President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Rural Electrification Act changed farm life dramatically. The miracle of electricity in rural East Texas is examined in "Electricity Comes to East Texas" (Brandi Anderson and others). Chronicled is a description of life without electricity and how everyday chores were done in its absence. Local citizens…

In the past 10 years the play movement has illuminated the educational value of play. The old-time school yard, with its limited space and its restrictive traditions, is entirely unsuited to the new uses demanded by the new ideals, and there is going on everywhere a reconstruction of theory and practice to meet the new requirements. As in all…

Reviews the history of architectural developments in academic libraries. Highlights include natural lighting and the invention of the incandescent bulb; compact shelving; open versus closed stacks; modular construction methods; central air conditioning and controlled environments; interior arrangements; access to handicapped users and staff; and…

Schoolhouse planning is becoming specialized. In a few of the larger centers of population there are architects who desire no other work except the planning of school buildings. This is bringing about in the larger cities schoolhouses that are peculiarly adapted to the educational program. They are sanitary, well lighted, and properly ventilated.…

Scores of millions of dollars are spent annually in the United States for new school buildings. With this large. expenditure has come a general desire that schoolhouses shall be usable, healthful, comfortable, and beautiful. Educators and architects have united in devising plans for school buildings. This bureau has published a valuable bulletin…

Adequate maintenance of school buildings representing a public investment of billions of dollars is a problem of grave concern to both taxpayers and school officials. This publication, one of a series dealing with school plant management problems, identifies, describes, shows the function of, and outlines maintenance procedures for many components…

Girard College was founded and endowed by Stephen Girard, mariner and merchant, a native of France, who came to Philadelphia in 1776. After a long life of service to his adopted city, State, and country, he died in 1831, leaving the bulk of his estate in trust to the city of Philadelphia for the erection and maintenance of what is now known as…

In January, 1913, Ennion U. William, M. D., commissioner of health of Virginia; Hon. Joseph D. Eggleston, retiring superintendent of public instruction; R. C. Stearns, his successor; and W. H. Heck, Ph. D., professor of education in the University of Virginia, projected an intensive survey of the white and colored schools and school children of…

The topics discussed in this bulletin are those that are significant of new developments in regard to the school-building problem. For example, although elementary and high school buildings are of equal importance, considerable space is given to the evolution of the elementary school building of the city school systems because it represents a…

School systems, as never before, are attempting to provide for physically handicapped children. Much has been accomplished, but an even larger task is still before us. Thousands of such children are not yet able to take advantage of their birthright--the opportunity for education. There are numerous reasons for this, one of which is lack of…

Since the publication by the Bureau of Education of Bulletin (1910) No. 5, entitled "American Schoolhouses" much progress has been made in school architecture from every point of view. In this revised edition such changes and such additions have been made in the text as will, it is hoped, bring this progress to the attention of school…

The success of any high school depends largely upon the planning of its building. The wise planning of a high-school building requires familiarity with school needs and processes, knowledge of the best approved methods of safety, lighting, sanitation, and ventilation, and ability to solve the educational, structural, and architectural problems…

Competent authorities seem to agree as to the causes of eye strain in school children other than congenital defects. Standard works on diseases of the eye are practically unanimous in declaring that myopia results from the protracted and unhygienic use of the eyes in near work. Most of the factors tending to cause eye strain exist in the schools.…

Adequate school plants are essential to a modern educational program. The school plant that is not properly maintained soon fails to provide the service for which it was intended. The total program of maintenance, including repairs, renovation, remodeling, rehabilitation, and modernization should be carefully planned. Some tasks will recur at…

The present bulletin deals with the evolution of the school auditorium, and presents recommendations for the planning of the auditorium, with particular reference to the stage, so that the auditorium can be used as a theater, concert hall, for forums, for motion pictures, and for radio programs. The auditorium is one of the most important units in…