Evening journal., 1899-01-26
STATE BOARD REPORT
Aims to Raise Standard OF
Qualification for Teachers.
LATEST AND BEsT TEXT BOOKS

OF THE OPINION THAT FUR
THEIR SCHOOL LEGISLATION AT
THIS TIME is UNwGSE.
STAR Correspondence Evening Journal.
Dover. Jan. 26--lTrom th> report OF
the STATE Beard Of Education, SUBJ
mitted to both houses the following
extracts are taken:
Up to the making Of this report, the
board has held three stated meetings
and six special meetings Owing 10
the fact that the present board differs
so widely from all preceding bcarus,
both in it's constitution and powers,
ID conjunction with the extreme
seantinees OF material aZd data on
school matters left by such former
boards, it was deemed e1re1tent that
the present board should make an en-
tirely new beginning in school work
for this state. Much OF the seven
months which mark the brief exist
ence Of this board has been consumed,
therefore, in the labor Of organization
and in the formulation Of p.a-e Of
work.
This board is convinced that its first
and most important duty is the collec-
tion and compilation OF reliable facts
and figures showing the present con-
dition Of our schools as a whole. II
is manifest that no general good can
be secured to our schools until their
needs are thoroughly known and un.
derstOod. This knowledge may only
be gained through authenticated school
data and statistics. Such data and
statistics, however, the board finds TO
De deplorabiy lacking. The result is
a surprising ignorance throughout the
state Of the condition OF cur schools
generally.
II is a fact that in the great ma
jority Of the school districts, three
fourths Of the annual expense is di-
rectly borne by the state through the
school dividend. In many instances,
the district only expends S25 a year
OF the amount raised by taxStion. I'm
der these conditions, it is but just
that the state should see that ite
money is expended for the best in
terests OF its wards, the children in
our free schools. That it is not 50
expended is apparent f1om the report
Of the superintendent Ct schools fol-
Sussex county. When it is realized
that 50 many CT the districts in one
county alone are utterly unmindfuI OF
the most elementary principles of gov.
erning the good health Of the chill
dren. the absolute necessity Of a bet
ter knowledge OF school conditions
must be manifest. Ia ether in.
stances, the overcrowded condition OF
s5me OF the school rooms would seem
20 indicate that the state does not ar
ford, in fact, to al Of the children an
opportunity to gain a common schoo
CGucati9n
The beard finds an utter absence ot
reliable statistics throwing light upor
the simplest OF facts concerning oui
schools. For example, there is no Ger,
tain Information as to the percentag,
OF illiteracy among either the citizens
Of this state, or the children of schoo
age. nor whether such percentage /.
on the increase or decrease; nor, fur
ther, as to the percentage CT children
not taking advantage of the free edu
cation offered by the state.
Under these conditions the presen
board has complied a series Of blanks
to be Immediately circulated through
out the state, which, when proper!
filled in, will furnish, it is thought
complete and accurate information
upon all points and matters necessar.
for a thorough knowledge Of schoo
conditions, school methods and neede
The present law would seem to Civ
ample to the board to ask for an
secure this information in the mamie
it has adopted, and the board hope
that its next report will be found t
embrace all needed information on tn
subject in hand
Another aim Of the beard Is Z
raise gradually the standard II quail
hcafions for the teachers in our fre
schools Delaware still suffers III
great hardship Of having no state nor
NAL school - qualify and test the ca
pabilittee Of the instructors Of he
children. In most instances, thereforl
cehool commissioners are compelled /
rely entirely upon the tezcher' certif
cate obtained on examination (neve
an entirely satisfactory test). by tn
county superintendent For this res
son the board has, through Que Of il
committee, carefully examined all {
the questions given by the three 81
perluiendents in every examination ,
teachers held ainoe the paZsage OF IN
present cchool law, and made sue
changes in and additio1s to thos
qusesions as 10 it seemed proper.