Smyrna times., 1857-01-28
Proceedings Of tle state Ellcationel
Convention.
Down, Thursday, Jan. -. 1871.

Dover, Thursday, Jan. ID, 1917.
The Convention assembled in the Baptist
Church, in Dover, at one O'Clock, l.. NJ, when
DR.. GrimslIaw called the meeting to order, and
nominated DIR. Hugh Martin, OF Sussex Co.. as
President, who was unanimously chosen. Ga
motion, Charles l. DUPONT ~t New Castle, NV.
Cummins of Kent and John y. Hazard, OF Sus-
sex, were elected Wee Presidents, aud Hanson
Harmon, OF Wilmington, aud J. j.. Floyd, Ui
Kent county. were appointed Secretaries.
DIR. Marllu having taken the chair, and an
nounced that the Convention was now organized
and prepared for business, DR. Grimshaw stated
that in accordance with the wish of several cit
zens OF the three counties, he had issued the
call for this meeting aud that the object of this
Convention was TO take into consideration the
subject Of Common School Education, aud
whether our present system needed Amendment
or alteration whereupOn Hen. Caleb ). lay
ton, of Sussex, offered IA resolution which was
subsequently adopted preamble ,and Hon. J.
Wales offered the first resolution as an amend
ment (sec resolutions at the f,ot OtIh!s rcport,)
which was accepted as u substitute 10y Judge
Layton, as Mr.. Wales suggesel luat the ori-
glnal resolution was not sufficiently explicit,
and did not point out the Particular defects IN
the SYSTEM
The first resolution led to a spirited and pro.
tracted debate, Mr.. Wales making some forci-
Bile remarks in favor OF the adoption OF the rcSo-
luton, and suggested that the man who need
ed to be convinced that Common Schools were
necessary aud advantageous, would not believe
that the sun shone or the earth rcvolved.
Mr.. N. B Smlthers, of Dover, argued against
the adoption he was in favor of the State
granting aid to the cause of Education. MIR
5. stated the following propositions, viz: "'rhc
State has a right, and 1t Is lis dut, TO provide for
the education of the people, in view of the gen.
eral benefit TO the community in the protection
to persons and property by the diffusion OF know
! ledge" Bat every man is under a moral OBJ
! legation TO feed, clOthe and to instruct his own
children, and therefore the State should only
do part, in view cf the general benefit. aud the
| individual should furnish the rest, IN view Of
the personal benefit which he derives by the
education of his children.
Mr.. Wales, Rev. Il. B. Bradford, Mr.. a p.
Osmond, Judge Layton and DIR. Grimslaw all
replied to the remarks which Mr.. Smlthers
made at several times.
! Cove salisbury, Esq Of Kent, supported Mr..
s., and offered an amendment to the first reso.
luton, to the effect that "ihe tax should be le-
We'd on each person, according to his ability to
pay and the benefit derived.
This, 1t was suggested, was out of order.
DR.. Grmshaw seconded the amendment, and
asked that the sense of the meeting be taken.
Mr. Reynolds, of Kent county, was opposed
to all taxation, and stated that he was well ac.
quainted with human nature as any man in the
house, aud had been II years School COM
missioner.
The amendment was rejected by a large ma
jOrlty, aud the original resolution, that the tax
should be permanent, was adopted nearly unan-
imously.
Mr.. Wales offered the second resolution, and
made few remarks on the benefit to be deriv-
ed by the appointment OF competent person to
visit the schools.
The Rev. Mr.. Bradford, in clear, eloquent
and forcbc speech, set before the meeting the
true idea of a common school system, aud point
ed out the defects in our law, and was anxious
for the appointment OF an efficient officer to su-
p0rntend the school system. ...
Judge Layton was also in favor Of the ap-
pointment.
G. w. s. Nicholson, Esq, editor of the Della
ware Reporter, was in favor of appointing su-
perntendent for each county, in favor OF which
plan there seems to be good reasons.
DIR. Grimshaw stated that the number of
schools in each county was too small to EN-
p.oy one man in each that Lancaster county,
Pa, had as large a territory as ours, and twice
as many schools as there are in Delaware,
| (400,) aud that one man attended TO these be-
sides, the expense would be materially increas-
ed.
The resolution was adopted.
DIR. Grimshaw offered the third resolution,
aud mentioned the advantages which would
arise by making the term of office longer. i.,
Judge Layton moved the adoption of the 4th
resolution. 1t was stated by members of the
Convention that there was great inequality in
the size OF the districts aud that some had l2l
pupils, while others had only 10. Iasa.u..y-
DIR. Grimshaw (by request,) read letter
which contained the proceedings Of meeting
in Districts 81 and 35, in Kent county, in favor
of re-distrieting the State, aud resolution TO
petition the Legislature to pass an act for this
purpose. The letter also suggested that per-