The Delawarean., 1900-05-12
WOMEN WANT A FAIR CHARGE.
eontilal.d ltom Ilrst I age

| CfttHUtd jJUM IifNt age
emily requested to obtain and carefully
preserve the synopsis of the annual
reports of the public schools of the
State, made by the teachers ait the
close of the school year, 1S9S-1S99, as
issued BY the State Board of Education.
4 From this report we learn that
$194,SOO was expended during the last
year for school purposes outside Of the
city of Wilmington.
The board has not general super
vision of Whining, on $141, ,05905 was
expended in salaries, and $S,2771S in
books and $44.964.40 in other expendi-
lures.
The average monthly salaries of
principals in New Castle was $53. In
Kent $50 and in Sussex $3.50. The
average monthly salaries of teachers
in the rural districts was 1920 in New
Castle, $31.25 in Kent and $33.67 in
Sussex. The total enrolment of pupils
in rural districts is 1874; total en-
! lJIllIcIlI Ill ill SCuOOlS, AA.AOf.
In gradede schools in New Castle
county with an enrolment of 1884,
there is a monthly attendance of 2,166
-79S absent monthly Kent has an
enrolment of 3,216, with monthly at
tendance of 2,412-SO4 absent monthly.
Sussex has $3.50 enrolment, with a.
monthly attendance of 4,110-1,S49 alb
sent monthly.
Note that these figures refer only to
the graded schools of the three coun-
ties of our little State. In them only
the sum of enrolled absentees is 3,451.
Total number of enrolled pupils in the
State, 22,254, total monthly attendance
1898, total number of enrolled pupils
who do not attend school 6,316. More
than one fourth of those enrolled do
not attend. How would those who
should be enrolled and are not, swell
this number? 6,316 recognize the
privilege of enrolment and stop there
How many may there be of school age
in the State not enrolled? Is it sur
prising that your committee is looking
and laboring for a correction of this
condition? Is it not appalling that
there are so many, both white and col
ored children of school age, who are
not availing themselves of the oppor-
tunities of even rudimentary instruc-
tion, and this fact impels number of
your committee to the conclusion that
a compulsory law is necessary to over
ignorance among any considerable
portion of the citizens of State.
There are 20 schools in the State re
ported with insufficient furniture.
These should be properly furnished.
We recommend that the schools be
located, the needs itemized and a prac-
tical effort be made to supply them
The members of the State Board of
Education desire to call attention to
the following facts: II quote from
their report). "Most of the graded
schools have failed to make sufficiently
complete reports to enable us to get the
necessary information from which to
compile averages. While it is prob
ably difficult for the teachers in some
of the larger town schools to give the
information asked for in the reports
we feel that all progressive school
boards in such towns could gather the
information at small cost and thus
enable the State Board to give to the
public full and valuable statistics In
reliable information as to the state of
education in Delaware. it is necessary
that we have a complete census not
only of children in school, but those
and literary of adults in each district
We earnestly ask the assistance of all
school boards, teachers and others in
terested in the growth and spread of
education in our State, in the work we
have undertaken"
A request for assistance from those
interested in education is an appeal to
club women. Here we find specified
| WIDTH, anu we dfe QulJe ceTIdlu IHdL
there are in every school district, anx-
ious mothers and fathers, as to the
educational welfare of their children,
as well as the teachers employed in our
schools, who will supply all lacking
statistical information, if request is
made for the same in due time and
suitable blanks furnished for that pur-
pose. 1t is very important that the
public shall have an accurate and in
telligent understanding and appreci-
alton of the existing conditions affect
ing the educational opportunities and
advantages and disadvantages of the
children of the State, to whom the
State must look for her future ad-
vancement and prosperity.
The faithful citizen in the discharge
of his official duties may be called upon
to report statistics and public infor-