the need. This report was prepared. The minority group of the Board of Education prepared a report advancing the program which they considered feasible and desirable. In the light of our present educational knowledge, which of these recommendations should be followed by the Board of Educa

tion?

The report made by the educational experts was in part as follows:

THE RAPID GROWTH OF SCHOOL POPULATION IN GROVETOWN

Grovetown has experienced a very exceptional growth in school population during the period 1911-1924. In 1911, 1,166 children were enrolled in school. In June, 1924, 3,287 were enrolled. The figures showing growth by grades and years are given in Table 1. This shows an extremely rapid growth from 1915 to 1920 and a very significant growth from 1920 to 1924.

THE AGES OF THE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN GROVETOWN

The age distribution for each of the years, 1911, 1915, 1920, and 1924 is shown in Table 2. The steady advances made in all age groups from 6 to 14 years of age indicate the rapid growth in elementary classroom needs for which Grovetown has been required. to make provision in recent years. That the largest age groups for the past year were the 6-year-olds and the 7-year-olds is significant. Grovetown is a high grade residential community into which many young families have recently moved. The children of these families are beginning to be added to the school enrollment. The next few years will see the influence of this recent residential development felt to a marked degree in all age groups of the elementary school period and even above that educational level.

MORE GROVETOWN CHILDREN ARE ATTENDING THE HIGH SCHOOL

In reading Table 2, it may be observed that the growth from the fourteenth year and upwards has been at a very much greater ratio than in the lower age levels. This is clearly an indication of the growth in popularity and in the efficiency of the high school of Grovetown, for it is only upon the basis of such a response that this high school group could have increased out of relation to the numbers enrolled in the other age groups. The evidence leads to the conclusion that Grovetown's children will, in increasing numbers, continue to take advantage of the opportunities for a high school education as offered in the Grovetown High School.

MANY NEW HOMES ARE BEING BUILT IN GROVETOWN

Another measure of the need for school accommodations is found. in the number of residential building permits issued during the past five years. In Table 3 there is indicated the number of families to be accommodated in new residences built over the period of the past five years.

TABLE 3

PROGRESS MADE IN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, GROVETOWN,

Permits

N. K. 1920-1924

Number of Residential Building Permits Issued

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total

It will be observed from this table that the new provisions for families have grown from 118 in 1920 to 270 and 269 respectively in the years 1923 and 1924. These increased living accommodations may be taken as a rough measure of the increase in number of children to be provided for in the next few years. It not infrequently happens, however, that the full effect of this residential development is not indicated in the school population until a period of some six to ten years after the permits are issued. The increase in school population as measured by the school enrollment reported above shows the effect of the residential building operations which have been undertaken.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FURTHER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

A careful study was made of the insurance maps for the town of Grovetown in order to determine the possibility for growth in each of the several regions surrounding the individual school buildings and for the city as a whole. These maps give the location of every house now built. From this study, it is apparent that the town has

the possibility of continued rapid growth during the next few years. It seems altogether probable that within the next fifteen-year period, the town may double in population. Certainly there is every indication of continued rapid growth, and there is sufficient undeveloped property to provide for this increase in population.

GROVETOWN'S SCHOOL SITES ARE WELL LOCATED

As has been suggested above, one of the most important considerations in providing school accommodations is to be found in the proper location of school sites within the total area. It is gratifying to be able to report to the Board of Education and to the citizens of Grovetown that we have found no other city in the United States in which the school sites have been so well located with respect to the area to be served, and in no other case have we found sites as adequate as those that are now owned by the Board of Education. We commend the wisdom and foresight of those who secured these school centers during the past years.

OVERLAPPING REDUCED TO A MINIMUM AMONG GROVETOWN'S

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICTS

In the town of Grovetown, the situation is as indicated in Diagram 1. It will be observed that the five school buildings are so situated that by drawing a circle of a half-mile radius, almost all of the area of the town is included and that there is relatively little overlapping among these circles. When one adds to this fact the size of the sites, and the desirability of the locations chosen, he is compelled to admit that Grovetown's school program has been admirably developed in this regard. Diagram 1 shows that by far the greater part of the area of Grovetown is adequately served by these five elementary schools. It is quite clear that Grovetown, with its present boundaries, needs no new elementary school centers.

PRESENT SCHOOLS REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL ELEMENTARY

CHILDREN

In Diagram 2, the residential distribution of all elementary school children attending school in January, 1925, has been shown. When compared with Diagram 1, it is clear that the present buildings are reasonably accessible to all elementary school children. The continuation of residential development of the next few years will tend to be pronounced in the Roosevelt School and Wilson School districts. The future school population of these sections, as well as other undeveloped sections of the town, will be served adequately by the present elementary plants and additions thereto. The dot distribution of Diagram 2 indicates with a fair degree of accuracy the present distribution and density of the total population.