Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-01-02
Public Schools,

The following communication from the
Board OF Education TO the City Council,
contains much valuable and interesting in.
formation in reference to our Public
Schools. We commend il to u thoughtful
perusa, confident that it cannot fail to en-
list popular opinion in favor Of these valu-
able institutions.
To Tng Hon. Cry CouEcIt oF rne CRY or
WILMINGTON.
The Board of Public Education of the CITY Of
Wilmington, are under the necessity OF appcal
lug to your honorable body for your consent and
cooperation, in providing them with additional
means for the performance of the duty devolvcd
upon them. 1t was doubtless the intention of
the city, in the institution OF the present system
Of Public Educauon TO afford the opportunity of
good instruction to every child within the limits
Of tue same, of suitable age. The doors Of the
Public School House should he open to oil of
our juvenile population desrous to enter, aud
no head Of a family, contributing in the way of
t9xation, should he deprived of school privileges
for his children This is not now. and never has
heen the cnse, in spite Of constant efforts made
by the Board of Education to meet the demands
made upon them While frequent additions
have been made to the number of our Schools.
still more rapid proportion. and we have never
yet seen the time when all who knocked nj our
doors could be admitted. This pressure has
been most felt in our Primary Schools, After
the failure Of the application made two years
since for u Loan to enable us to provide new
school house, the Board out of their own funds
added two rooms to School House No. G, in Wal.
nut Street, and reopened a Primary School in
the house belonging to the city on the Water
Basin Lot; thus providing for nearly two hun.
dted scholars, and yet find themselves almost as
much embarrassed as before This pressure is
attributable 10 two causes, first, to the steady
growth of our population, which has averaged
for number of years one thousand per annnm ;
and which, for the last year, in spite of lepress-
ing influences is estimated at about five hundred.
Second to the increasing favor which our
schools have gained in this community, owing to
reputation for good order and thorough
instruction which the Board trust is not uuie.
served.
The following statements will shew the measure
OF increase in the number OF our pupils and in
the accommodation provided, for them.
The present Board commenced operation in
March 1852 1t Inherited two badly construct.
ed and inconvenient buildings, in which were
crowded about $50 or 3G0 children OF these
buildings the larger, at the corner Of French and
Sixth Streets is still in use, and designated as
NO. l. II has been greatly improved since il
came into our possession, and il now fitted III,
for 100 boys and l20 girls-total 220, instead Of
300 as before. With all our attempts at i'm.
prOvement it is very inferior to the houses since
erected, and the Board would gladly dispose of it.,
/ IT it could be done with advantage. The other
house, in the 9th Ward, after having been once
enlarged, was sold, and in place of an unsghtly
and inconvenient building, SO repulsive that il
was difficult to fiji il, even in the great dearth Of
school accommodation at that time, we now have
the fine building, at the corner OF Washington and
Eleventh streets, with seats for 3Si scholars. and
very few vacancies
In 1852, a loan was authorized of $4,000
with the avais of which was constructed tn,
handsome ami cOmmodious ediicO designated a,
No. 4, eligihy situated on Washington Stree
above Second, arranged in the upper story fol
1866 girls, and in the lower for 200 boys Tbi,
school has been credit to our city, and an i'm
mense advantage to many hundreds of oui
youth.
Soon after, the use Of building belonging tt
the city, in Sixth Street, between Market and
King, was obtained for Primary School Tbi,
building was at first crowded with 1872 seats. but
the number has been since reduced to about 1870
It il always overlooking. The Board also
obtained from the city the use of the uppe,
room Of the house on the Basin Lot, where GA
children were taught
After these additions our entire school accom-.
| m{ N was 1882. lhe lumber of attendants
was 9osZ" heiug all in the
M orrH