Compared with the cost of such facilities and their use when separated from the school plant, the economy of the combined playground, workshop, and school plant is indeed surprising. The city of Chicago has a most elaborate system of recreation parks and field-houses. Selecting the eleven most successful parks of the South Park Commission, we may compare the total cost and use of the eleven parks with the cost and use of one Gary school plant. Note that the attendance of the parks is the total, not the average, for the eleven parks. Also note that the cost of the school includes the furnishing of complete school facilities for twenty-seven hundred children, in addition to the social and recreation features.
Chicago parks and Gary school compared as to costs
Items | Total for eleven parks in Chicago | One school in Gary |
| Population | 800,000 | 20,000 |
| First cost, less land | $2,000,000 | $300,000 |
| Annual maintenance | $440,000 | $100,000 |
| Annual attendance:— | ||
| Indoor gymnasium | 310,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Shower baths | 1,385,000 | 500,000 |
| Outdoor gymnasium | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Swimming-pool | 735,000 | 300,000 |
| Assembly halls | 270,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Reading-rooms | 600,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Clubrooms | 70,000 | 50,000 |
| Lunchrooms | 520,000 | 20,000 |
V
TABLE SHOWING HOW CAPACITY OF SMALL SCHOOL PLANT MAY BE DOUBLED
Increasing School Capacity
A—Traditional school plant: 8 rooms; 320 children; grounds 160 × 160; playgrounds, 80 × 160, 40 square feet per pupil:—
| Cost of building and equipment | $55,000 |
| Cost of land | 5,000 |
| 10 per cent on investment | 6,000 |
| Annual operation | 2,000 |
| Cost of instruction per year | 10,000 |
B—Gary plan for 320 more pupils:—
| Additional cost of land | $5,000 |
| Additional cost of instruction per year | 10,000 |