Evening journal., 1902-03-20
Education Board Receives
Letter From Mr.. Fell
ASKS FOR DEFINITE ACTION
Ii Schools Open in the Fall Pro
spectivc Pupils Must Pre-
pare Now

Herbert n. Fell. who has been greatly
Interested In the proposition To- establish
night schools IN Wilmington, has sent
another letter to the Board OF Education,
showing the necessity for these schools.
Mr. Fell has shown the board by peu-
tions and letters from other people that
the subject is one In which the poor Of
the city have "A great Interest.
At the last meeting. the board pracu-
cally decided not TO take any steps to-
ward opening the schools until next fall.
The letter will be read at the next meet
ng of the board. IL follows:
Wilmington, Del. March 10, 1902.
To the Honorable, the BOARD of Public
Education, Wilmington, Del.
Genuemen VIII you allow me to again
respectfully call your attention to tho
great need and urgent demand for free
might schools in the city of Wilmington,
and also to explain 20 your honorable
body my Interest in, and connection
with this matter.
About the first of the year. three boys,
/ m whom ] am deeply Interested. were
compelled to leave our public schools and
eo TO work / urged upon them the me-
cessity of more education, and they
agreed to go TO night school. Il was NOT
until then that 7 learned Wilmington had
no free night schools with a view TO as.
pertaining the reason for denying this
lgreat advantage To such a large number
las ] felt would undoubtedly avail them
SELVES OF the privilege Of attending
schools AT night were they accorded it,
conferred with your superintendent OF
schools. and was informed by him that
lhe felt he could assure me that schoo
would be opened provided / could Obtain
the names of thirty pupils who would at
ltend. then personally visited the SIN
factory. at Fourteenth and Walnu
streets. operated 10y Messrs. Hand 81 Son
! where the three boys i'm whom I was in
tercsted were employed. and from tina
one factory obtained more than the re
? quircd thirty names of those who woul
like To- attend night school.
l was then informed that the boar
would not take any action unless writer
applications were received, but, while
have long since furnished you with iG
bona fde applicants, agreeing over thei
signatures 90 regularly attend nigh
schools, II opened there has as yet beei
no favorable action taken, notwlth
standing the fact that at the last meetin
Of the board. an ofer was made 20 pro
vide funds Independent Of the school ap
proprihton. for the support Of tw'
schools for two months, with the provis
that same should be opened Immediately
As the argument which was advance
four weeks ago against opening nigh
schools was that it was then too late &
the season. ] presume that there Is nov
no use of asking that night schools b
opened prior TO September next Woul
% not therefore. be advisable TO hav
some definite action taken at your meet
ing 20 be held on Monday evening Marc
%. ! norder that the 400 applicants. an
the many others desiring TO attend, ma
know at once whether or not your honor
able body will crafty their desire to Oh
tain an education through the medium q
free night schools. so that they ma
make the necessary preparation for M
; beginning Of the course?
Hoping that some definite action ma
be- taken al your next meeting, / beg {
z remain, Very respectfully yours.
Herbert n. Fell.