Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-03-22
Report of the Board of Public Educa-
VIA q Statement Of the Accounts fer he Iast
fsdr Published AeeordHg 10 hs Act Of
The General Assembly, '.for me ben.
tfi If Public Schools IN Bil-
Blia0fon - March, 1864


miagfoH," MARCH,, 1864.
The past year the Board has built and fur |
ni4bed a school house at the corner Of Seventh |
and Spruce sireets, oftwo stories, with one large
school room containing one hundred and fifty |
six seats, and two recitation rooms on each |
hour The rooms are very oommodouss The |
schools iu IL were opened on the eighth day Of
the present month, March. The lower room is
filled and overlooking the upper room is fast
filling, mauilesting the urgent need there was
Tor a school house in that location. The Board
feel constrained to direct the attention Of their
ivlIuw citizens to that part of our city--its
growing business and increasing population;
aud to the Importance, on prudential considera-
tlons, of supplying sufficient school accommo.
datiun for all the children. II Is not merely the
requirement Of thea Of Assembly chartering
the Board, that they shall increase the number
and improve the condition Of the public schools,
until it shall satisfactorily appear, that there
are sufficient 10 accommodate all the white
children hnd minors whose parents, guardians
or masters desire for them the benefit" it is an
Indispensable provision for the common prosper
ily, and indeed common safety, that children,
numerous as We SOC them in every neiRhbOrhood,
should have within their reach inviting means Of
instruction and training, and not be left 10 form
habits Of vitiating idlentas; cOrrupting each
other by the manner Of life to which their situa-
tiOn without such means consigns them. Every
lew school house we have built, has manifested
10 US not only the want there was, but that there
was still further necessity.
We have heretofore spoken Of school to be
under capable male teacher, to teach the
branches requisite to good business education
and form tho head Of our system. The need of
such school is every day becoming more ur-
gent. Instruction in the branches referred to,
in consequence Of the general progress in edu-
cation through attention to schools in all the free
States, has become necessity TO all who would
successfully engage in business; for how often
have We heard business men complain Of him
drance through want of education. The benefit
Of such an educaton to the community from the
superior business capacity and power which il
would confer upon those trained among US, and
who will remain with us. TO unfold our resources,
mud excite and conduct enterprise. would be in-
calculable; while the fact, that youth trained
here can be furnished with requirements to stand
wherever they might go, upon vantage ground
with any competitors, would be honorable TO the
city and at the same time nothing more than is
due to its people, whose well being should be it's
chief care.
| Primary schools are of first concern. Unless
children are early put in way Of discipline
mud instruction, they form habits, that no sub
sequent care can correct. We have seen much
Of this. The Board have therefore considered
that until primary schools are supplied, one re-
quiriug capable male teacher must be post
poned. But il is expected the time is oeme to
supply this want. Indeed the Board hoped,
with the last grant from the City Council, to be
able to build two school houses and furnish them
Purchasing a suitable lot of ground for one Of
them This expectation has been disappointed
partly, because of the smallness Of the grant
small through the solicitude of the Board To cou-
fine themselves within the most narrow limits in
making their application, and principally be-
cause of the extraordinary increase of the cost
Of building and furnishing at this time.
Seeing they could not build the two houses,
they built the one that has been mentioned, re-
qurel for the most urgent oaseB.
The other schools, through the year, allowing
the usual vacations, have all been kept open and
well attended. The particular condition of each
school has been ottn specified, that il may
suffice now 10 say, that the past year forms no
exception to the preceding schools have been
full; teachers capable and faithful. All English
branches from the Alphabet to Algebra and Ge,
omeiry are taught and we'll taught. Reading,
writing, orthograpby, geography, history, gram
mar, and arithmetic, mental and written, are
common branches, in oil cur school houses
containing seats before the erection of the New
House for 220s scholars and with the new house
1920. Any person who will visit these
, schools and observe the care and faithfulness
| VI hhe teuohctel anu lno OFutf anu RentEul ub
pertinent Of the scholars cannot fail 10 be strueL
with the value Of the schools and the good worl
they are performing for eevating the intelligene,
aud moral character Of the Using generation
Every school IL under the superintendence OF
n visiting committee of the Board whose duty
calls them to the Performance Of their trus
g every Monday morning; so that the teacher
=, can not only call upon them for advice and sup
= port, but are warned that the manner of thei
- ftunhinU nd their h.. obi ,
: : under supervision. Strangers who visit ou
schools uniformly attest their excellence. fire.
quently in comparison with the best schools o
the same grade in other places with which thei
Y observation enables them to compare them.
Before organizing in the New School House
there were eight principal teachers, thirty -thre
y assistants, and one with the charge of singl
y SCHOOL, total AZ; aud in organizing the school
- in the New School House, two principal teacher
and four assistant have been added, total 4
g teachers for 2620 scholars.
IL Such has lately been the increase Of price
every article Of food and clothing, the Boar
10 have considered the Teachers salaries whiu
70 at first were law, obviously nadequate and the
= have raised these under three hundred dollars
n year Qhe highest of them being $3.50 year, b
, the addition of fifty dollars, aud those of $40
X year and not over, by the addition of 1926.
y sense Of Justice TO faithful and laborious COIL
IT of teachers, all but four of whom have bee
selected from our own people, residents Of OIL
~ city, cOnstrainiug the Board to this action.
y WILLARD HALL, President.
:, J. F. WILSON, Secretary, pro tenn.
,t TREAsURER's REPORT.
OF VIM. s. liilles, Treasurer, in account vii
" Board of Public Education.
a. 1868. Dr.
be April 27, To balance at settlement, 1915
n " amount received from
he teachers, collected for use
Of Of books, SlG97.C
u. To amount received from
i'll City Treasurer proceeds of
School Tax, sll,o7s.s
ed To amount Of loan for
a building school houses, $4,000
IL To amount Of State appro
IS, priaton, 81 ,6G3 G
ar To amount Of an order
K given in error, refunded, Sc
u Total, $2s.Sl7.i
is, Or.
K, By amount paid teachers
he to salaries slO,59s'
III. " amount paid Janitors'
saavies and housekeep
nd ing expenses, S03.
he " amount paid for books
Ii and stationery, 2,OG5.:
M amount appropriation in
TO aid Of night school, 1904
he amount paid principal
ere OF bond of Board Of
ps. Public Education, 5000.
IS amount paid interest of
III bonds Of do. B74
at amount paid for fuel, l,l32