Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-28

Board in Providing for Children In the
City to Dismiss All Who Reside Beyond
the Limitsof the Municipality.
The Board OF Education succeeded
in getting quorum 33 minutes after
the usual meeting time Monday, and
at g. 80 o'clock the body was called to
order by President Shortlidge. While
waiting for quorum Secretary Bar
tram spent several minutes telephoning
for members who had not arrived. The
reading of :the minutes and other pre-
liminary matters required about 10
minutes, and at 10 minutes of 8 O'Clock
the board got down to business that
is, the IL members present did So
Chairman Carter of the repair COM
mittee reported that the sewer at No.
\ School had become clogged with roots
of trees and it was found necessary to
renew the sewer connection.
The printing committee was directed
to procure for the use of the superin-
tendent 5000 certificates of perfect at
tendance and the same number OF with
drawal certificates. The matter of new
blackboards for No. IL School was re-
ferred to the committee on new build
ings. Changes were ordered made in
bU6 WluuUW tuTthtuS hb NJ IL f)GuOpIs
The yard of No. 10 School was reported
in bad condition and improvements
were ordered made in the yard and
sanitary equipment of the building.
Annoyance from boys around the
building icing reported, it was agreed
that il would be we'll to swear ir some
OF the ianitors as special officers, With
full police power, and that will prob
ably be DONE Some repairs are to be
made at No u School.
A letter was received FROM the James
Bradford Co., announcing that, owing
to the increased cost Of glass, the cost
for glazing would be advanced 40 per
cent, to take effect at once, whereupon,
on motion of Mr. O'Donnell, Secretary
Bartram was directed to ask for bids
for glazing in the schools for the period
of one year.
Mr.. Carter announced that it will
probably be necessary to open an adj
ditional room at the new High School,
at the same time calling attention to
the fast that there are 81 non resident
pupils in the school. Mr.. 0'Donnell
said the city charter STIMULATES that ths
board shall provide school facilities for
all children in the city limits desiring
to attend and defines the limits of the
CITY, bhO ddiJ VI tbO
board is plain, and he has been
contemplating offering a resolution ex-
Guiding non residents, but as some of
the children are in the graduating class
| he did not want it to go into effect
| until the beginning of the next term.
| DR.. Frantz agreed with MIR. O'Donneli,
in part, but thought non-residents
should be admitted upon payment OF
| tuition fee. He feared that absolute
exclusion might operate against city
Teople seeking country homes. MI.
| Fraim said the board had no authority
| to charge for tuition, the Legislature
having failed to grant such power,
although country districts had tho
power. He also said he knew OF scholars
attending the local schools from Mes
maid, New Castle, Claymont, Middle
| town and other points in this State and
| Chadd's Ford. Pa. DIR. Palmer said he
| thought this matter OF business and
the proper time to call a halt. Mr..
Ross said he believed the parents of
some of these nonresident pupils were
owners of city property and paying
school taxes here. Other members
thought this made no difference, as
the city schools were for city children
exclusively. Mr.. Turner said it was
not matter of sympathy. If non resi-
dents want their children educated in
Wilmington they could send the chill.
dren to the private schools. President
Shortlidge said the board had only one
DUTY, to dismiss every non resident, Tbs
board could as we'll admit children from
| Chicago as from the surrounding
| country. He said there is not pupil
| in the High School that does not cost
/ the city at least So for books and alta
| tionery. He called attention to the fact
| chat when the Highlands ard Eastlake
4 were taken into the city, owing to the
neculiar boundary lines some primary
scholars Just outside the limits were
permitted to attend the schools. He
| charged Thomas T.. Weldin of Brandy
| wine hundred with being instrumental
in defeating the bill of the board before
the Legisj ature two years ago provid-
| ing for charging non residents, although
| he had two children at The schools here,
and again he was instrumental IN de-
feating the bill before the last Legisla-
| ture. President Shurtligde thought the
time had arrived to act. H
At the suggestion Of President Short
lidge, Mr. Fraim made motion that
| Superintendent Twitmyer be instructed
| to notify al principals that no non
resident PUPILS shall have the privilege
of any OF Che city public schools after
the current week. The motion was
seconded by Mr.. O'Donnell.
The motion was fought bitterly by
/ DIR. Frantz, who thought it would be
an injustice to turn the children out at
once, especially those who are on the
eve Of graduation. He said he would
favor excluding non-residents where
they are keeping city children out, but
he did not believe such to be the case
and considered the motion unjust. Ii
the board could not accommodate q
paltry 80 children from outside the city
with the magnificent new High School
the board should never have built it.
There are reasons why the motion
should be passed, but better time for
1t to take effect would be at the be-
ginning OF a new term. He thought
the board could accept nom residents
and receive fee from them when they
could be accommodated without being
detriment to the residents.
On motion of Mr.. Morrow, il was
decided to postpone further considera-
tion of the matter until the next meet
ing.
In reply to questions by several OF
the members, President Shortlidge an
nounced that the visiting committee of
any school could dismiss nonresident
pupils without authority from theboard,
and several members intimated that
they might do so if places were re-
quired for city children.
Mr.. Morrow gave notice that at a