Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-01-28
EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE.
An lmportsnt Meeting Held on Thursda.
nj an. S.xx.r.n,,,, .,I,h

on Thursday, at which propused pro
visions on education suggested for the
new State Constitution were discussed.
The meeting had been called by Mrs.
Charles S. Rowland, chairman OF the
educational committee Of the New
Century Club, and Isaac 7. johnson,
Arthur r. Spaid and David j. Rein
hsrdt. Mr.. johnson presided and in
his opening remarks said that there
was no provision regarding education
10 the present Constitution. On the
line OF such act provisions for the new
Constitution correspondence had been
had with Chairman Gilchrist OF the
committee on education in the Consti-
tutional Convention and with leading
educators, all Of whom were interested
in the effort. DIR. George NJ. Phillips
of the West Chester State Normal
School, who had expected to be present,
was unable to be there. Mr.. johnson
referred to the lack of system as at
present in the matter of preparation of
teachers; there was also no uniform
examinations in the three counties
He gave some figures showing the
population to be 73, 200: of which
33, $50 are of the school children age,
but only %, 693 or 6S.4 per cent at
tended school. In the State there are
$40 teachers and 497 school buildings
The school expenses of s275, 900 are at
the rate of sl4 a head. Mr.. johnson
also gave some figures on illiteracy.
ThAre are IS, S7S illiterate persons or
lab per cent in Delaware. This is,
however, decrease of the average.
The speaker pointed out the dependence
OF the welfare of the State upon the in
telligence Of the people, The feeling
was to put in the organic law all tn
necessary regulations for a school sys-
tenn ana not leave it TO the Legislature.
The evening was devoted mainly to
the consideration of an article drafted
by Mr.. Spaid, principal of the du Pont
School. The article was as follows:
Sec, l. A general diffusion OF knowledge
and intelligence being essential to the
preservation of the rights and liberties of
the people, the General Assembly shall pro-
vide for the maintenance and support of a
thorough and efficient system of public
schools wherein all the children of this
commonwealth may be educated, and shall
appropriate at least one hundred thousand
dollars each year for that purpose
Sec. 2 Neither the State nor any sub
division thereof, shall use its property or
credit or any public money, or authorize or
permit either to be used, directly or indi-
rectly, in aid or maintenance, other than
Tor examination or inspection, of any
school or institution of learning wholly or
IN part under the control or direction of any
religious denomination, or in which any
UNCONVENTIONAL tenet or doctrine is taught
Sec. 3. All moneys received by the State
from school taxes, state appropriations in
comes from stocks or bonds. and all other
moneys received for school purposes, shall
be inyiolably used for the support sand
maintenance of the public schools of this
state; and the General Assembly shall pro-
vide that If, through neglect, misappropria-
ton, or any other contingency, any portion
OF said school funds shall be lost, the State
shall replace such portion SO lost or misap-
propriated.
Sec. A. A person of literary and scientific
attalnments shall be appointed superin-
tendent of public instruction for term of
four years by the General Assembly, i'm.
mediately after the adoption of this consti-
tuition. 1t shall be his duty to license candi.
dates for teachers certificates, to make an
annual report of the progress of the public
schools, and to perform such other duties as
may be prescribed by law. He shall receive
a compensation equivalent to that OF the
Encouragement, and shall not be removed
from ONCE until the expiration of his term
except by impeachment.
Sec. 5. The General Assembly shall pro
vide for system of public schools by which
free school shall be kept up and supported
in each district at least seven months in
every year. after the first year in which :
school has been established; and every able
bDdied child in the State between the age Of
SIX years end fourteen years shall be pupi
in the public schools or some other approved
school for at least eighty days in each schoo
year.
sec. 6. The public school system shall
include elementary and high schools, anC
such evening schools, normal schools, tech
meal schools and klndergartens, as may b,
established by the General Assembly, or b,
municipal or district authority; but thu
entire revenue derived from the State fund
and the State school taxes. shall be applied
exclusively to the support of elementary
and high schools.
Sec. Z. The Governor, Superintendent Of
PUBLIC instruction and the Chancellor shall
constitute the State Board of Education
They shall have the power to apportion an,
State school fund it is decided to raise, they
shall decide on the branches tn be taught il
the elementary schools. and shall have tn,
power to prescribe the minimum o
efficiency to which the schools of the Stat
must attain and said State Board shall per
form such other duties as may be prescribe,
by law.
Sec. 5. Women of literary and scientifi
attainments, and twenty-one years of 40
and upwards shall be eligible to any ofic
of control or management under the schoo
laws of this State.
Mr.. Spaid gave the sources of som
Of the sections and went into some a
them in detail. On the matter of ammo
priation in section | he declared tina
on the same basis as PENNSYLVANIA
Delaware could give S70O, 600 for edu
cation instead of the 1920, 600 she doe
give. He read from letter written b
j. b. GIlchriat, chairman OF the com
mittee on education of tho convention
who asked as to the advisability q
having both State and county superin
tendents and other questions which ar
mnetly covered in the proposed articl
drafted by air. Spaid. One question Mr.
Gilchrist suggested was as to separat
schools for colored and white children
MIR. Spaid protested against the us
OF liquor license money to supnort tn
schools. The teacher is required I
teach the children the evil effects a
alcohol and yet draws salary from tn
State, the money coming largely fror
the liquor licenses, which he caIIe
blood money. He suggested rather tina
such money should be used for tn
criminal class, for board at New Castl
Jail, for WINE and ointment for thos
people who are whipped at the whir
ping post. (Applause
On section 4 he spoke of the oualif
cations desirable in the superintendent
He should have college diploma q
teachers certificate and was to he ar
pointed not for his politics, but solei
on his merits.
On the next section, which refers I
compulsory education, he spoke OF III
need OF such provision and suggeste