Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-14
EDUCATION IN DELAWARE,

State. Mr.. Williams was accompanied
| ON the platform by the educational
committee OF tho club, and was intro
duced by Mrs. A fired D. Warner. lie
said: There are two objects which are
necessary to fully satisfy our Rspira-
| tions-.to live q nonle life aud to create
| q perfect state. Our nation haa gone |
| forward a little closer to success 10 the |
latter aim ia the past six weeks wnen,
| under the stress OF great issue IL mas
stood composed and roaolute across the
path Of the oppresaor, striving not Tor
that cheaper thing, peace with honor,
hut peace with justice and mercy. IN
regard to our educational conditions
We have tendency to fall into two
errors: whatever lack there seems to he
now we console ourselves when We look
back and see how fast and how far we
have already gone, and We also compare
ourselves with Europe, where the mill
tary service ia the great peril that
threatens their future. Their govern
ment registers every birth and watches
the children in their progress through
the schools in order that every man
child az his 18th year shall bear his
two years Of military service, a most
onerous tax. We have chosen higher,
but more difficult path, not to make
tho State more powerful, but the citizen
more responsible. A single minister
of education ia responsible for education
in Prussia; not a single person here,
but every citizen ia forced 10 assume
responsibility, or neglect il at the peril
OF our country. The educational com
mittee of this body of women 10 aware
Of this responsibility and has seized
hold OF the principle which makes
progress possible, that of constant,
persistent attack on public opinion.
Five hundred women associated in one
State can do great goud.
There is no reform we may not look
forward to in our own lifetime when
we remember what has been accom-
plished in century and when wo note
the high level which marks tho teach
ing force of Delaware to-day, and re-
member the description given OF the
appalling illiieracy Of the citizens and
the drunkenness and profiigacy of the
teachers Of the State 100 years ago.
Though this advance hus buen made
Delaware has not kept pace with other
States. Vermont like Delaware has
few cities and large rural population,
but cannot raise as much on four of her
acres as Delaware does on ono, yet her
educational status is far higher. The
citizens of Delaware are handicapped
by heing deprived of the opportunity
for an advanced education.
In Philadelphia Is or 20 years age
, there wore but two high schools,
, neither OF which gave an education that
would admit their pupils to good col
, lege; there were no scholarships, mol
, manual training. But there ia nc
, patron Of education like an American
, city properly governed, and to-day
) besides the additional schools, the
i grade of both boys and girls high
schools has been raised, there are 15(
scholarships at the University of Penn
sylvania, and such a syHtem of educa
ton arranged as enables tho poorest mar
to start his children In the kindergarten
Q and continue them through gramma
( and high schools and university with
n out one cent of expsnse.
G Boys and girls can learn teuhnica
@ trades in the Pennsylvania A cademy o
IS Fine Arts and in the School of Applist
IS Decorative Art girls ara taught design
l. ing and art work and from these not
! single girl of moderate ability has ye
!. graduated who did not secure worl
a with manufacturers or wall pape
o decorators. or in public or private work
& What chance has any mRnufacturin
l. city Of succeeding il its school chill
/, dren are not given an opportunity O
"A learning useful arts? Its prosperity de
70 ponds on the highly trained technica
i, skill Of the masses of ita citizens.
II this matter lie kept in agitation, in tim
public opinion will demand that none
for this purpose shall be appropriated
While the population OF the State in
1t creases the proportion OF illiteracy doe
!. not diminish. But about tive-sixtha {
6, the children attend school. II We so
70 our streets with untaught children "
10 will reap the whirlwind OF oorruptio
/. and city misgovernment. Compulsor
D. education ia objected 10 because OF th
lie expense of this effort to save only one
sixth of the children. How about th
I. necessity for stopping leak' We d
Of NOT consider the size Of the leak, br
re- the value OF the cargo to be saved. oil
~ lection is also made that forcing Chi
40 dren to 90 to school would hinder thel
8. from earning living, but it is tt
as children who are too young to work VII
g. are allowed to run wild until they al
too old to grade in the school wit
others of their own age and they Z
through life as insists Of society. v
OF keep tally of every bushel of grain
n, bar Of iron. but keep no record of o,
or precious harvest Of children. v
at should keep track of every one, and
rt the power of the law, il need be, SAY
s- the children before their characters a
10. fixed. Mr.. Williams gave many ST.
hs tistics to prove bis assertions.
u MIR. Henry Ridgely WINS called upo
~ as the champion of an educational bill
L. to make some remarks. lie suid
could only claim attention as the lead
Of lost cause since the bill had u
passed. but in educational matte
err agitation is source of good, as pc
or Bile dropped in water makes ripp
- which widens until ii seems to be los
yet the water has been stirred, 40
ms every agitation made with 60,
motive, even If unsuccessful, somethil
to has been gained; it has been broug
, before the people and their sober secoi
* thought may 10 time be convince
10 We nave no State head in our scho
government; We have 100 local scho
led governments who draw more than BIZ
the public funds, but are not amenat
it. to any head 10 the State, hut Ike
lu- their school districts 10 local hand
4. We need an effective State board th
~ can look into the matter of what
ler need and how best to provide it. The
ia opposition to compulsory educate
ing because it affects local rights. We q
,ot trustees for the childran; what child
hurt by being in school? II pare
,ou doss not provide a child with food al
clothing the law intervenes, yet il
lie child is not provided with know led
he has lost something that cannot
ing made up in after years, ana no suffers