Command Religious Program implies that as much of the facility as possible,
excluding only storage and service spaces and the administrative spaces, be
conceived as having either a primary or secondary use as classroom space,
reflective of religious faith.
b.
Infants and Children of 2 and 3 Years of Age. If, in close
proximity to the chapel on the military base, there is a child care center,
that center shall be used to care for infants and children under 3 while
parents are at worship. Otherwise, a nursery is needed. In large facilities
this may be a two room unit--a cribroom which is quiet, with rocking chairs
and tiered cribs; and a larger interconnecting room where toddlers can play.
Sanitary facilities are required. This rather elaborate suite is scaled down
in smaller chapels. (In the smallest, the need may not be present. and
parents whose infants are disturbing may use the concourse as a "cry room".)
c.
Small Children. The typical preschool programs in civilian
communities supply models for the rooms and equipment needed for the preschool
children. Outdoor play yards are desirable amenities. Separate toilet rooms
scaled to small children are appropriate in all but the smallest facilities.
Furniture for children in the lower grades is conveniently small in size,
and some teaching equipment is very specialized. For these reasons, rooms for
these children are not easily adaptable for other purposes and are perceived
as single purpose rooms.
As mentioned earlier, there are circumstances where another responsible
group conducts a weekday preschool program in the religious educational
facilities. In these situations, it is important that the building be planned
to make the double occupancy comfortable and effective. The spaces in question
should be grouped together, isolatable from the remainder of the facility and
provided with a sheltered weekday access point. Administrative space
assignable to the "visiting" group should be supplied in addition to spaces
needed by the Command Religious Program. Separate storage, both centrally and
within each room, for materials and loose equipment should also be provided.
d.
Juniors through Adults. Because flexibility of function is
critical in these facilities, rooms allocated to teaching will have other
functions also. The alternative uses of the social hall have been mentioned.
The music room can serve as a teaching space. Classrooms can serve as reading
or study rooms through most of the week.
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