Of the total estimated cost ($390,810,000), it is estimated that $220,582,000 or 56 percent of the total is needed for elementary plant, and $170,228,000 or 44 percent is needed for secondary plant. These percentages correspond respectively to the 63 percent and 37 percent reported respectively for needed number of elementary and secondary classrooms. This difference in percentage is to be expected because of the greater number of facilities other than classrooms needed in the modern secondary school which results in a higher per capita building investment for secondary-school plant. Again this would indicate that these estimates are very realistic.

In addition to the $390,810,000 of estimated needed construction, a total of $9,523,000 is reported as needed for major alterations. These major alterations are in the form of improvements only, and so do not provide additional classrooms and facilities. This indicates a grand total estimated cost of $400,333,000 for needed school plant in this State within the next 12 years.

These costs, as pointed out before in this report, were based on present-day costs, since this was the only practicable method that could be employed. If building costs should drop in the future, the total of estimated costs would also decrease. For example, if building costs should drop 10 percent by 1952-53, then the estimated total cost of construction for that period would decrease by the same percentage. Likewise, if building costs should increase, the total estimated cost would increase.

This

At the time these questionnaires were returned, contracts totaling $20,060,000 had been awarded for projects which were in the process of construction. figure is discouragingly small in light of the reported needs, and no doubt reflects the high cost of building, together with the inability of districts to provide sufficient funds.

One hundred and ninety-nine out of a total of 414 districts having building needs report that architects have been employed to prepare plans and specifications for meeting all or a part of these building needs. This is almost 50 percent of the total number of districts reporting needs, and indicates a general and commendable awareness on the part of local boards of education and school officials to this urgent problem.

II. ESTIMATED NEEDS, BY PERIODS

Estimated classrooms needed, by periods

The total estimated needs for the entire 12-year period were computed by totaling the estimated needs for each of the following periods: 1949-50, 1952–53, 1955-56, 1958-59, and 1961-62. The estimates for each of these periods were made both by number of classrooms and by the total cost of classrooms, additional facilities and land. Estimates for each succeeding period were reported as new needs, and the figures are not accumulative or overlapping.

Of the total number of 8,217 classrooms needed for the entire 12-year period, the distribution by periods for both elementary and secondary rooms is shown in table 2.

TABLE 2.-Estimated number of classrooms needed, by periods

Table 2 reveals that the greatest need ls immediate, 1949-50, and also that the need drops off in a fairly uniform fashion for each succeeding 3-year period. This great immediate need is accentuated by the factor of obsolescence which is no doubt reflected now to a greater degree than in later periods. This table also shows that the need for elementary plant far exceeds that for secondary plant for the first three periods while the need for secondary plant exceeds that for elementary plant for the last two periods. This is explained by the greater

number of children resulting from the increased birthrate of recent years, advancing through the several grades. Hence this finding comes as no surprise. The following table shows the estimated classrooms needed for each of the five periods studied due to each of the four factors or causes producing these needs.

TABLE 3.-Estimated classrooms needed, by periods and reasons

Table 3 confirms a conclusion arrived at by study of table 2, namely, that obsolescence is the factor of greatest importance in estimating the immediate needs, accounting for 39 percent of the needed classrooms for the school year 1949-50. Its relative importance is sharply diminished thereafter. Replacement of temporary housing is the factor or reason of the least importance in all five periods. However, as is to be expected, it follows the same pattern as the factor of obsolescence.

Following the period of immediate needs (1949–50), the two factors, increased birth rate and population growth of the district, each becomes of greater relative importance in producing needs for new housing.

Estimated costs of needed construction by periods

The total estimated cost for the entire 12-year period was arrived at by totaling the estimated cost for each of the five periods surveyed. It is well to recall that these estimated costs are the aggregate of the cost of classrooms, additional facilities, and land. They were estimated on the basis of present cost of construction. While such estimates for future periods are unlikely to be as accurate as the estimated number of classrooms needed, it is obvious that this was the only practicable method of procedure. Costs were estimated by one or more of several methods, namely; bids on construction already received, estimates by architects and/or contractors, and by unit cost per room or per cubic foot currently prevailing in respective counties or areas.

The total estimated cost of needed plant for each of the five periods is shown in table 4.

TABLE 4.-Estimated cost of needed construction, by periods

The above table reveals that the largest estimated cost is for immediate construction, 37 percent of the entire estimated needs being reported for the school year 1949-50. A rather abrupt decrease is noted for the year 1952-53 and thereafter a rather uniform decrease for each succeeding period. It is significant to note also the relative need for elementary and secondary construction by these periods. The need of elementary construction is most urgent for the first two periods and sharply declines thereafter, while the relative need for secondary construction increases markedly for the last three periods, reflecting again the usual influence of the increased birth rate on school enrollment.

Inasmuch as it is important in studying this problem to know the total estimated needs by a given year, the total needs as indicated by the estimated costs are accumulated for each period and are shown in table 5.

TABLE 5.—Estimated total costs of needed construction accumulated, by periods

The total column in this table shows the estimated cost of construction needed to keep pace with the increasing school population. For example, by 1952-53 an accumulated estimated total of $230,494,500 worth of new buildings and additions will be needed. This is 59 percent of the total estimated costs of needed construction for the entire 12-year period. Thus it is perfectly clear that the immediate needs are greatest and most urgent.

III. FURTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION AND CONCLUSIONS

The total estimated cost of plant construction needs, more than $400,000,000, is a most impressive figure for a State no larger than ours and reveals a critical if not alarming situation confronting the people of New Jersey. Of the total of 560 districts reporting, 414 or 74 percent report needed construction within the next 12 years. Three out of every four districts report building needs for this period. This indicates a general need throughout the State. Districts further indicate that $143,000,000 of construction is needed to meet existing needs this next school year, and that more than $230,000,000 will be needed within the next 4 years.

In answer to the question: "Can you meet your immediate needs for building during the year 1949-50 within the framework of maximum legal borrowing capacity without special permission from the State (R. S. 18:5–84 to 5–88, inclusive)?", 162, or 39 percent, of 414 districts reporting replied in the negative. This inability of more than one-third of the districts reporting to meet their needs within their legal borrowing capacity, coupled with the impressive total of $400,000,000 of estimated needs, accentuates the seriousness of the situation. All but 27 districts report that their financial situation with respect to financing school building, will become serious within the next 10 years. One hundred and nine, or 25 percent, of the districts report that they now face, or will face within the next 10 years, an emergency condition without the ability to meet their needs. One hundred and fifty-seven, or 38 percent, report their situation as not serious now, but that it will become so within the next 10 years, while 104, or 25 percent, report that they face a critical condition at present caused by rapid growth, but that eventually they will likely be able to meet the problem. These facts reveal with added emphasis the inability of the districts to meet their school-building needs.

All of the above evidence indicates that the school-housing situation in the State of New Jersey is both critical and alarming now, and will continue to grow more so within the next 12 years if present needs are not met immediately. It is apparent that additional sources of financial aid must become available if the situation is to be met in any substantial degree.

Respectfully submitted.

COMMITTEE TO SURVEY SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS IN NEW JERSEY,
MILTON W. BROWN, Chairman,

G. HAROLD ANTRIM,

WILLIAM H. FLAHARTY,

WILLARD B. MATTHEWS,

FRANK B. STOVER,

CHARLES H. JUNG, Secretary.

ADDENDA

TABLE A.-Number of classrooms needed by counties-consolidation of all 5 periods covered by survey (1949–50 to 1961-62, inclusive)

TABLE B.-Estimated cost of school plant construction, including land and additional facilities, by counties-Consolidation of all 5 periods covered by survey (1949–50 to 1961-62, inclusive)

STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD BREEN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OHIO

Shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1941, the enrollments of many school districts throughout the country literally mushroomed overnight. This condition resulted from the establishment of new defense plants and military reservations in these school districts and the influx of defense workers and military personnel. Many school districts, especially those which depended upon small tax duplicates for their operation, immediately found themselves in financial trouble. A shortage of housing in their immediate areas forced the new residents to live in furnished rooms, trailers, and other makeshift quarters. Consequently, these persons were not paying taxes in support of local school districts, although their children were taking advantage of existing educational facilities. This condition resulted in overcrowded schoolrooms and increased operating expenses, but no increase in funds to properly meet the new expenses.

92679-49-25

A typical example of this situation is the Mad River Township school system in Montgomery County, Ohio. The present school facilities at Mad River Township are totally inadequate to meet increased enrollment. Furthermore, the system's present taxing and bonding powers virtually have been expanded to their limits. An acute housing shortage exists in Mad River Township, resulting from the close proximity of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Plans are now under way to alleviate this shortage by the construction of 1,000 new homes in Mad River Township for civilian and military personnel stationed at WrightPatterson. These new homes, when occupied, will add an estimated 750 additional children to the township school enrollment. This will place a further hardship on the school system as no immediate tax benefits will be derived from the new construction. Current plans are for the proposed housing project to be financed through a Federal Housing Authority loan. However, proponents of the project, and the Federal Housing Authority, are hesitant about beginning construction until some assurance is given that the Mad River Township school system will be able to care for the estimated 750 additional pupils. The Mad River Township school district is just one of hundreds of school systems throughout the country which faces this problem.

May I respectfully urge your favorable consideration of S. 287, as amended? Passage of this bill will provide a solution to the financial problems of schools located in defense areas.

LETTER OF HON. HARRY P. CAIN, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, TRANSMITTING COMMUNICATION FROM DONALD I. CADY, SUPERINTENDENT OF SOUTH CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SEATTLE, WASH.

Hon. HUBERT H. HUMPHREY,

Subcommittee on School Construction,

UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS, June 9, 1949.

Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SENATOR HUMPHREY: Enclosed is a communication from Donald I. Cady, superintendent of the South Central public schools, in King County School District No. 406 in the State of Washington, which is self-explanatory.

I am quite aware of the difficulties under which this school district is attempting to do a job, and would like to go on record at the time the committee considers the amended S. 287, as being fully in accord with his contentions. May I also respectfully request that Mr. Cady's letter be presented before the committee at the time S. 287 comes up for consideration.

Will you kindly return the attached letter to me after the hearings have been completed.

Very cordially,

The Honorable HARRY CAIN,

HARRY P. CAIN.

SOUTH CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
Seattle 88, Wash., June 6, 1949.

The United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR CAIN: South Central School District No. 406 is one of the districts close to Seattle that has suffered greatly in the past years due to a sudden increase in enrollment caused by an influx of people from the Midwest and other States who came to Washington to work in war industries-then liked our State so well that they stayed and persuaded others to come and join them.

Our proximity to Seattle-10 miles-makes our district ideal for those who wish to work in Seattle and commute. Boeing's, with its huge plant turning out aircraft for defense purposes, has hundreds of workers who live in our district. Others such as Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Todd-Seattle Drydocks, Inc., and many others have workers who reside in our district.

A huge increase in enrollment caused double shifting in our largest elementary school for 2 years. An addition, doubling the school in size relieved the situation for only a few years. Next year it will be necessary to employ four additional teachers to cope with increased enrollment. Since there are no schoolrooms available for the extra load it becomes necessary to double shift all first and second grades.