Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-03-26
PLEASE EXCUSE US |
The Board of Education Does
Not Care to Take the Blame.
COMPULSORY QUOTATIONS DEFEAT

Must Lie with the General Assembly.
The Commissioners Listen to Argument
BY the Women of the New Century Club.
Opposed to Military DrIli-othsr Buai-
ness.
There was a pretty full attendance OF
the Board of Public Education last
evening, as 1t was understood that the
New-Century Club women would make a
visit and talk compulsory education,
and they did.
David Ferris and Jonathan Rhoads also
appeared and spoke against the introduce
tion OF the military drill into the public
schools. They represented the Friends
society The grounds for opposing the
drill was first that it gave the children
taste for war and decreased their ideas
Of Its horrors, and second, that it was not
nearly as effective as gymnastics They
advocated the Introduction Of gym
nasums. After they had completed their
remarks the matter was referred to the
| Committee on Teachers
The New Century women arrived
| about Q O'Clock. They were Mrs
Benjamin Nields, Mrs. Charles s. How
land, Mrs Charles X Miller, Mrs. A. d.
Warner and Mrs b. Lnndy Kent Mrs.
Miller introduced the subject In 8 neat
address, which she prefaced by telling of
the interest taken by the club In the bill
| They were aiming to supplAnt an un-
educated by an educated ballot.
Mrs Warner said that while she did
not pretend to claim that education does
away with crime. she had found that
greater part Of the poverty of the city is
among che uneducAted A majority of
those who apply to the Associated Chari--
ties are illiierate people and many of
them come from the lower part Of the
state. Her argument was that even If
ignorance did not beget crime It did
poverty. She advocated a school for In
corrigibles and amanusl training depart.
ment connected with IL.
Mrs NIelds spoke briefly She asked
what was meant by the 1000 vacancies
Ia the schools and was informed that
most Of them existed In the schools In
the outlying wards.
Commissioner oDonnell said that
while he favored any measure that would
lead to increased education he did not
favor compulsory education as set
out Ia the bill now before
the General Assembly. He thought
the tendency OF this bill was TO make
criminals Of honest men. He suggested
that Il the good people who constitute
the New Century Club would send their
children to the public schools, where
they could mingle with the poorer
children, In place Of sending them to
| private schools and even abroad for an
education, much good would be accom-
plished,
Criminals, said he. are educated men
and women The prisons are filed with
persons who have received good educa.
tionH In 1860 the men who tried to trail
our dag in the dust were not ignorant
men, but men Of culture and superior
education.
He called attention TO the fact that the
charter Of the board gave 1t powers only
to build school houses and help educate
the children and not to dabble IN this bill.
What Is most needed now Is more money
l to build schools III there were more
ample accommodations for the children
they could the more easily be made to
attend
President Baird said that no law is
worth anything unless provision is made
to enforce t. He Is not favorable to the
provision which placed all the penalty on
the father He thought part OF it at
least should fall on the boy, and with
such an object In view favored truant
school, or AZ least system whereby the
incorrgible boy could be sent to the
Ferris Reform School or some other
institution
Mrs. Rowland suggested that a petit.
ton in favor OF Che bill now pending be
sent to the homes Of each school child, in
order to ascertain the sentiment on the
bill
Mrs. Nlelds said that while the mem
bers OF the State Legislature seemed
favorable to the bill, she was convinced
that nothing could be done unless the
board took the FIRST step This remark
brought Mr., Baynsrd to his feet He
said that It seemed as though the mem
bers OF the General Assembly wanted to
shift the burden OF responsibility Of the
defeat Of the bill on the shoulders OF the
board. The bill is more needed outside
OF the city
Presldsnt Baird thought that q
school census covering all children who
are OF school age, should be taken
Superintendent Harlan favored a
truant school George g. Mckay, r. 8.
Bayne and j. B. Roberts, representing
the Association for the Protection OF
American Institutions, were present, and
Mr. Roberts made brief speech.
Dr. Crumbaugh, Commissioner Carter
and others spoke and resolutions adopted
BY the Germans and by the O. y A. M.
and other organizations were read.
Outside this interchange Of thought
! the following business was disposed Of:
! Report OF Finance Committee, disburse-
/ ments, $11. 500 60; balance. $l0.600 A
! threatened deficit Of So 400 was promised
; for next month, and the secretary was
directed how TO avoid it.
On motion OF Mr. Baynard it was
decided to tap the Rodney street reeer.
; voir main, in order TO secure water on
the second fioor.of No. school.
Quiet Day for women.