Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-02-08

PROPOSED TO BE DoNE-PRovIsIoN FOR THE COLI
oRED pEorE-rHE MARYLAND scHooL LAW TO
he TAKEN Az A BASIS.
Speriai Correspondence u The Commercial.
DOVER, Feb g.
As tho article published few days ago in the
COMMERCIAL. gave full and complete account of
tho work Of which the "Delaware Association
for the Moral Improvement and Education of
tho Colored People, was doing for the colored
people in the way of education, the question nat
urally arises, What will the present Legislature
OF Delaware do, not only for the education OF the
colored people but for education in general" 1t
is well known that, for some time past, the
Committee Oh Education, OF which Mr..
Pyle IL chairman, has been blocking ont bill
based upon the main features of the Maryland
School law. Though nothing definite las yet
been arrived at by the committee III the details,
we understand that general tax levy, the same
as other taxes are levied. is favored, and that
this tax shall be sufficient to keep school open
in each District not less than eight months i'll the
year. The bill will also provide for a county
Superintendent in each county, who shall have
the general oversight of all the schools, visit each
school twice year, examine those making appli-
cation to teach and issue certificates of scholar
ship TO such applicants. The County Snpern-
tenients, combined with probably the Governor
and other State officers, are TO form State
Board OF Education, which shall have the gen
eral charge of all the educational interests of
~'
Legislature.
The foregoing is but condensed outline OF
what il proposed, and which will, no doubt, be
embodied in bill to be introduced in few
days. Now, what are tie probabilities of schools
for the coored people? In response to the in
quiry we are justified in saying that tue Legis-
lature is decidedly favorable to the education of
the colored children. The old prejudice against
educating the colored people does not exist with
the present members of the Legislature. They
see in education something which will make bet
ter citizens, and in its general application the
color of the person to be benefited is not to be
taken into account, except 80 far as it relates
to keeping the two races apart in separate
schools,
The exact kind of bill to assist in the edu-
cation Of tho colored people, or whether the
principle will be embodied in the general law,
has not yet been developed. Tho sparseness of
the number of colorod people in some sections
of the State is an objection to general law for
the colored people. For Wilmington, however,
as you have been informed, n bill has already
been introduced with every prospect of passing,
which requires colored people to be taxed for
school purposes separate and distinct from 9TH
or taxes. Owing to the large number of colored
people in Wilmington, and the uncertainty at
tending the collection of much OF tho tax as
sessed many of the members propose to do even
better than has been asked in the petition of the
colored people. 1t is proposed that the State
refund to them the poll tax levied and paid by
them for State and county purposes, which
amounts to about III, 600.
If this idea is carried out, the Wilmington col
ored people will get much more than what they
expect We're it not for the .spareness OF the
population in the country tho same system
would be adopted there as in the city and proba-
bly, some plan may yet be maturea by which the
proposed system of education for the colored
people throughout the State may be equalized.
Some have proposed a short way to solve tho
difficulty, by making an appropriation from the
State in bulk of say $4,000 or more to the "Dela-
ware Association for the Moral improvement
and Education of the coloped people, and to be
by them expended as they are now doing with
the limited amount at their hands, and with such
gratifying results.
The committee have had but two regular meet
ings upon tho subject yet, but will now meet
every day or two until something of IL tangible
character will be agreed upon embracing i'll some
shape the crude outline we have endeavored to
give. S. II.