Evening journal., 1899-01-26

0'-@NN AiSN AIluAl hsNDlt AOL 4lS dlt4u-
sion Of a great number Of the poorest
cut-oc-date school books, and for its
exclusion OF very many Of the best and
latest publications At the time of the
passage OF the present school law, the
Board os Education, then existing.
was considering the addition of a sup
.p.emenyal list OF hooks, but owing TO
the fact that the law at that time
Seemed 70 forbid such action, no def
mite steps were taken. The present
board, by virtue or the provisions OF
the new schcol law, has, it believes,
mes, materially improved the state
list by adding a large number OF text
books OF the most approved and recenS
publication. The fact that these addi-
tl0ns supply a long and keenly felt
need in our sehoo.s is borne out BY
the action Of the local authorities H.
nearly. if not al. OF the districts in the
state adopting these new books foi
use in their own schools.
The importance of this work Of the
board will be better appreciated WHEEL
Ia is rndeIs.cod that new and I'M
proved books cost, in the main, no
more than the poor ones formerly on
the list. In other words, Delaware
has for years been paying frst-rate
prices for second-rate school books.
On the other hand, the vital import
ance Of this step to the children ot
the state will be at once apparent TO
anyone even slightly cognizant Of the
W ndeful advance during late years
in text books. The state list still con-
tanned. however. many books which
the hoard does not approve. This class
Of books was suffered to remain on
the list owing to the fact OF certain
alleged contracts entered into by for
mer boards of education with certain
book companies. which CONTRACTS have
not yet expired. When the time fixed
by these supposed contracts shall ex-
plre, the board hopes to further
cleanse the list.
The board has considered most care
fully the ACCESSIBILITY Of recommend
ling changes in the present school law
lto this General Assembly, but with
the two exceptions OF The two sugges-
tons which conclude this report, the
board is strongly of the opinion thai
Further school legislation at THE ses-
leion would be most unwise.
The last General Assembly, a, It's
adjourned session. in 1898, expended
much time and attention on the mat
ter OF formulating one complete stat
ute covering the whole school law
Previous 70 that time. the school law
was composed of a long series Of sep
arate legislative acts running through
all the volumes of Delaware laws. An
accurate knowledge Of the school law
then, required the possession of most
Of the volumes of statute
and an intelligent intellect
capable of compr sing. constructing
and constituting apparently inhar-
moniOus provisions enacted by differ
ent legislatures The bare fact OF
having the whole law upon the sub
iect OF schools free schools embraced
in a single volume. systematized and
harmonized, was, therefore, mos
decided advantage. To return now tC
the old plan of legislative patching
would in time completely undo the
good work Of the last General Assem-.
bly,. When the board and the peo-
pie generally are in possession Of re
liable information concerning oul
schools as a whole. it viii then be time
to consider the advisability OF radi
cal changes in the present law.
Acting under these convictions, th'
board makes but the following twy
recommendations Il will be noted tina
they are not so much in the nature
OF alterations as additions, leaving en-
tirely unaffected the law as regards
the schools generally. The recommen
datiOns for legislation are:
First. The state treasurer has nov
in his hands about $1,000, which th
late state treasurer set apart for tn
benefit Of the schools for cOlored chill
dren in Wilmington. Owing to tn
fact, however, that the present char
, ter Of the schools for white children
in that city does not seem to author
ize him to pay over this amount TO tn
school board for the benefit Of tn
; schools for colored children, thos
schools have not received any advan
tage from the sum in question II ]
deemed proper, therefore that a.
amendment 10 the charter Of th
schools for Wilmington authorizin
= their Board Of Education to receiv
this amount as we'll as such dividend
OF the future should be passed
, Second The board calls attention {
the facts set forth in the reports Of tn
county school commissioners for Sus
sex county and Of superintender
Tammanv concerning peculiar trih
: or race Of our citizens known as In
{ dians or Mbors, located in India
River hundred. Under the condition
detailed by them, it would seem bu
wise that the commission for thl
I county should be authorized 10 lay Oh
E a school district or districts for tn
D raSe OF tribe, and that the generi
6 school Law should be made applicabl
70 such districts when so laid out.
Auconpanying the report are the II