It was a brave new world back in the mid-1970s when a pre-private finance Glasgow declared its intention to combat overcrowding by replacing all old school buildings within six years (TESS, April 4, 1975).
All primary schools in Glasgow built before 1914 should be replaced with modern accommodation by 1981, according to a policy report on education approved by Glasgow Corporation planning committee.
The report, by Mr James Rae, director of planning, also recommends that all secondaries built before 1914 should be closed, except those which have had substantial additions built recently.
At November 1973, there were 341 schools in the city (excluding special schools) providing education for 169,194 children: 123 schools were built before 1914 and 43,542 pupils were accommodated in them, 25.7 per cent of the school population.
The report says no primary pupil should have to travel more than a mile to school and no secondary pupil more than two miles; and that new schools, so far as is practicable, should be located at focal points adjacent to other community use . . .
Mr Rae says the substantial achievement in accommodating children in modern buildings (73 new primaries and 23 new secondaries were built during 1958-73) masked a serious problem - overcrowding. Many primaries had rolls in excess of 800. Of the city’s 218 primaries, 80 had been built before 1914 and could no longer be regarded as fully effective.
