Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-09-30
STATE EDUCATION


ing of the State Board of Education to-
day, Governor Lea presiding, all three
county superintendents OF public schools
submitted reports on the condition oil the
public school system throughout Della
ware.
Superintendent Carroll, OF KentConnty,
submitted report and made an address
upon it before the board, in which lie
said:
Il have been much impressed with one
great result accomplished by the public
schools. It is the neat appearance OF
most Of the pupils, indicating that the
public schools are having a refining IN
fiuence upon the people. They are max
ing them more careful in dress and clean
illness OF their children.
ssThere are 1913 school boards in this
county, los of which employ one teacher
each and twenty-three employing from
two to thirteen each. In the single dis
tricts the average attendance on my day
Of visit was Is and fraction. | did not
average this in the consolidated districts,
but the attendance improves as the num-
Der Of departments there increases, and IS
very good when there are five or more
departments; another argument for the
consolidation of the rural school.
"Dover, Smyrna and Milford now have
fine school buildings, showing deep in
terest in the cause Of education, while
Wyoming and Clayton are making addi-
tons to their buildings which, when COM
pleted, will give them excellent school
facilities. Of the seventy seven one-room
school buildings for white children, |
would make the following classification !:
New, 5; small but good. 10; old and
poor, 16 old but fairly good, 5; good,
16; ordinary, 25. There were more re-
pairs during the last year than any year
during my term Of office.
The number Of rooms in the various
school buildings, Superintendent Carroll
classified az follows:
eleven with two rooms four with
three rooms four with four rooms one
with eight rooms, one with nine rooms
and two with thirteen rooms"
Turning his attention to the schools
maintained by the state for negro chill
dreu. Superintendent Carroll said:
"Only twelve OF the thirty-one colored
schools have respectable furniture. II
does not pay to spend money for teacher
in room without furniture. limo other
way can be devised, would suggest that
the county school commission be author
lied to close these schools for three
months, one year, and spend the 500
thus saved in school desks. The lost
time could be made up in better teaching
the next year. These schools will not be
furnished without some outside help.
"Here, as well as everywhere else.
there is scarcity Of qualified teachers.
said the superintendent, returning to the
subject OF white schools and referring to
the condition Of the teacher. 1--WE are
getting some Normal School graduates
and We hope that will be source Of
help for the future. The state is now
aiding twelve in attendance at the Nor
NAL Schools outside the state and five or
six Of them will be graduated next year.
/ see some improvement in the teachers
work each year.
More than three-fourtlls of ten have
taken one or two courses at the school OF
methods and have been greatly helped
by coming unler tie tulrlagr 81 exPer-
fenced instructors There is marked
difference between these teachers and
those who enter the profession without
any normal instruction. With the pro-
per training, the ability to discipline a
school increases and better order is found
in the schools than before.
Everything in my power is done to
improve the methods of teaching in
those who have had no special training
for the work. I have held twelve local
institutes during the year. We there take
up the best methods and devices and urge
their use in the school. The teachers seem
anxious to improve and then try to make
use Of any suggested line of work.
"The joint school at Marydel operated
by coalition between the Maryland and
Delaware authorities ''has been put on
satisfactory basis and the commissioners,
Of Caroline County, Md, deserve praise
for their liberality in giving the people
such good school facilities.