The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-17
DOINGS AT DOVER.
The New Schoo! Law Explained-Another
New Harbor Bill to be Offered.

Dover. March 16-Henry Ridgely, Jr.,
this afternoon explained the now school
bill otherwise he Assembly would have
spent n very dull and uneyentfui day. He
addressed the members in the House
Chamber. lie showed that the bill was
shorter than the present school law, with.
out the various changes which had been
mnde later in the State law. At present
there are 300 separate school governments
with no connection between them. VIII
mington has been paying is per cent Of
the school taxes Of the state. This sum
has been taken and distributed because 1t
was desired to give every child an oduca-
tion. 10 help each other must BE- the
fundamental system OF school govern
meut.
The man who has no children pays
school TAX as Others. The idea Is TO make
the different districts in the reprcsen ia
tive districts work together and for the boa
eft OF each ward The old school districts
became sub-dlstricts in new one. The
school districts are to a certain extent left
as before, independent. Each sub-district
elects one commissioner. This centets tn,
responsibility upon this one man. The
commissioners from these sub districts
meet together and eloct a district board or
commission of thres.
The object .of the bill is to make all
Wltulil u ItIICsUutullNb ulSUIIGu lcCl U
common interest. They will not hereafter,
If the bill Is passed, have different system
in each school. The system has been ap.
proved by other States.
The new constitution says that the Cen
eral Assembly shall provide for general
and efficient education. The funds must
be distributed among the school districts
equitably without regard to color Under
the old system the colored schools received
n certain fixed sum There was a building
fund for colored schools. :, Under the new
constitution the school building fund for
colored people is abolished. II the old sys.
TEN is followed coored schools could not
be built for the money under the new con-
stitution, must be expended for text
booksand teachers salaries. The only way
to solve the matter Is to give the colored
schools into the control Of tho Same poo
pie who control the white schools.
Women can vote at school elections IL
they have property qualifications. This
Is the same as in the CITY OF wilmington.
In any question which concerns tho well
fare of the child the mother, as well as the
father, Is Interested.
IT has been asserted that colored women
will rush to the polls AMI kill votes of
white women. Only women with proper
ty qualifications can vote at the el &C.
tions.
Tho governor and chancellor were
placed on the board because shey willssnot
be changed frequently; the state auditor
because he is the one to whom reports are
because it is state institution, and tn
heads Of the county board becauss they
bave knowledge OF the school affairs OF hi
county,
The colored people of the State have
sent delegation asking that the fresl-
dent of the colored college be added to the
State Board. The request will probably
be granted.
The House passed three bills. Twol Of
them were TO fix the salaries Of the oti-
GERS Of the General Assembly under the
system provided under the new cOnstitu-
tlon. The third is the State Detective bill
In lieu Of the one vetoed by tho Governor.
Two bills were introduced. One was to
rG-incorporate the Delaware Game Protec-
tive Association.
Judge J. Frank Ball of Wilmington
was here to-day in the interests of the bill
to compel the Levy Court of New Castle
county to pay $50 year for each Inmate
OF tho Ferris Industrial School.
TRADING STAMP BILL.
The House took up the bill to prohibit
the giving Of trading stamps.
Mr.. Adams said the question was of lit.
tie Importance. He halls from Sussex
county. Law Is generally intended to pre-
vent one man injuring another.
Mr.. Donaldson said the stamp scheme
Is a pernicious system. He showed q pc.
tition signed by 600 Wilmington business
men, asking that the bill be passed. Other
states haveI passed laws to correct these
evils. The bill had been drawn on the
same lines as those Of other States, which
have been declared constitutional.
n i l. Al II
If passed would be foolish legislation. Tho
matter will be further debated tomorrow.
Senator Meredith gave notice Of another
Wilmington harbor bill to take the place
of the one killed in the Senate by Senators
Coyle and Stewart.