Dormitories in connection with public secondary schools

Front matter

I

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF EDUCATION

BULLETIN, 1922, No. 12

Chapter I. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DORMITORIES WITH PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The first secondary schools in the United States were the Latin grammar schools. These were followed by the academies ; and the academies, in turn, gave way to the public high schools. In tracing the development of dormitories in connection with public secondary schools it is necessary to determine where private education left off and public education began. It is also necessary to determine the demarcation between elementary courses and secondary courses. No such hard-and-fast rules can be drawn. It is generally accepted, theoretically, that the high schools were the first free public secondary schools, but there were localities in colonial days where the schools were essentially free. Monroe says that from the time of their foundation in 1644 the schools of Dedham, Mass., were free in the modern sense of the term, for they were supported wholly by public taxation. 1 There were academies whose courses of study more nearly coincided with the modern conception of elementary curricula than those of secondary curricula. The earliest schools in Massachusetts, technically known as free grammar or town schools, imparted secondary as well as elementary education. 2

As a rule the early schools, both elementary and secondary, received their support from a variety of sources, such as the rental of public lands, tolls from ferries, fish weirs, etc., bequests of land, money, live stock, and slaves, and in nearly all cases from tuition.

Nothing is found concerning dormitories with the Latin grammar schools. These schools were local and prepared for college. The academies came into existence to provide a more liberal education for those who did not want to go to college and for those who did not have secondary school advantages at home. The semipublic academies, which were the recognized institutions of secondary instruction from the Revolutionary days to the middle of the nineteenth century, have been included in this brief historical r£sum6. While they were not public in the sense that we understand public education to-day, they did receive such support from the State as warrants their inclusion in the discussion of public secondary schools.

With academies. — One of the objects in the establishment of the early academies in colonial America was to provide secondary education for those who were not able to secure the same in their home communities. Benjamin Franklin, as early as 1744, in his plan for the establishment of an academy in Philadelphia included provisions for boarders. 3 However, there is nothing to

1 Monroe, Paul. History of Education, p. 735.

3 Barnard. Amer. Jour, of Educ, vol. 17, p. 574.

1 Brown, E. E. The Making of Our Middle Schools, p. 180.

indicate that the Philadelphia Academy, which was founded in 1749, ever followed out Franklin's request in this respect, for in the account of the remodeling of the building no mention is made of a dining hall or sleeping compartments. It would seem that the students found homes with the families in the towns, for one of the ends which the academy was expected to serve, set forth by the trustees in their petition for aid from the city treasurer, reads as follows :

It is thought that a good academy erected in Philadelphia, a healthy place, where provisions are plenty, situated in the center of the Colonies, may draw numbers of students from the neighboring provinces, who must spend considerable sums among us yearly in payment for their lodging, diet, apparel, etc., which will be an advantage to our traders, artisans, and owners of houses and lands. 4

As a rule, the early academies were not provided with facilities for board and lodging, except for a few pupils. 5 An historical sketch of Dummer Academy, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1763, is authority for the fact that Moody, the first principal of the school, persuaded his brother Joseph to take the mansion house, which with a farm was bequeathed to the institution, and here both he and the boys boarded. 5 Phillips-Andover and Phillips-Exeter Academies, founded in 1778 and 1781, respectively, did not erect dormitories until a century and a quarter had passed, and then the departure met with much opposition on the part of the townspeople who had depended upon boarding students for a living. 6

These semipublic academies have, for the most part, given way to the public schools. There are a number of instances, however, especially in the Eastern and Southern States, where these academies are recognized institutions for secondary instruction and as such receive support from the State or the town or both. Maine has 56 such academies, and 12 of them maintain dormitories. Maryland is aiding three of these secondary schools, each of which has a dormitory. Vermont reports dormitories with some of the academies. Delaware Academy, at Delhi, N. Y., has been assimilated by the public school at Delhi, and the use of the dormitory, which was formerly a part of the academy, is continued as a home for nonresident students.

With State universities. — With the opening of the State universities came, probably, the first opportunity for students to obtain free secondary education as we understand the term " free " to-day. State universities in their early history usually maintained preparatory departments for those whose secondary education was short of college entrance requirements. In some instances dormitories were connected with these early universities. The records of the University of North Carolina, which was opened in 1795, show that there was a preparatory department in existence in 1796 and that from the opening until the closing of Caldwell's administration (the first president of the institution) the students " boarded at commons." Mention is also made of the ceaseless efforts of Doctor Caldwell for new buildings to meet the needs of lecture halls and dormitories. 7

Preparatory departments in the State universities were continued for a long time. Gradually, however, they were discontinued, as the number of high schools increased. As a rule, dormitories have not been provided with State universi-

* Smith, Horace W. Life of William Smith, First Provost cf the College and Academy of Philadelphia, p. 52.

5 Adams, Oscar Fay. Some Famous American Schools, pp. 67, 68.

6 Cleaveland, Nehemiah. The First Century of Dummer Academy, p. 21.

7 Smith, Charles Lee. Hist, of Educ. in North Carolina. Ore. Inf., U. S. Bu. of Educ. No. 3, 1888, pp. 63-69.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT. 7

ties, probably because of tbe difficulty in obtaining funds. In Wyoming the preparatory department is included within the practice school of the department of education. About 60 per cent of the girls enrolled in the senior high school come from outside of Laramie, and these live in the college dormitories. The boys in the senior high school live in the town, just as the college men do.

With State normal schools. — With the institution of the State normal schools came another opportunity to obtain " free " secondary education with dormitory accommodations. The first normal school in the United States was opened in 1839 at Lexington (later West Newton), Mass. The next year two more normal schools were established in the State. New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Michigan, and New Jersey soon followed in the footsteps of Massachusetts. Now every State has one or more State normal schools. The total number in the United States is 184. The academic work given in these early normal schools was of secondary rather than of collegiate rank. A circular from the State normal school of Albany, N. Y., issued in 1840, states that only those should enter who have a good knowledge of the common branches. 8 An account of the State Normal School at Bridgewater, Mass., for 1866 in Barnard's American Journal of Education records similar entrance requirements. In fact, at the present time a large percentage of the State normal schools maintain subcollegiate or secondary courses. In some normal schools the practice school includes a high-school department. Where this is the case it is often customary to admit into the practice school students whose secondary education falls short of normal school requirements.

The earliest State normal schools did not maintain dormitories. The State normal school in New Jersey, which opened at Trenton in 1855, found after a few years of operation that the price of board had so increased that it threatened to embarrass the operations of the institution. Accordingly, in 1864 a suitable building was secured and fitted up as a boarding house for female pupils and teachers. By having a considerable number together it was found that the expense to each student could be considerably reduced.* The entrance requirements of the New Jersey normal school at that time were equivalent to a common-school education.

Forty-two State normal school presidents maintaining secondary departments and dormitories were corresponded with relative to the admission of secondary students into the dormitories. Thirty replies were received. Twenty-eight said that no differentiation was made between secondary and normal students relative to dormitory privileges. Two schools stated that the secondary students were housed in different halls and were subjected to different regulations. Several of the presidents expressed the opinion that this should be done.

With land-grant colleges. — With the passage of the first Morrill Act in 1862 a new impulse was given the State universities, for it was general to turn over to the existing State institutions the funds provided by the congressional act for the purpose of establishing colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts. Some of these colleges still retain schools of secondary grade. In some instances these schools are administered by the college officials and housed in the college buildings. In others they have separate organizations and are located in different parts of the State.

At present the following named States maintain secondary courses in connection with their land-grant colleges and open their college dormitories to students registered in these courses: Connecticut, Iowa, New Mexico, North

8 Barnard. Amer. Jour, of Educ, vol. 18, 531. • Ibid., vol. 17, 787.

Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington. Iowa and South Dakota report dormitory provisions for girls only. North Dakota, Tennessee, and Washington state that their dormitory facilities will care for only a portion of the students. Oklahoma is abolishing the preparatory course one yea-r at a time ; two years are gone already.

All of the 17 land-grant colleges for negroes maintain secondary courses and provide dormitories. In fact these institutions are on the whole more nearly of secondary than of collegiate grade. The list of the States where these institutions exist follows : Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The States with secondary schools under a different organization from that of the college, and with dormitories, are California, Colorado, and Minnesota. The Davis Farm School, which is under the management of the board of regents of the University of California, was opened in 1906. The Fort Lewis School, at Hesperus, Colo., has dormitory accommodations for about 30 girls and 30 boys. The Northwest School of Agriculture, at -Crookston, Minn., established in 1910, and the West Central School at Morris, Minn., are both a part of the department of agriculture of the University of Minnesota and are under the control of the board of regents.

With independent agricultural high schools. — The independent agricultural high schools represent another type of secondary schools with which dormitories are common. Probably the first dormitories to be erected in connection with independent public high schools in the United States were those erected in conformity with the law passed in Alabama in February, 1889, authorizing the establishment of a branch agricultural experiment station and branch agricultural school in north Alabama. Under this act two schools were organized, one at Athens and one at Abbeville. Similar acts of the legislature brought into existence 10 of these congressional district agricultural high schools. A report of the school at Athens found in the biennial report of the State superintendent for 1892-1894 indicates that a boarding department was connected with the school at that time. At present only 3 of the 10 district schools maintain dormitories. The legislature of 1919 changed the names of these schools from district agricultural schools and experiment stations to State secondary agricultural schools.

A polytechnic secondary school at San Luis Obispo, Calif., established by a legislative act of 1901, maintains dormitories and is under the management of an independent State board. In 1906 the Legislature of Georgia made provision for congressional district agricultural high schools similar to those of Alabama. The management of each of these schools is under the control of a board of trustees made up of a representative from each county in the congressional district. There are now 12 such schools, and dormitories are maintained in connection with all of them. The first secondary school of agriculture in New York was established in 1906, in connection with St. Lawrence University. Four of the New York secondary schools report dormitories. A bill was before the legislature in 1921 asking for the appropriation of $75,000 for erection of dormitories in connection with the school at Morrisville. The first legislature in Oklahoma (1907) created an act for the establishment of secondary schools of agriculture in each judicial district, in conformity with the provisions of the constitution. These schools are largely under the control of the State board of agriculture. There are now four such schools, and dormitories are in connection with all of them. In 1909 a legislative act of Arkansas provided for the maintenance of secondary schools of agriculture. At present there are four

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT. 9

of these schools, and all have dormitories. Two secondary schools of agriculture in North Dakota maintain dormitories, one in connection with the School of Science at Wahpeton and the other in connection with the School of Forestry at Bottineau. In Vermont a legislative appropriation was made in 1912 for a dormitory in connection Avith the secondary school of agriculture at Randolph Center. This school is under the management of the State board of education.

In 1910 the General Assembly of the State of Virginia passed an act providing for the instruction of agriculture and domestic science in at least one high school in each congressional district in the State. To make it possible for these schools to function . as centers of vocational education for congressional districts, it was found necessary to establish in many of them dormitories for boys and girls. When the State accepted the grants of the Smith-Hughes vocation act it withdrew its appropriations from the congressional district high schools and permitted them to organize their departments in accordance with the plans of the State board for vocational education. By this act these schools lost their status as congressional district high schools and assumed that of local high schools maintaining departments of vocational agriculture.

County agricultural high schools with dormitories are found in Michigan, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. County agricultural high schools were first established in Wisconsin in 1902. These high schools are built and equipped at the expense of the counties where located, but the State makes a grant of from $6,000 to $8,000 a year for each school. Two of the schools have dormitories. The Michigan Legislature of 1907 passed an act providing for county agricultural high schools, similar to the act of Wisconsin. Two of these schools report dormitories. The legislature of Mississippi passed an act in 1910 providing for county agricultural high schools. The State now has 51 of these schools, and dormitories are found in connection with all of them.

With fami-life schools of North Carolina. — The county farm-life schools in North Carolina are another type of secondary schools with which dormitories are associated. These schools, like the independent agricultural schools, are located on farms. Five such schools are reported from North Carolina. The State department of education is authority for the statement that these schools have never functioned as real farm-life schools. However, the dormitories do fill a real need in providing a home for rural boys and girls who live long distances from a high school.

With county and district high schools in sparsely settled localities. — Within the past few years there has been a tendency to establish dormitories in connection with county and district high schools in sparsely settled regions or in localities where transportation is difficult. It has seemed to be the best way to provide high-school education for those who live at distances too great for transportation. The greatest impetus given to this movement has been in the State of Montana, where there are now 25 county and district high schools maintaining dormitories. According to the report of the State superintendent for 1920, the practicability of dormitories for housing public school children who live far from school was first demonstrated in 1914-15, at the Flathead County High School in Kalispell. A commodious residence was leased by the county school board and transformed into a dormitory for girls. The experiment proved so satisfactory that in 1915-16 a building which had formerly been used for a business college was remodeled for a boys' dormitory. Other States promoting dormitories for localities inaccessible to high school are California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and West Virginia.

DORMITORIES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Legal enactments for dormitories. — The Alabama Legislature of 1919 provided that within three years from January 1, 1920, dormitories shall he erected with all the 10 State secondary schools of agriculture. In Nebraska the laws include school dormitories as among the institutions for which precincts, townships, and second-class cities or villages may issue bonds for improvement. The statutes of Mississippi provide that county school boards, whose duty it is to administer county agricultural high schools, shall include among the buildings to be erected for such schools boarding departments where not less than 40 students may have dormitory and dining-room facilities. County school boards in Nevada are empowered by the statutes to provide for rental, purchase, and erection of dormitories and dining halls for county high-school students. The statutes of North Carolina provide that dormitories with suitable accommodations for not less than 25 boys and 25 girls shall be erected in connection with farm-life schools. In West Virginia, district or county school boards may erect, purchase, or lease buildings to be used as dormitories for the accommodation of pupils wishing to attend high school.

Where the legal authority for the erection of dormitories is not specific it is implied by a broad interpretation of the law. For example, such a phrase as " to erect the necessary buildings " may be construed to include dormitories.

Number of dormitories in the United States connected with secondary schools. — The accompanying table shows the number of dormitories in the United States associated with public secondary schools. The table includes the independent agricultural high schools, the farm-life schools of North Carolina, and the county and district high schools. In each instance the unit of control is given. The information given in the table is based upon replies from high-school inspectors in the various States. Secondary schools of agriculture affiliated with land-grant colleges, and housed on the college campus, and secondary departments of universities and normal schools are not included.

Table 1. — Number of dormitories in connection with public secondary schools distributed according to control.

States.

District control,

all white.

Magi trict aldiS " County control.

Congressional

district,

all

white.

State control,

all white.

Total.

White.

Colored.

White.

Colored.

White.

Colored.

3 4 2 1

6 4 6 3

16 2 2

25 2 1 5

60 2 4 3 1 1

12 3 2

2 1

Ceorgia

51 7 2 1

.. 1

" "" '1

CO

13 1

Utah

11 2

21 1

Wisconsin

Total

1 Data incomplete; State department unable to supply information.

2 Serves 3 counties.

Chapter II. BUILDINGS

This report on buildings, and that on management which follows in the next chapter, are based upon replies from questionnaires from 29 high schools maintaining dormitories throughout the United States. Numerically the distribution is as follows: 3 congressional district agricultural high schools, 7 county agricultural high schools, 3 farm-life schools with secondary departments, 9 county high schools, and 7 local and magisterial district high schools. Geographically they represent schools in California, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. In 19 instances the report is supplemented by personal visits. AH of the schools are for white children with the exception of one of the farm-life schools. A brief report of this school is given in the chapter on " Reports from 10 schools."

Boys' dormitories. — Thirteen of the schools reported in this chapter have built or purchased buildings which are used exclusively for boys' dormitories. In four instances dwelling houses are rented and used as temporary quarters for the boys. In eight schools boys and girls are housed in the same building. In the remaining schools the boys find rooms in private houses. The original cost of the 13 buildings ranges from $2,500 to $26,000. The median is $15,500. The buildings are all comparatively new. Ten were erected between 1906 and 1917 and three since 1917. The length and width of 12 buildings were reported. In terms of medians the dimensions follow: Length 120 feet, width 40 feet. All of the buildings save one are two stories above the basement. Ten are heated by furnaces, two by stoves, and one by corner grates. All are lighted by electricity. Ten dormitories report from one to eight lavatories for each building. Three buildings report one lavatory for each room. From one to nine toilets per building are reported. In 11 buildings there are from 1 to 6 shower baths; 5 buildings report from 5 to 8 tub baths. In 5 of the buildings both shower and tub bath facilities are found. Only two dormitories report hospital provisions. The number of students that can be housed ranges from 20 to 125. The median is 62.

Three of the rented buildings are heated by stoves and one by a furnace. All have electric lights. In two there is no plumbing. No hospital provisions are reported, but in one instance the services of a house doctor are provided. From 16 to 25 students can be housed in each of these rented buildings.

Girls' dormitories. — Twenty-eight schools reported. Nineteen of them have provided dormitories exclusively for the girls. The original cost of these buildings ranges from $500 to $55,000. The median is $15,000. All the buildings were built since 1900, and 12 since 1917. Dimensions of 17 buildings were reported. The median length is 102 feet and the width 40 feet. Four buildings are three stories above the basement and 14 two stories, and 1 one-story. One building is heated by grates, 4 by stoves, and 14 by furnaces. All of the buildings are lighted by electricity. Three buildings report a lavatory for each room, and the remainder from one to eight per building. From 1 to 11 toilets per building are reported. All the buildings are provided with tub baths. The number of tubs per building ranges from one to eight. Seven of the buildings report two. Four buildings report shower bathg in addition to the tubs. Five buildings report hospital provisions. These vary ; in one instance it is merely an isolated room, in another an isolated room equipped with two hospital beds and an adjoining room for the nurse, and in another a room equipped with first-aid material. The number of students that can be accommodated varies from 12 to 125. The median is 60.

This report on the 19 dormitories for girls doesnot include the dormitory at Delhi, N. Y., as details were not given on the blank. In this school the dormitory is a relic of the old academy. The principal is given the use of the building, and in turn is expected to furnish it and board and lodge out-oftown pupils. At present the building is housing 19 teachers and 7pupils.

Boys and girls in the same building. — In 8 of the 28 reports both boys and girls are housed in the same building. Three of the buildings were built with the idea of accommodating both sexes. In one instance (Boulder, Mont.) a gymnasium separates the boys' and girls' apartments. At Elko, Nev., the boys' and girls' apartments are separated upstairs by a solid wall and downstairs by the dining hall. In the other instances the dormitories are temporary quarters. The boys occupy the upper floor and the girls the lower. A detailed account of the dormitory at Elko, Nev., is given in a succeeding chapter.

Facilities for laundrying. — A few of the schools have basement rooms equipped with tubs and electric irons, where the students have the privilege of doing their own laundry work. In two of the agricultural schools steam laundries are operated in connection with the schools. All the labor connected with the laundries is performed by the students. In most of the schools a large percentage of the students spend the week-ends at home, thus eliminating the laundry problem.

Dining halls. — Reports were received from 28 of the 29 schools on dining-room facilities. In 16 instances the dining hall is in the girls' dormitory. In the eight cases where both boys and girls occupy the same building it is, of course, given space in that building. In one of the farm-life schools it is in the basement of the schoolhouse, in one school a community dining room is reported for each building, and in another school the dining hall in the girls' dormitory is not open to the boys. In only one instance is a separate dining hall provided. This building which is in connection with one of the congressional district agricultural schools of Georgia was built in 1914 at a cost of $7,500. Its dimensions are 90 feet by 30 feet.

Students' rooms. — As a rule the students' rooms are furnished with heavy material, such as furniture, mattresses, and pillows, and students supply their own dressings for the beds and towels and napkins. In practically every instance the rooms are planned so that two may occupy a room. A number of the buildings were so overcrowded that three and sometimes four occupied a single room.

Summary. — In providing dormitories the schools first consider a residence for the girls. In practically all of the schools visited where dormitories existed only for girls, the opinion was expressed that as soon as financial conditions permitted dormitories would be provided for the boys. The general opinion seems to be that it is more satisfactory for girls and boys to be in separate buildings.

BUILDING. 13

In most of the instances where boys and girls were housed in the same buildings, it was in the temporary buildings. The new buildings were modern, well arranged, and well equipped. On the whole the facilities for bathing were insufficient and there was a general lack of hospital apartments and first-aid appliances. Laundry facilities were usually lacking. There is a demand for steam laundries in the schools located on farms.

As a rule, the dining hall was a part of the girls' dormitory. However, future plans for the largest schools contemplate separate buildings for dining halls.

Chapter III. MANAGEMENT

Living expenses. — Only one school reports a charge for rooms. In this instance the rates are $8 per month for single rooms and $12 per month for double rooms. As a rule, light, heat, and water are included in the pro rata charge for meals. Janitor service is usually performed by the students.

Twenty-four schools reported on the cost per week of table board. Of this number, 23 attempt to serve meals at the actual cost of the food, its preparation, and service. In some cases an estimate is set at the beginning of the year as to the probable cost. In others, the amount is prorated at the close of each month. The monthly cost of board ranges from $8 to $25. The median is $15. In a few schools meat and vegetables are purchased from the farmers whose children board in the dormitories. In the congressional district and county agricultural high schools of the South the monthly rate of board is usually below $15. This is due to the fact that a considerable portion of the food is produced on the school farms and that the students perform much of the labor. Thirteen schools reported a deficit during the school year 1919-20. The largest deficit reported was $703.94. These deficits came about in schools that had set the price of board at the beginning of the year. They had failed to anticipate the increase in the cost of food. In 9 of the 13 schools the school board provided for the deficit either by an increased levy or by including it in the next year's food budget. In the remaining 4 schools the parents of boarding students were asked to make up the difference.

Student labor. — Eighteen schools reported that the boys have an opportunity to earn something toward defraying their living expenses. These duties include janitor services, laundrying, caring for live stock and crops. The amount paid for labor varies from 15 cents per hour to $50 per month. The number of boys performing labor varies from 1 to 92 (the entire enrollment). The median is 12.

Fifteen of the schools report that the girls have opportunity to earn something toward defraying their expenses. The duties performed by the girls are cooking, waiting on tables, washing dishes, sweeping, laundrying, and library work. The amount paid varies from 15 cents per hour to $20 per month. The number of girls performing such duties varies from 2 to 31. The median is 9.

In all the congressional district and county agricultural schools of the South at least one hour a day of manual labor is required of each pupil. The Carbon County High School at Price, Utah, requires all students to participate in the care of the dormitories. The same is true of one of the girls' dormitories visited in Montana. For such duties in the schools enumerated above the students receive no pay. Abundant opportunity is found in the congressional district and county high schools for " work for pay " outside of the one hour per day required of every student. Of course, the schools that maintain farms offer abundant opportunity for student labor, especially for the boys.