as indicated in the diagram. The offices are located in the main corridor of the first floor and in close proximity to two front exits.

Assignment

1. Develop the report for the equipment of these offices which the superintendent of schools might present to the Board of Education. Bear in mind that practically no research work has been done in this school system and that the need for all expenditures for equipment must be clearly proved to the Board of Education.

2. Redraw the plan on a large scale and indicate the location on this map of the equipment which you propose.

3. In making your list of equipment, you have developed a theory of office practice in relationship to both the work of the superintendent and the work of the high school principal. Set down the principles of office practice which you think should be followed in each case.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DONOVAN, J. J. School Architecture-Principles and Practices. Macmillan, 1921.

DUFFIELD, D. W. Progressive Indexing and Filing for Schools. Library Bureau, Cambridge, Mass.

STRAYER, G. D. AND ENGELHARDT, N. L. Inventory Book for High Schools. C. F. Williams & Son, Albany, N. Y., 1920.

PROBLEM 87

INVENTORY OF HIGH SCHOOL EQUIPMENT

Problem: From time to time it has become necessary to replace equipment and apparatus in a large city high school, the use of which should have extended over a much longer period. The science teachers frequently report apparatus stolen or at least removed from their rooms without permission. You are superintendent of schools and find it embarrassing to report such frequent losses to the Board of Education and to ask for a replenishment of materials lost or stolen. On a thorough investigation, you discover that the plan of inventory for the high school does not permit of frequent checking. What changes do you recommend in the existing plan as outlined below?

Upon examination of the inventory as it has been prepared from year to year, you find typewritten sheets giving the equipment for each room. In some instances, the cost of the equipment is indicated. In the majority of instances, cost prices are lacking. These typewritten sheets are bound into a folder and filed at the end of each year with the high school principal. A copy of the inventory for Room 108 of the Mathematics Department is given below as it appears in the inventory.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

Room 108

1 Franklin slide rule (Brown & Smith) with book of instructions. 1 Murdock paper fastener.

1 algebraic balance.

2 sets geometric solids.

1 board for construction of models for solid geometry.

1 goniostat and accompanying models.

1 Peterson typewriter No. 6 (with special keys).

1 Anderson mimeograph No. 3.

1 automatic paper fastener.

4 blackboard compasses (5 others reported by other teachers) Rooms 108, 167, 147, 315.

1 pointer-Room 108.

1 box standard measures and weights.

1 board compass. Room 143. R. C. Johnson.

1 rheostat 3 ft. x 2 ft., 2 in. Room 268.

1 "Writerpress," with type, etc. Room 2 A or F.

1 long wooden rule (Cherry, 6 ft.) Room 2-C.

1 Easy sign marker (Size No. 3). Room 2-C.

1 Jones-Greene Typewriter Model No. 10. Room 2-C.

1 board compass. Room 168. F. Parsons.

1 board compass. Room 166.

Assignment

1. Indicate the values to be derived from the inventory as it is presented above.

2. In what other form would you suggest that this inventory might appear? What are the particular advantages of the form which you suggest?

3. Is it advantageous to have a different plan of inventory for science rooms, as compared with mathematics rooms, for library as contrasted with industrial arts, or household arts as differing from biological laboratory? Explain the differ

ences.

4. Should the high school principal have access to the cost prices, and should such prices be included in the inventory? 5. In making an inventory, how should depreciation be estimated?

6. Is there a place for an inventory which permits of checking against loss as compared with an inventory which is part of the complete building valuation?