Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-03-30
THE NEW GENERAL SCHOOL LAW-lTs
PROMISE QF DOING GOOD.

The new law relating to the public schools for
white children applies to the State generally, but
not to this city OF several of the larger towns,
whose schools are in charge of incorporated
Boards of Education. It's chief value Is 10 be
found no doubt, in its making start. 1t does
not go far but it steps in the right direction. 1t
provides, in the first place, for State Board of
Education, to consist of the President of Della
ware College, (now Professor Purnell.) the Sec
retary OF State, (now Mr.. Grubb,) and the State
Auditor, (Dr. Nathan Pratt at present filling that
position and such Board, il those gentlemen
take the interest and show the capacity which we
expect, will furnish a central force by which the
public schools of Delaware, heretofore scattered
headless, and dsorganized, may be gathered,
organized, and intelligently directed. Such
Board may bring order out of confusion, and es-
tablish system instead of chaos. 1t will create
an esprit de corps, and give our public schools
and their teachers the right to feel that they are
worthy Of respect.
Beyond the Board, and the next in value it to
is the provision for a State Superintendent If
the Governor will select some one well acquant-
ed with good public schools, willing to be pa
tient and persevering i'll our email and back
ward field whose abilities are adapted to begin
ming at the foundation, and whose heart will
truly engage in the work which is here before
him, we may expect to see very important re-
suits proceed, in time, from the efforts of
State Superintendent. Especially valuable will
he be to examine teachers, to visit schools, to
promote uniformity of text books, and in gem
eral to encourage and awaken, by ac-
tual contact with them, the greater interest
in public education of parents, children, and i'll
structors. A competent examiner. who should
know when an applicant is qualified to teach,
and when lie is not whose general requirements,
and practical acquaintance with education would
enable him to discriminate between the fit and
the unfit teacher has been long most grievous
lyneeded, and we are now to have such an officer
When the standard of qualifcasons requisite
for teaching is established and adhered to, We
shall have better schools, better education, and
corresponding increase in the interest taken
by the people in the whole system.
The new law does not compel the laying of
tax by the Commissioners OF each school dis
trict. This will be done, ultimately. AS the law
VIII now stand, the people. if they are unwilling
to be taxed enough for good school, may elect
Commissioners opposed to tax, and none being
lcVieu, the state Appropriation Will not te seeur-
ell, and no schools will be established. In some
districts, possibly in good many, such a blind
and foolish course will be taken, and there ap.
pears to be no remedy. Ia time, at we have
already remarked, one must be provided.
A most absurd blemish on the new law is the
charge of two dollars each for teachers certf
Gates. 1t is a tax which di4graces the schoo
system. Teachers are too poorly paid to have
such charge laid upon them. Their fitness tc
teach precedes the extortion; if they are compe.
tent and worthy they are taxed if they are g
norant and unfit, they pay nothing. What al
surdity The other States will laugh at u.s. oi
course. Fortunately, the next Legislature car
repeal the odious provision.