Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-28

EDUCATION BILL Considered, and Reasons
Given in Favor of tine Compulsory sys-
TEN.
The following paper on "Education-
Past and Present." was read by Mrs. j. |
Frank Ball before the Current Events |
Glass of the New.Century Club, last !
week:
You will admit that the subject assigned |
me is an exceedingly broad one and one
THAT admits of many ways of treatment.
II has seemed best to me- in view Of the
specific legislation which this club, through
. its educational committee, is seeking to
accomplish, to deal with the subject in US
concrete and direct way as possible. a
brief sketch of the educational movement
inaugurated by this club, is therefore
essential. The New-Century Club has
maintained, if / am not mistaken, from
abe date Of its organization, committee
10 look after the interests OF education and
at no time in its history, has the club
Bwerved from its original intention, as
laid down in its charter of devoting itself
to the increase of intellectual culture;
moral development, literary pursuits and
philanthropy 1t is undoubtedly due 10
the efforts of former educational COM
mittees of this club that kindergarten
instruction has received such an impetus
fin this city. Upon the reorganization of
the boards of this club for the winters
work, a committee composed of Mrs.
Charles S. Rowland. chairman, Mrs. A.
ID. Warner, Mrs. Benjamin Nields, Mrs.
A. II. Berlin. and Mrs. J. Frank Ball. was
appointed to look after educational matters
in general for the ensuing year and, in
particular, to seek to draft a bill which
should provide for the diffusion of knowl-
edge throughout our borders. This COM
Juittee has, as our chairman, Mrs. How
land, reported at the last regular club
meeting, completed one branch of its
work. The December meetingof the club
was conducted under the auspices of this
committee and we listened with deep
pleasure and interest ON that occasion to a
portrayal of the scope of the work under.
taken by the Drexel Institute, Phila-
as!phia.
The second important piece of work
which the committee has undertaken, is
the preparation Of bill which, if enacted
into statute, will place the advantages of
nn education within the reach ut all the
boys and girls of the State of Delaware,
will diminish idleness and incucate dis
ciplnary methods which can only be bene-
licial. This bill, known as the Compulsory
Educational bill, has partially run its
course in the House of Representatives at
Dover, has been referred to the proper
committee, and, wish that we might add,
is now in the hands of its friends
Closely allied to the interests of our
white children are those of the colored
children of our State, whose name is legion.
Your committee never contemplated this
perplexing phase of the educational prob
lem aud have made no provision. in our
bill, for the education of this portion of
our population. Certain it is that some
thing must, also, be done for the colored
children of our counties and it looks as if
the colOred people themselves would me-
lnorialize our Legislature upon this sub
7ant I al nat NHyhn hnatN
more disagreeably enlightened upon the
lubiect of our inadequate school facilities
tOr Colored children than l was recently,
1pon reading q report of the proceedings
Uf the Educational Convention of colored
citizens held in Dover, February It'll. One
'peaker spoke graphically of the "wretched
condition of the schools in the counties; of
ME dilapidated buildings, many almost
unfit for school purposes, the remainder
being churches or halls, of the short terms,
averaging about live months; of the
meagre salaries paid the teachers; OF the
almost total lack of school facilities and
appliances; OF the alarming extent of il
literacy in the State" Attention was, also,
called to the fact that, during the last de-
cade illteracy among the culored people
of this State had decreased proportionately
less than in any other State of the Union
similarly conditioned, The same speaker
said IN part There are in this State
about GOO colored children of school age
who have never seen inside of a schoo
house, rushing to meet the twentieth
century, that century which, whatever
else it means, certainly means a greater
intensity in the race Of life and keenel
;Iud wider demand for intelligence Or
the subject of illiterate suffrage, III,
speaker said The illiterate vote of th
state which holds the balance of power ant
controls the business and other Legislation
at the state is not growing less, hut j
steadily on the increase" | take it as
healthy and "a sturdy sigh of independents
among these less-tavorel people, that, in
stead of permitting themselves to be use,
Us football by the politicians of boil
parties, they are themselves asking 70
ways and means by which to secure life
liberty, and the pursuit uf happiness
The arguments against cOmpulsor
educational bill are not many in ntmbei
nor are they irrefutable one Of our lOca
evening newspapers recently voiced one q
these objections when it said that a bill d
this character is aimed to destroy q father
guardianship of the child. ON the col
triiry, this bill aims TO protect the idea {
the parents responsibility by impusip
upon him, and not upon the offender,
penalty for infractions of the law. Til
objection. that il iuterferes with the libert
of the parents, is almost rs old US the hi
tory of education itself, and 1t has been
well riddlcd by answers that you wou
wonder that il could ever again reappe
in u serious discussion upon this subieI
If we We're III the midst of an ideal Cvili2
ton, law would not be necessary Tor Ii
government of mankind. Indeed, in Il
future heaven we are expressly told til
"liis servants shall serve Him, as ii COZ
pulsion were out of the question 81
Voluntary obedience had been substitute
Unfortunately, this is not an ideal ciyilil
ton, nor has the millennium yet be
nshered in, and there are few matters
administration either public or private.
which the law may not take COgnizant
Is il inqulsitorial tu say how father ol
guardian may treat the body OF q child c
trusted To him. No it is right I'll
authority, even righttul authority, shall
exercised within proper bounds and /
right To eXist--the very raison d'Ctre-
such societies il! our midst as the >. +.
O., the Ferris Reform school, the Oh
dren's Home and the Girls lndustr
School is challenged ifyou say that paren
nnd parents alone, shall guard the pers
and the interests Of their children or war
Upon this point, some very strong wnl
are found in IN address delivered by lIC
b. q. Sorthrop, who was secretary of !
New York state Board in 1877. He say
III the law may prohibit the owner FRI
practlcing cruelty upon his horse or OK
NAV restrain the parent from dwartng
mlnd and debasng the character of
child. II the State may npriSnn /.
nWn IN juvenile criminals, il may remC
its ral,ses of their crime and its con
aUenres o. loss, injury and shame.
HU.ia has rights which not even par
,Ly violate, lie may not rob his child
lG sacred right Of good education. !
NV would justly punish parent for sta
Ig his child and more mischief is done
.arFiug the mind than by furnishing