minimum figures given by standard authorities are greater than those found in the above tables. The tables show that the average cubic air-space per seat, for all the schools reported upon, is 173.8 feet.

In the regulations which govern the construction of schoolhouses in the Province of Ontario, it is provided that "in each room the area should be at least twelve square feet on the floor, and there should be at least two hundred and fifty cubic feet of air-space for each pupil." In reference to this regulation the minister of education said that he had placed the figures at the lowest possible point consistent with safety to the health of the pupils in the schools.

Mr. W. R. Briggs, the architect of the Bridgeport schoolhouse, of Connecticut, allowed two hundred and sixty-six cubic feet in corner rooms designed for fifty scholars; in the middle rooms, two hundred and seventy-three cubic feet; and in the large room, sufficient for two hundred pupils, four hundred and forty-seven cubic feet per seat. Prof. Kedzie, of Michigan, believes that three hundred cubic feet per seat should be allowed. Dr. Lincoln, of Boston, an eminent authority upon this subject, recommends at least two hundred and fifty cubic feet per head.

From these figures it will be seen that the space per seat in these schoolrooms is much too small. The amount differs in different counties, the nearest approximate to correctness being in Hillsborough county, averaging two hundred and forty-four cubic feet per seat; and the lowest in Carroll county, one hundred and forty-one cubic feet per seat. The figures given as allowable by the best authorities, as stated above, are based upon the supposition that with this amount of space suitable provisions for ventilating the rooms are to be maintained. In our schoolhouses

included in this table nothing of the kind exists, so the amount of cubic space is of very little consequence since any practicable allowance of air would soon become vitiated and unfit for respiration without ventilation.

In the report upon the schoolrooms of Ontario the committee on school hygiene expressed it as their opinion that five hundred cubic feet of air-space per pupil was sufficient with six renewals of fresh air per hour. If the cubic space were to be reduced be

low these figures, more frequent renewals of fresh air would be necessary. Applied to the construction of our schoolhouses the defect is an exceedingly dangerous one, but in practice it is not quite so bad, since most of the rooms are not filled to their full seating capacity. The cubic air-space per scholar for the State, based upon the average attendance, is four hundred and twenty cubic feet, the largest average amount per scholar being in Cheshire county, five hundred and sixty-seven cubic feet; and the smallest, two hundred and eighty cubic feet, in Coös county. This average is of importance, however, only in showing that the cubic space per scholar is ample, with ventilation, in some of our schools, while in others overcrowding would still exist with the most perfect methods of ventilation, if all the seats were occupied. The favorable circumstances, wherever found, are the result of existing circumstances rather than design, those circumstances being a very limited number of scholars in the given district. This table proves that our schoolhouses are not properly constructed, independent of the question of lighting and ventilation. Almost without exception, too many seats are placed in the schoolrooms.

Table No. 5 shows the time the average attendance would render the air unfit for respiration in 858 individual schools. These 858 schools, or sixty-nine per cent of the total number reported, are without any means of ventilation other than windows and doors which cannot be utilized to any extent in cold weather.

It is conceded that in schools composed of children of varying ages, at least 1,800 cubic feet of fresh air per hour are required for each pupil. Many authorities place the figures much higher. Thirty cubic feet of fresh air per scholar is required each minute in order that the carbonic acid gas thrown off by the lungs shall not accumulate to an extent of more than six parts per 10,000, and to purify and destroy other organic matters eliminated by the lungs.

A German medical commission, in a report upon schoolhouse construction, places the minimum amount of fresh air for each pupil at 2,120 cubic feet per hour. The difference between these figures as given by the best authorities and no ventilation whatever, must lead every thoughtful person to believe that our

TABLE NO. 5.

RENDER THE AIR UNFIT

FOR RESPIRATION.

schoolhouses are constructed upon principles exceedingly dangerous to the health of the pupil. It is probably true that the figures somewhat magnify the actual defects in the schoolhouses represented, since the walls of the rooms are not totally impervious to air, and more or less is undoubtedly admitted by the crevices around the windows and doors, even with the schoolroom closed. This would in a slight degree lessen the defects as shown by the table, but would not materially impair the force of the statements made.

To appreciate the defects which Table No. 6 exhibits, it is necessary to understand the amount of lighting space needful to secure the best results in the schoolroom. This has been estimated by various specialists, a majority of whom agree that the total lighting area of a room should not be less than 25 per cent of its floor area. Some authorities, however, have placed the figures as low as 1623 per cent (one sixth of the floor area), while others have considered 30 per cent as little enough. It is certain that not less than the minimum amount stated above should be considered sufficient for any schoolroom, however favorably situated. A glance at Table 6 shows that a majority of the schoolrooms fall far below any allowable standard in this respect. In 1,068 schoolrooms the lighting area is less than 163 per cent of the floor area, and in 488 rooms it does not exceed 10 per cent, and in 26 rooms it is 5 per cent and under. It will therefore be seen that

according to the best authorities, our schoolrooms are insufficiently lighted in a majority of cases. In 347 rooms the windows are protected by neither blinds, curtains, or shutters.

Table 7 alone is sufficient to condemn our schoolhouse architecture. If it had been the direct object to destroy the eyesight of the pupils, better plans could not have been produced than evidently exist in regard to location of windows in these rooms. The arrangement in most of the rooms is abominable, and cannot fail to have an exceedingly bad effect upon the eyesight of the scholars. In four hundred and two rooms there are windows directly in front of the pupils, a condition which should be prohibited by the strictest law. In two hundred and seventy-one rooms light is admitted from all sides, and in seven hundred and eighty-one from three sides.

SHOWING PER CENT OF LIGHTING SPACE TO FLOOR SPACE; ALSO HOW THE WINDOWS ARE SHADED.

Totals

II 15 46

61 I

107 124 124 144 127 111 9455 49 41 3432133621 3 418 379 124