The School Plant as an Educational Instrument

Abstract

THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTIONAL PLANNING of school buildings has grown and expanded with use. Not many years ago the term applied largely to the effort to have proportionately more of the total area and cost of a school building devoted to educational and service areas, and consequently a less proportion to architectural features designed to produce monumental structures. Furthermore, under that concept school sites are located, arranged, and sized for educational service rather than for the satisfaction of community pride. School plants developed in the past two decades reflect commendably that definition of functional planning. There is growing evidence, however, that this concept of functional planning of the school plant is being expanded to include consideration of it more specifically as an educational instrument. The best evidence of such emphasis is that teachers, supervisors, principals, and school architects challenge the adequacy of standard or traditional facilities for meeting the demands made upon them by modern curriculums content, methodology, and educational and social objectives. This may mean that school planners and teachers no longer will be satisfied with the evaluation of a school plant largely as an adequate and economical space and shelter for pupils and teachers while educational growth and development occurs. They will, in addition, expect that every possible opportunity will be realized to have the physical plant contribute positively to the approved educational process and to the desired enrichment of the educational offering in schools. This chapter will review the recent emphasis in educational research and literature on the desirability of securing, in school plants, optimum conditions for growth and development of pupils.