Smyrna times., 1889-04-10
For t3e Smyr1.u Times
Faithful Public Service.

Ed. of Times On last Saturday the
voters of Smyrna Public Schools elect
ed Benton " Weldon in the place OF
Geo. w. Taylor as a member of the
Board OfSchOol Directors. Mr.. TAYLOR
thus closes public service as a school
Understanding over a period OF
eighteen years and deserving more than
passing notice.
In 1871 Mr.. Taylor was elected
commissioner of united districts and
lO7, and by successive reflections con
tinued to serve in that capacity until
1881, when those districts were united
with districts and n, together form
ing, by a special act of incorporation.
Smyrna Public Schools. Since 1881
Mr.. Taylor has been a member of our
Board of School Directors. Eighteen
years Of continuous service as school
commissioner is in itself an illustration
of the unObtrusive Iaithfulness of the
man to the interests entrusted to him.
and of the abiding confidence of this
community in the trustworthiness OF
Geo. W. Taylor. Feeling that such
service should not be brought to a
close without some emphasis of public
appreciation, l have ventured to write
this letter.
Within the eighteen years of Mr..
TaylOr's service, our schools have had
their growth and development from
ordinary village free schools, to schools
which are unequaled in the State for
thorough and progressive work in
every grade from primary to high
! school. This development has been
the result of many movements for i'm
prOvement in standing and in methods.
II is not saying too much to say that
he has uniformly been, on every inn
portant question ofschOol management.
on the side of Improvement and Judi
ciOus progress.
Our schools took their longest stride
forward when the two portions of the
| town were united under one Board ol
School Directors in 1881. Mr.. Taylor
was at that time a quiet but moving
spirit in favor of the union. He mar.
ticipated in the delicate and important
work of recognizing the schools and
mapping out a regular course of studv
Perhaps his most marked service wa.
rendered during the building of the
new school house in 1884. He was ,
member of the committee on building
1t IS a fact that our school building i,
one OF the cheapest and most satisfae
tory public buildings ever erected in
Delaware. For this, credit is due. al
least in part, to the clear busines,
sense and mechanical knowledge o.
Mr.. Taylor, who, with the other eff
cient members Of the building commit
tee, watched every point for the pub.
lie interest.
In one aspect of the matter, the ofIic,
OF school commissioner is a thankles,
one. There is no money in it: ther,
IS no glory in it, The faithful schoo
commissiOner-and Geo. w. Taylor
mas been faithful one-must expect
much criticism and not little misrep
resentation. He must give of his time
and attention to the public service
His sole reward must come from
sense Of duty we'll done and from
pleasure in seeing the education of th,
young prosper under his care. A
record Of eighteen years Of patient anC
faithful service of this kind, speaks {
devotion to the cause of education
| creuilaDie 10 any man.
Smyrna has been fortunate in the
character of the men who have beer
willing to serve her as school commits
sioners. lfyou will go over the list o
the men who have acted in that ca
pacity since Mr.. Taylor was first elect
ed IN 1871, you will find the names o.
many Of our best informed, most hon
orapie and reliable citizens. smyrng
mas oeen wise in choosing her best cit,
lzens lor school officers. Schools vii
NOT manage themselves. School di
feS.ors 5 o. high character and sound
Jupsnent are essential to the besl
schools. Let as hope that we MAY
!,osel t soWer our standard below whaI
- ,.h;ah pe5 peen during the eighteen years
''9'' SCHOOL.