American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-02-27
REPORT
or THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.


House OF Representatives SO much of the Cover.
nors message as relates to education made the fol-
lowing report on the Goth day of January last
"The Committee are thoroughly convinced OF
fhe necessity of doing something to improve the
condition of schools in this state 1t is a lamenta-
BILE fact that while in neighborhoods in differ
ent parts OF the state there schools in others
where they are established, they are in many in
stances, from the incompetency and immortality oil
the teachers who conduct them, in the most unpros-
porous state. This is an evil which ought TO be
remedied at as early period, as the means OF do
ing it can be commanded. But until the means are
acquired to such an extent, as to be able to set
about it efficiently, no attempt can be made, which
wall not result 10 disappointment. Nor is that the
worst consequence that is to be produced. Fruit
less ATTEMPTS will, by uselessy disspang the pro-
ceeds'of funds already possessed, have the PERM.
cous effect OF retardug the time; when this desira
bic object may be successfully undertaken Such in
deed, will be the consequence Of the premature ap
preparations from the school fund, made in the veal
1917, 1918 s. 1891, under which several Thousand
dollars have been expended for the education o
poor children, without materially promoting theil
instruction. These children, except at schools If
few Of the towns, have been taught for such shor
* irregular periods, that they could not have made
any sensible progress in acquiring a knowledge o.
The first rudments Of learning. And the uncqua
distribution (undesigned it is ADMITTEDLY among the
several counties, OF the money appropriated by the
law oil 1921, is an additional reason why the appro.
priation should not, in the, as yet, too dimnutiyt
state of the school fund, be continued That fund
mounts now, with the unappfo priated money 10 the
treasury belonging to it, to 10000 dollars, and
will produce an annual interest Of 200 dollars But
81 this sum, 5000 dollars annually, for the period
Of 5 years, to wit, from the year 1928 10 the year
hnFh ncIn tI,ao \
last session Of the Legislature authorizing sub
scripton 10 the stock Of the Chesapeake and Della
ware canal, applicable to that improvement. The
balance 200 dollars added 10 the annual proceeds
Of marriage and tavern licenses, will probably make
about 5000 dollars which sum, annually or semi.
annually vested in some kind Of productive stock
will grow to an amount OF not less than % 900 dol
lars in years from this time. A the end Of which
period also. the canal having been completed, the
$4,000 dollars subscribed for stock of that descrip
lion, will begin to yield profit. The fund as il
now exists, Increased by the two last named sums,
will then amount to l67 600 dollars, which sum
augmented by the interest annually accrulng, will
in years thereafter rise to the amount of at least
100000 dollars. When has accumulated to this
ann, the interest arising thereon enhanced still by
The proceeds of marriage and tavern licenses all
producing a sum annually OF not less than 1000
dollars, will, it is believed, alter the Hundreds in
The several Counties shall have been divided into
convenient school districts, be sufficient, with the
voluntary subscriptions of the citizens in those dis
trcts, give all needfu improvement to the schools
that may be then established, and to institute such
additional schools as m. J be required.
There ought to be, 1t is computed, not less than
500 schools 10 the state, in all OF which there is
greater or less number Of pauper children, whose
parents and friends have not the means Of school
ing them. $4,000 dollars would be sum suffi
Gent to admit Of so dollars being allotted TO the
teacher, Of every school. AS in some school dis
tricts there would be greater number of paupel
children than in others, and consequently greater
public aid would be needed in such districts, the
most eligible mode, it is conceived, of apporton-
ing that aid, would be on an account being first ia.
ken OF the pauper children in the several districts
not TO allow the teachers an equal sum, but to com
pensale them according 10 the number of pauper
children taught by each. In this way might q
school be maintained in every school district, ant
in every season of the year. Although at present
there be in some neigborhoods several Of the in
habiants who have children they are able to school
yet there being an insufficient number to support
teacher they are obliged to do without any, or t,
send their children to schools at an inconyenien
distance. Now IN all such neighborhoods, coult
teachers receive small compensation for instruc
ting pauper children, 1t would put it in the powe
Of persons who able to pay for schooling theirs
to employ them.
The General Assembly which passed the law il
1896 for creating the school fund, might probab
have had some such plan as this in contemplation
1t is quite certain they could not have been so Wis
ionary, as to suppose that this school fund would
from the few and slender sources of revenue assign
ed II, have in any reasonable time so accumulated
as to afford interest sufficient to establish all tn
new schools that might be found necessary and t
support those already instituted, in the sever;
Hundreds otthe respective Counties in the state
a sum TO be commensurate with that object, shoul
amount to nearly if not quite, 100000 of dollar
As there is no probability that the school fun
however carefully managed, will ever rise to TIL
amount, or II 1t should, the day must be far disan