be avoided in Osler. Diagram 3 represents the careful estimating of the budget presented in this case, shows a conclusion with no deficit, with the building completed, with adequate equipment, all of which has been accomplished without an additional appropriation over and above the original bond issue.

Separation of building and equipment budgets made at the beginning of building planning with adequate equipment resulting in addition to the completion of the building.

Assignment

1. Following the superintendent's lead, outline all the steps which must be taken in the planning of this building until it is ready for occupancy.

2. Subdivide the total appropriation among the major items of this outline. Indicate the bases for these subdivisions.

3. What obstacles present themselves to this subdivision? What facts or studies are needed to make careful estimates possible?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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

FOWLKES, J. G. School Bonds. Bruce Publishing Co., Milwaukee, 1924. Reports on Bond Expenditures in City School Superintendents' Annual Reports. STRAYER, G. D. AND ENGELHARDT, N. L. Checking List for Building Programs. Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University, 1927.

PROBLEM 98

FINANCING THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAM

Problem: The Board of Education of Victoria, N. K., anticipating the need for new school buildings, has sought to determine the effect of new school bond issues upon the school tax rate for the years to follow. The president assigned to a special committee of the Board the task of making recommendations covering the amounts to be issued and the desirable maturities of the needed bond issues. The forecast of needs and payments was made by this committee after a period of considerable study.

The report and forecast, as presented by the committee, were accepted by the Board of Education. Printing for distribution throughout the community was authorized. The report follows:

Any attempt to forecast the future in education and in business prosperity is at best but a good guess. Still, the issuance of large amounts of school bonds on any other plan than a definite basis of some sort is worse. The haphazard issue of bonds is quite apt to react in an uneven distribution of the burden of these municipal improvements which should as far as possible be borne by the beneficiaries. At the same time, it should be conceded that a policy of reasonable prepayment is preferable to that of continued payments after the improvement has been worn out or become obsolete. The bunching of maturities beyond the retirement possibility results in refunding, which doubles the expense of issue, and, if refunding should come during a period of high money, it still further adds to the penalty for failure to use a definite basis at the time of issue of bonds.

The Board presents for the consideration of taxpayers some tables which it has worked out in connection with its bond issues, showing an estimated forecast of probable valuations in the school district during the next twenty years, the amount of burden which the district can reasonably bear for new buildings, the proposed distribu

tion of same over a period of years, the increase in the rate of taxation for school purposes, and other details.

The insurable value of all school properties in the city of Victoria at the beginning of 1921 was $1,200,000, against which there was still a bonded indebtedness in 1925 of $210,000 with an annual interest charge of $8,962 diminishing each year until the liquidation of the debt in 1929, with the exception of two bonds of $75,000 and $50,000 maturing in 1942 and 1946 respectively. The bond retirement burden is therefore approximately $10,000 to $15,000 per year. Since the beginning of 1920, the Board of Education has purchased the Comenius School for $25,000 cash and has bonded, when buildings now started are completed, for $1,740,000 to erect:

The Herbart School, costing equipped approximately $255,000, with a capacity of 425.

The James Grade and Junior High School, costing equipped $365,000, with a capacity of 700.

The New High School, costing equipped $850,000, with a capacity of 900 to 1,200.

The New McMurry School, costing equipped $350,000, and housing 700 to 800 students.

The Comenius School cares for 350 part-time and eighth grade students.

It is the opinion of the Board that necessity will require, in a few years, a new Locke School in place of the present inadequate

one, at an approximate cost of $350,000 and with a capacity of 700 to 800, which will raise the bonds issued since 1920 to $2,100,000.

The annual interest charge will be increased from $8,962 to approximately $91,000 in 1927, $102,000 in 1930, and $75,000 in 1936, and will then diminish each year until liquidation in 1950.

The census population in 1919 was 34,900. In 1924, it was estimated at 40,628. The school census in 1919 was 8,742 and in 1924 it was 10,421.

Measured by dollars, our educational facilities, when the above program is completed, will be about three times as good as before 1920. Such a considerable program of improvements is justifiable from three angles:

1. The erection of certain structures was required by increases in population.

2. Construction which was delayed by war restrictions was now made a possibility.

3. Worn-out equipment had to be replaced.

In 1919, there were enrolled in all departments 5,792 students; in 1924, 7,903. This phenomenal increase is due to the following factors:

1. Population increase.

2. Lengthening of the period of compulsory education.

3. More rigid enforcement of attendance laws.

4. Unprecedented demand for high school education.

The tearing down of the old James and McMurry buildings reduced the seating capacity 950. The Herbart, new James, new McMurry, Senior High, Comenius, and Locke, if authorized, will have a total seating capacity of 3,800, with a possible further increase of 500 by platooning, as against a requirement of 2,950. This means that we not only have caught up on our shortage in buildings, but also will have made a creditable showing on the third item of the program by replacing the old buildings-James, McMurry, and Locke. By the time these buildings are ready for occupancy, any surplus capacity which present figures seem to show should be offset by the yearly increases in attendance.

The new buildings are all reinforced concrete of fire-resistive and sanitary construction. Gymnasiums, libraries, auditoriums and other special rooms make them more than schools. They are community centers, pleasing in architecture and a credit to our city. To eliminate the worst of the remaining old structures and to