Milford chronicle., 1907-08-02
More About the Summer School.

fully as Prof Cross is an honest man ana
truthful to the last particular.-Editor'l
The Summer School was begun because OF a
necessity arising from the demand for i'm
provement in our public school system.
very large part Of the teachers Of our rural
schools, and, In fact, Of the teachers OF the
/ village schools, as WE'LL have had no educa-
tional advantages outside Of their own or Ike
rural and village schools. Our State has ad-
vauced, with other States, in demand Tor
broader and better teaching, and has required
] Of applicants for certificates to teach knoWl-
edge OF some branches OF study that have not
been taught 10 most of the public schools OF
Delaware. We will name among these sub
iects botany. drawing. and methods OF teaeh-
ing Reason demands OF our superintendent
some provision for instruction in these sub
iects at least, if they are to be taught in our
public schools, for no one could hope to pass
"A satisfactory examination in these, or any
other subjects without having studied them
Even with the Summer School as an aid to
the teachers, the superintendents have found
4 Il difficult, in some cases impossible, to qualify
teachers enough for our schools What could
they have done but for the help Of the Summer
school? To submit examinations 10 young
people, trained as the majority OF our public
D
/ in which they have had no help, aside from
text books, would be folly and a farce
But aside from the above fact the Summer
school has been ofinestmable value dieecty
to the poung people vino have attended and
Indirectly through them, to thousands OF chill
dren in our state. In our faculty we have had
men and women who stand high In the pro
fession Of teaching in Delaware and other
states; men and women whose training has
been as good as our country affords and Who
because OF This training, are able TO inspire
the young people with Ideals that come only
by association with such educators
We stated above that our summer school
was begun Of necessity, but let us see what has
been the reason for It's continuance, aud for
its growth for with each year the number OF
students in attendaEce from Delaware has in
creased. From one county we have In attend
ance go students Among these 90 are u of The
most progressive and competent teachers in
the county who have attended one or two
other sessions Of our school, II of whom hold
certificates at the present time, but vino are
here because OF their appreciation of the al
vantages afforded them. a Of the 80 have had
Thinning only IN the rural schools OF that
county and have held no certificate.
From another county there are enrolled 53
students. 30 Of whom have been here once or
twice before. and several of whom hold certi-
icates at the present time.
The presence Of these teachers from these
two counties d second and "a third term, some
Of them holding unexplred certificates. others
40 well qualified schOastically thai no super
iuiendeuI would dare refuse them a certificate,
shows that they come OF their own voliuon,
and are not coerced into attendance by the
superlntendents.
We state these facts % show that the growth
OF our Summer School has been due 20 popu- /
larity that arises from an appreciation Of the
splendid help that is derived from their course
here We should like to give expression TO
the Judgment of mauy of those in attendance
but we forDear for want Of time. We desire to
say further that no one has been promised
certificate by any superintendent for attend
ance on the Summer school, but on the con-
trary many nave been advised not TO come
because the superintendent questioned the
ability of the applicant TO pass satisfactory
examination, even after "a course here. one
superintendent says that u other students
from his county would have enrolled this
year but for advice from him not TO do so.
We are in a position 10 know from the stu
dents vino come 10 us the coadluon OF the
public schools OF south Delaware, aud we are
glad TO say that there has been "A marked inn
provement and development within Few
years. due in large part to the efficient man
agement of the county superlnirHdeuts, aru'
in our Judgment. these gentlemen have done
nothing that has tended TO this Improvement
so much as has the establishment of the sum |
mer school of Methods and study. II is Ell
dorsed by the leading men OF the state, and
by the State Board Of Education We do not
know Of another state that does not make
better provision for It's teachers than does
Delaware one OF the present superintendent
six or seven years ago tIied to SECURE legis IL
tion that would provide for the training ofour /
public school teachers in summer session
promising to supervise this work, without /
compensation, but was not able TO Interest
the law makers at that time. An effort was |
made two years ago, which again failed What |
course has been, or is now, open to men who /
have the highest interests Of the education OF
our youth at heart, and who feel that they, by /
virtue of their position, are responsible for |
these interests. II the state viii BOT provide |
for the efficient training OF our teachers, who /
will do it? Wko should do it? The trustees /
of the Wilmington Conference Academy have |
graclously given, through the principal, the /
use Of the grounds and buildings for which /
they have made no charge whatever. The |
charges for the Summer school have been so
low that the boarding department has been
run without profit, and really at financial
risk From the charges for tuition most COM J
petent instructors have been employed, and |
courses of lectures given which have cost a
large part Of the income. We have been en-
ployed as Instructor in one other Summer
school where the charges for tuition were
equal to our charges for tuition and board
and where the total charges were prohlbitive
to the teachers of Delaware.
The summer School of Dover was begun
and has been operated for the benefit Of the
teachers and the student bedy Of Delaware,
and not for the promoters as has been charged, |
and we shall be sorry to see any change made
until the State will provide a substitute which |
will be better than the Summer School, as it |
has Deen and is now conducted. We do not |
hesitate to say that II mas uone more to pro |
b. nf Ne 20 arff D.