Evening journal., 1905-01-19
EDUCATORS AND
LEGISLATORS MEET
Charter for Wilmington Board
of Education Discussed
at Dover
SUPT SPAlO MAKES AN ADDRESS
Special to Tho Evening Journal.

/ ing m the New-Contury Club here this
afternoon which was held under the au-
spices OF the educational committee of the
Wilmington New Century Club. The fea-
lures OF the proposed charter for the Will
mington Board of Education, which has
been drawn up by the above committee
were discussed by United States District
Attorney John =. Nields and ex-Attorney
General H. II. Ward. Others also took
part In the discussion.
The subject OF consolidated public
school system for the rural New Castle,
Kent and Sussex county schools was also
taken up and advocated by superinten-
dents Spaid, Carroll and Brooks Of the
three counties, respectively. superinten-
dent spaid dwelt largely upon his annual
report which he read at the meeting of
the State Board OF Education in Dover
on December q. He said:
Superintendent spaid's Address.
There are in New Castle county 45s
teachers. Two hundred and nnoty-two Of
these are in the city Of Wilmington. OF
the one hundred and sixty-one under my
supervision, one hundred and thrty-three
( are white and twenty-eight are colored.
During the year 1 have examined one
hundred and twelve applicants for teach
ers' certificates OF these seventy-ave
passed and thirty-soven failed. 1 also is
sued thirty-eight certificates TO college
or normal school graduates without ex-
animation.
There are in the county one hundred
and ten school buildings eighty-six for
white children and twenty-four for color
ed. The colored people with one or two
exceptions have fair buildings. Our coun-
ty commissioners have looked after the
interests of the colored children excep-
tionally well. District No. los has no
building, and on account Of the careless
ness or criminality of the clerk the dis
trict lost its State appropriation year or
two ago. The most of these schools. how
ever, are i'm need Of school furniture and
supplies-teachers desks, better desks for
the pupils black boards. charts and maps.
Despite the fact that the colored people
are very poor, they have collected their
taxes, paid for the grounds for the new
buildings, besides helping to pay for the
buildings. This gives them an interest in
their schools and our county commissions
ers are TO be commended for their wis
dom in making the colored people help.
''rhe law requires that each school shall
be kept open at least 14O days. The term
for the colored schools the past year was
l5ila days, or nearly S-l months The
lowest salary paid TO a colored teacher
was S25 per month; the highest. S35; the
average being s29l per month.
II visited every school In the county at
least once during the year, and num-
ber Of them twice. / found numerous
buildings sadly in need of repairs, some
of them old and unit for school purposes.
The school desks in many instances were
so arranged that children had to sit facing
a window which is ruinous to the sight.
and consequently many children will grow
up with their eyes permanently injured.
Some of the buildings have windows on
all sides. other things were found ne
elected. There were but few modern
desks in the schools. and some were so
antiquated as TO be a curiosity.
Attendance Not Satisfactory.
'The average term for white schools
was l1S 1-3 days, or nearly nine months.
No white school was kept open fewer than
I 1853 days, and only four fell short of eight
months The lowest salary paid to a white
teacher was S2l per month; the highest Ito
ap rincipaD 500 per month. giving an av-
erage of $36.66 2-S per month
''rhe attendance was not satisfactory.
The enrolment for the year reached $3.50.
many being enrolled In two districts. This
is the case every year on account of FAM
ilies having changed their homes, so the
figures are not accurate. A few children
Iaf
thing into consideration, it is safe to say
that many children do not attend school
at all. Many parents are Indifferent about
the matter. For several weeks last year
only one pupil attended the colored school
at Taylors Bridge. although the enroll
ment for the year was thirty-three. Ac-
cording to the teacher there were upwards
Of forty children Of school age I'm the dis
trict. In some districts many children do
not attend school three months In the
year. Out of the 6236 enrolled 2O06 failed to
attend school sixty days during the year:
100 Of these were boys and 977 were siils.
This was about 33 per cent of the entire
enrolment"
Superintendent spaid further stated that
eighteen districts increased salaries last
year and he hoped that this was only the
beginning of the good work He continued
Teachers should be paid monthly and
all holidays should either be laid dowr
in the law. or power given to the State
Board Of Education TO fix the holidays
Twenty school days should constitute a
school month 1 also suggest that no GER
tihcate granted TO college or normal
school graduates be renewed by the State
Board unless during the year the person
holding such a certificate take an examin-
alton, and If his grades are satisfactory
that his certificate be renewed yearly for
ten years. Also that certificates be ac-
cepted, which have been issued in other
states, provided those States accept GER
tihcates granted TO teachers in Delaware.
Staff Aid is Needed.
Last year eight or nine young people
received State aid at some college or
normal school This is a slow process.
Many who are now teaching would like
70 take advantage of the law allowing
state aid, but they cannot afford to stop
teaching for year or more. However, if
they could receive State aid during their
summer vacation many OF the teachers
would take advantage of the numerous
summer schools, which are usually in ses-
sion for five weeks. A tuition of 50 per
week would induce the teachers to avail
themselves OF these educational advan-
tages"
Mr. spaid declared that the present