Suggested Guidelines for Agricultural Education Facilities
A. Classroom
The ideal classroom should provide 35 to 45 square feet of floor space per student with a minimum of 780 square feet exclusive of laboratory and storage room. The minimum width should be 24 feet.
The floor should be concrete covered with tile that is resilient, light-colored, durable, skid resistant, and easily cleaned.
The classroom ceiling should be acoustically treated. The side walls and rear wall may be treated similarly, but the front wall should remain reflective.
Entrances: doors from the shop to the classroom and office should be at least three feet wide.
Outlets: duplex electrical convenience outlets should be easily accessible and not more than 10 feet from any point along the walls.
Lighting: lighting should provide a minimum of 35 foot candle.
Windows: base of the windows should be located sufficiently high to prevent outside activities from being visible to the student seated in the classroom - four feet from the floor.
Chalkboard: 12 or more running feet of chalkboard should be provided.
Bulletin board: at least 30 square feet of bulletin board, preferable located near the classroom entrance, should be provided.
Provide bulletin file, bookshelves, magazine rack and storage, notebook shelf with individual notebook compartment, chart rack, and visual aids.
The room should be planned so that it can be darkened for projection of visual aids.
B. Office
The office should have 80 to 120 sq. ft. of floor space, with 60 sq. ft. added for each additional teacher.
Windows should be arranged so that shop activities and classroom can be observed from the office.
The office should have one ceiling light and three convenience outlets.
Furnishings and equipment: the office should be equipped with a desk and chair, four-drawer letter-size filing cabinet, computer and telephone.
C. Tool and Supply Storage
The storage room should be at least 20 feet long with a minimum width of eight feet. The door should be on the end so that long lumber and long bars of steel or pipe can be taken in and out easily.
Two walls should be equipped with plywood panels - one for tools and one with shelves for supplies.
D. Sanitary Facilities
Restroom facilities should be provided.
The washbasin, which would allow one-third of the class to wash at one time, should be near the clothes lockers. The usual circular basin with foot control has a 36-inch or larger diameter, and the semi-circular basin has a 54-inch diameter.
E. Farm Mechanics Shop
Shop Space: 150 sq. ft. of floor space per student in the largest class should be provided. An additional 1200 sq. ft. should be provided for workbenches, power tools and other equipment. The shop should have a minimum width of 40 ft.
Ceiling: a 14 ft. ceiling should be adequate. Base the height on the size of the largest machine to be brought into the shop.
Entrance: the overhead door should be 14-16 ft. wide. A standard size door, preferable located beside each large door, should also be provided.
Windows: ceiling height windows should begin about six or seven feet from the floor, preventing window breakage and distraction of students by outside activities. Window arrangements in the shop should allow wall space for hanging tool cabinets and the convenient placement of tall shop equipment such as drill presses. two or three of these wall spaces, from four to eight feet wide, on each side of the shop should be sufficient.
Wiring: refer to "Recommendations for Adequate Wiring of the Agricultural Education Building".
Workbenches: benches should be 20-24 inches wide, 34-38 inches high, with about six feet of length per student providing a maximum of 90 running feet of bench space. Benches in the metal-working areas should be covered with steel plate 1/8 inch or more in thickness with the exposed edges protected by a 1/8 inch x 1 3/4 inch x 1 3/4 inch angle iron.
F. Patio Area
A minimum of 2400 sq. ft. for storing or working on farm machinery, flammable materials, and large construction projects should be provided.
The patio area should be enclosed by chain fences or a masonry wall.
G. Greenhouse
A minimum of 600 sq. ft. should be provided for classes of 15 or less.
Ventilation and heat systems should be automated.
If structures are added to existing facilities (other than a greenhouse), the south side is strongly recommended and the north side is prohibited.