Middletown transcript., 1897-02-20

little Improvement IN the Development Of
an educational system. To place good
energetic educator at the head Of the school
system of this commonwealth will be the
first imp 8 s;tant step.
However, we do not advocate, as do some,
that the county superintendents be done
away with. Such course would be i'm
polite. We need closer supervision in our
district schools. In ome of the larger
counties in other states even the county su.
y perintendents are aided in their work by
deputies. To give to one person the work
of visiting all the schools in this state, Of
examining all teachers. of making his year.
4 " report, of conducting teachers institutes
besides attending educational meetings of
h importance in other states, and lecturing on
educational subjects in his own, would tend
to weaken his position. Results would
necessarily, be disappointing which would
bring discredit to the state. It Is quite
proper for the state superintendent to over
see all the details of the school system, but
heshould not be expected to work them out
| without aid.
II school in city, with from five to
thirty teachers, requires principal at q
salary from eight hundred to three thou
said dollars. why should any one object to
a superintendent for each county with its
hundred or more schools? The county SUI
perintendents Of Delaware receive salary
of one Thousand dollars each, and have to
furnish their own horses and buggies, or
visit the schools on foot.
In list of 1914 cities ranging iu popula-
ton from 5000 to 100000, with superinten-
dents salaries ranging from $500 to 5000,
in but single case do we find city with
equal population paying Its superintendent
so poorly as does the city Of Wilmington;
in many instances, cities half the size of
Wilmington paying their superintendents
much higher salaries.
TEACHERS IN DELAWARE.
Superintendent Harlan has under his
charge 219 teachers, but as there are $40
teachers in Delaware, it will be seen that
after deducting large number for teachers
in private and parochial schools, state
superintendent would have not less. than
three or four hundred left to his charge.
For these he should hold examinations not
less than three times year. Teachers ex-
aminations are excellent factors in educa-
ton. They are true indicators Of the in
| tellectual standing Of states teachers.
| These teachers must be instructed in teach
ers' institutes and summer schools. The
superintendent must be the centre of this
intellectual activity. He must urge the
teachers to better work. He must labor
with the parents to improve the schools,
1 and therefore their children.
Would any one have this person travel
I over 1900 square miles, perform all that we
have indicated and besides look after the
many duties he would have to perform as
the most important member OF the State
Board of Education without an assistant
in each county? He, perhaps, will receive
| no more compensation than does superin-
tendent Harlan, who virtually has twenty
eight assistants in the twenty-eight princi-
| pals of the Wilmington schools, and he can
ride in warm car to any school under his
Jurisdiction within half an hour.
Is there any reason why the country
| schools should be neglected. Let the sys-
tenn be perfect, with state superintendent
at the head. who shall direct and organize
and build up; but let him be free form such
work as can be performed by three assis-
tants, who shall act as county superintsn-
dents under the direction of their chief
And to those who say that Delaware can
not afford the additional expense, we reply
that she cannot afford not to afford it.
Therefore, we suggest the following sec
ton to come after section 4;
1.-THE State Board of Education at its first
meeting after the adoption of this const itu-
ton shall appoint for each county in the
State of Delaware person of literary and
scientific attainments as county superin-
tendent for a term of two years, whose du-
ties and salary shall be prescribed by law"
"Section 5. The General Assembly shall
provide for a system of public schools by
which free school shall be kept up and
supported in each district at least seven
months of twenty school days each
in every year, after the first year in which
school has been established; and every
able-bodied child in the statebetween the age
of seven years and fourteen years shall be
pupil in the public school for at least
eighty days in each school year."
1t is the opinion of some that this section
gives to the state too much power and
takes away the liberty of the citizen, In
their judgment the state was made for the
people and not the people for the state.
Theoretically this is true. The Sabbath
was made for man and not man for the
Sabbath; but when men break the laws
which constitute the Sabbath day, where is
the Sabbath Just SO with the state. Ger
tain laws must be obeyed or a true state
cannot exist.
LIBERTY NOT LICENSE.
A state, then, for its own sake and for
the sake of those who. as rule, need not
many restrictions, must protect itself from
those persons who would not only destroy
it, but finally themselves also.. Liberty is
not license. 1.-THE state educates to guar
antee its own existence; it makes education
universal that all may have the degree of
intelligence necessary to discharge their
civil duties. It establishes higher and un-
iversity instruction that there may be as
sured opportunity for the advanced train
ing of those who are to be its officers and
who need the utmost intelligence for the
wisest direction of its affairs"
Therefore the state has right to say that
free school shall be kept open in every
district for at least seven months in the
year. The time, we hope, has passed when
unthoughtful citizens may vote mo SCHOOL,
by voting sno taxes" Let us do away
with this hateful individualism that says
one citizen has no right to be taxed to help
educate another mans child.
A state has not only the right to estab-
lish schools. but it also has the right to say
that the children must attend them or
some approved school for portion of the
school year at least. If it is dangerous to
allow persons TO enter this country because
they cannot read, is It not also dangerous