154 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 



high-strung individual, as we say — one who is intense in thought 

 and quick and vigorous in physical movements — must needs 

 generate more vital force than a person of an opposite temper- 

 ament. Again, one possessing a relatively large inhalant sys- 

 tem can thrive in an atmosphere where a small-lunged unfortu- 

 nate would be able to do little more than keep body and soul 

 together. 



But for the average individual it is essential in order that 

 he may obtain the necessary quota of oxygen that there should 

 be furnished him about 30 cubic feet of air per minute; and 

 this with the ordinary methods of ventilation will necessitate 

 about 225 cubic feet of space 1 being set apart for his sole tenant- 

 age. These figures can only be suggestive, since the volume of 

 space demanded depends upon the rapidity with which the air 

 changes and upon its richness in oxygen. But taking these esti- 

 mates as of general trustworthiness, we find that the majority 

 of our students are fairly well circumstanced in respect of el- 

 bow room in their living quarters. In our questionnaire we 

 asked for the size of their apartments, with the number of per- 

 sons they contained, and the following table presents the results : 



1 Martin (Human Physiology, p. 377) says that an individual should be sup- 

 plied with 800 cubic feet of space ; but it is probable that this is not at all es- 

 sential in properly ventilated apartments. Burnham, op. cit., summarizes the re- 

 sults of investigations upon this subject as follows : "According to M. de Chau- 

 mont, at the International Congress of Education at Brussels in 1880, Belgium 

 prescribed one square meter of floor-space and 4.5 cubic meters of air-space to 

 each scholar ; but the Educational League of Belgium, in the plans of its model 

 schools, proposed 1.67 sq. m. of floor-space and 9.6 cu. m. of air-space to each 

 pupil. In Holland the average per head was 4.54 cu. m. In England, in the 

 Board Schools, auout 1 sq. m. of floor-space and from 3.65 to 4.25 cu. m. of air- 

 space were allowed. Bavaria prescribed 3.9 cu. m. for scholars of eight years, 

 and 5.6 cu. m. for those of twelve years. In Sweden, in the primary schools 1.52 

 sq. m. and 5.35 to 7.55 cu. m. ; in the higher schools 2.17 sq. m. and 7.69 to 

 9.98 cu. m. per head were allowed. In Switzerland the regulations vary in dif- 

 ferent cities. In Berne a subcommittee of the Police Directors reported two or 

 three years ago in favor of 4 cu. m. per pupil under ten, 5.5 cu. m. for pupils 

 over ten ; in all cases 1 sq. m. of floor-space. In some schools as much as 6.50 

 cu. m. of air-space per child is required. In Austria 0.6 sq. m. and 3.8 to 4.5 

 cu. m. are required. In the country schools in Prussia a floor-area for each 

 pupil of at least 0.64 to 0.74 sq. m. and a height of 3.20 m. — therefore at least 



2 to 2.37 cu. m. of air space — are provided. In the higher schools from 3.9 to 

 5.2 cu. m. are required. In Wurtemberg from 3 to 5 cu. m., in Hesse and Baden 



3 cu. m. are prescribed for each pupil." 



