Evening journal., 1907-08-22
PROF. BROOKS HITS.
BACK AT CRITICS
Declares tie Is In Summer
School Work al Personal
Sacrifice
NO PROFIT IN THE WORK


Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
MILFORD. Dol. Aug. 22.-John ID
Brooks. superintendent of public schools
OF Sussex county, is charged with having
brought on the newspaper and PRO bono
publco" campaigns against the Delaware
summer school at Dover on the ground
that the superintendents are Indirectly
grating from the hundreds of publ
school teachers by compelling them TO at
tend the Dover methods school In which
they are financially Interested.
Superintendent Brooks connection with
the beginning Of the school night that has
spread TO all Delaware is said TO have
originated in a local controversy which
Professor Brooks had with the Milford
school boards and which some of the
members afterward resented by public
attack on all the superlntendents and their
summer school.
When seen at his Milford home last
evening, Superintendent Brooks had on
his lighting clothes. He is said TO be one
Of the best and most progressive educators
the State has ever found and keeps Sus-
sex county school affairs, which had been
allowed 10 run TO low ebh In a constant
stir and campaign for Improvement He
was even busy this hot day planning work
for the coming winter school season, but
took time 10 pay his respects to editors
who hide behind corner when a discus
sion Of the coming election IN Delaware
is agitatlng every voter in the State, and
yet who hnd plenty of time to demand an
accounting from the county school super
| intendents who are interested in five.
weeks summer school whose pupils pay
s. per week for board. tuition, books and
privileges Of laboratory and library, to-
| gether with campus games.
Inform alton Easy Obtainable.
If they Chis editorial critics. had sought
information rather than controversy, they
could have readily investigated for them
selves and could have become personally
acquainted with that splendid body OF
100 OF more young Delawareans being
trained under the best instructors procur
able" said Superintendent Brooks; they
would then have been prepared for writ
ings that would have shed light rather
than heat.
"Dr. Cross has responded adequately
and fully and. beside. has submitted the
Unanimous testimony Of ninety-hve teach
ers. given in secret ballot on the real
question at issue-that they were not
ooerced or urged or bribed to attend by
the superlntendents that they had been
benefited; that they desired the summer
school to continue. Yet they Ohe editorial
critics. deign to characterize this response
as laughable and farcical.
when / became connected with th'
school, 1 did so with sense Of personal
sacrifice. as l knew 1 was throwing my.
self open to malicious attacks. Conse-
{ quently. 1 refused absolutely the first
year. TO have any remuneration I nigh
} receive dependent upon the number at
tending. now consider my connection
with the summer school, not only per-
sonal but a financial loss. But j have 2g
teachers scattered over 80 square mile
Of territory under my supervision.
1T would have been cowardly and
recreant to duty if / had denied my sup
port and assistance to an institution al
ready founded. doing such invaluable
work and giving me such an opportunit,
, for intimate acquaintance instruction an'
e assistance to my teachers.
No Profits in Work.
J Compute the surplus profit, considering
the cost OF living, on 10 pupils where tn
charges are S per week for board room
light. tuition, books and supplies We EN-
poy eight or nine teachers. The loves
salary fixed is S25 per week We give
q course OF two Of illustrated lectures. i
/. there is any surplus this year, we hav
:. been unable to find 1t and DR.. Cross, VIII
{ manages the finances, could not tell m
8 whether there would be any when 1 las
saw him.
When the possibility of financial los
presented itself this year, by reason q
T the increased cost Of living, the manage
e asserted that in view Of this we woul
II have TO increase the charges TO teachers
the three superintendents offered TO max
good the deficit rather than have this don,
This attack was begun in malice and cor
= tinued in prejudice.
None Of the county superlntendents d
this work from choice but from a sens
y Of duty and as a necessity to procur
4 teachers. Each one is aware that h
throws himself open to attack AS long q
cannot escape the charge from the al
tagonistlc and evil-minded that we al
openly or secretly interested in it,
Teachers Endorse School.
THE teachers are the only persons th'
: have a right to make objection to tn
! school and their endorsement is practical
| unanimous. The general public derv
| nothing but good from It and interferenS
! on their part is but puerile meddling. II
| summer school Is the most potent for'
for the advancement Of schools in ruri
Delaware The most effective work Of th
county superntendents is in maintainin
/ and fostering the school.
pennsylvania In addition to maintail
) ing thirteen great State normal school
= approprlates $4,000 annually 20 maintai
three summer schools for teachers. III
eI State superintendent not only teaches
y them. but is paid for his services. Tn
gentleman is president Of the Nations
Educational Association. yet have pei