Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-09
DELA WARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THE REFORMS NEEDED.

oOme Oh our olatc newspapers, TcckleSS
and foolish In this, as they often are in other
important matters, persist in the empty as
sertion that our Public School System is
efficient, and satisfactory. That it is eill-
cient no sensible man, conversant with lis
workings throughout the State, will for
moment maintaia, nor do we believe that it
is satisfactory to the people. Certainly no
system should satisfy them which fails to
secure thorough education to every child
in the community.
And it is not true that the people believe
the present plan of Education a good one.
They cannot be thus deceived. Every man
or woman who has been teacher in the
ordinary country and village schools; every
parent who has depended upon these schools
for the education of his children every in
telligent School Commissioner, who has ever
exerted himself to make them efficient ana
complete any of these know how lame
halting, and deficient the present plan is
In December, 1867, Convention OF those
interested in the subject, and composed for
the most part, of teachers, school commits
siohers, or parents with children dependant
upon public education, met at Dover. The
utmost interest in the subject was shown,
and the deliberations were earnest. The
opinions there expressed were unanimous
that great reforms were needed in the School
System. No one, so far as We now recollect,
expressed contrary opinion; but we are
at least, perfectly safe in saying that the
former conviction was held by great ma
jority. Finally, acommittee was appointed
to prepare n general report on the subject,
and finally, in the autumn Of 1868, they
published the result of their abors.
The report was prepartd ty Alexander
Fulton, Esq, a lawyer Of Dover, and a gen.
teman sincerely anxious for improved
schools; by Prof. w. A. Reynolds, of Will
mington and DIR. j. Il. Clawson, of Smyr-
ma both experienced and intelligent cduca-
tors of youth, familiar with the present
school law, and anxious to secure the bene-
fts of thorough system.
Their report urgently proposes at least
four prominent changes in the law. First
it provides for State Superintendent, and
it says that the present system appoints no
one "whose special duty 1t is to watch over
"the public instruction to harmonize its
workings; report defects and suggest i'm
provements; collect and disseminate in
formation; and, generally, to exercise a
"potent and salutary influence" All this,
the committee say they believe will be pro-
NOTED, if not accomplished, by an upright,
intelligent, and faithful Superintendent.
Here, then, the Committee plainly indi-
cate what they consider great defect in the
present system.
Secondly, the Committee propose to ap-
point County ouperintendents. Each eau do,
they think, for his county, "what the State
''Superntendcnt does for the State, and
''m0re. 1t will be his duty to examine
'every teacher and give certificates to the
'.worthy; to visit every school and give
''countenance, instruction, and encourage
''ment to both teachers and pupils Ant
"who can overestimate the amount OF good
''a competent, conscientious and industrious
superintendent can dol'
The lack of County Superintendent
must include the loss of all these good re
suits. Surely this must be great, If no
fatal, fault in any school organization.
They proceed, next, to propose chang
in the nanner of laying school taxes; name
ly that it be done by Commissioners in eac
hundred or town. They say that " one G
the gravest complaints against the presen
'system is the uncertain method of raisin
money" 1t now depends, "upon tn
''vote of each school at each spring meeting
"The Committee are of opinion that this
"a most unfortunate feature Of the system
and should be speedily changed 1t
both uncertain-for no one can tell wit
certainty whether any tax, or how mucl
will be voted by the meeting and il is al
tagonistic, because poor men, with childrel
are upon one side and rich men, withol
children, or independent Of public school
are on the other.
This is the third great defect, one of ii
"most unfortunate features, in the opinit
of Messrs. Fulton, Reynolds, and Clawso
The Committee further say that the poli'
of making every school single school di
trict mas not given Satisfaction. All u
tricts are not equally situated. Some a
poor and some rich; some with few scht
ars, Others with many.
This is defect the fourth.
These analyses, let us recollect, proce
from a General Convention of those int
ested in education The conclusions are t
result of careful and patient consideration
the subject. They are based upon sinc'
desire to promote good and efficient Sch'
System, and at least four thorough and g
eral charges are found necessary. Eve
one Of them we know, and the people
Delaware well know, is just statement
fact. Is it possible that with such tel
BILE faults in our School System, we have
courage and energy sufficient TO refo
them?