Milford chronicle., 1907-06-28
A Voice From the North.

tempt to maze bis influence felt in the man
agsment OF affairs. But although / am IA
removed from Milford, siill feel deep in
terest In all that goes on there. l suppose
always thatl. Moreover, an article that ap
pear In last weeks Chronicle attacked th
Board of Education for placing the MifOr'
schools under the exclusive Jurisdiction o
the KeRt County officials, and as urged tina
measure / want to defend II.
Just how far / am responsible for this pro
cedure am unable to say. II Il was right
viii try to be magnanimous for once, and no
care who gets the credit for Il : ifit was wrong
am willing to shoulder all blame. Ever
with the Sussex County Institute gone else
where, with Milford staggering about IN
| pitch black darkness because her lamp o.
learning is extinguished, with the ruin OF al
those merchants rattling about my ears, will
try to stand erect aud look my fate calmly in
the face.
But first let me say that -. d. B." has at
tempted TO associate two things that appear
/ TO me to have no necessary connection they
are the administration OF the Milford Schools
by Kent County officials, and the holding Of
the Sussex Institute In Milford. 1.-THE Insti-
tute Is held elsewhere It will be due, not TO
any act OF the Board OF Education, but to the
free choice OF the Superintendent OF sussex
County. He will have an opportunity to
show just how deep his interest in Milford
and the Milford merchants really is. No
super intendent says j. D. B., could afford TO
take the Institute to what is Kent County
school district His articles does not prove
the truth Of this stRtement-aRd it certainly
needs proof II he leaves It without further
substantlatiOn. then it seems to me its falsity
and absurdity are patent. 1t is well known,
or should be, that j. d. B. makes more out
OF that educational and cultural gathering
than any merchant, and it's very doubtful II
he could reap so rich a harvest elsewhere.
Besides the Institute didn't make Milford:
Milford made the Institute. And yet, Tom
reading J. d. b. statements, one might sup
pose that a county superintendent could tour
across country with an Institute in one hand
and bunch OF thuRderbolts in the other, |
shifting little cities like Milford OF the earth,
Or building them up as easily as a child builds |
block cities on bis playboard. There are two |
Or three merchants on The Milferd Board OF
Education, besides other men who are inter
ssted in drawing custom. Are they so idiOtic,
10 stupid, so obstinately blind to their own
interests as to vote money out OF their pock.
It's for the sake OF iDjuring the town they rep
esent? Did theyl actually "sneer" in the
ace OF torrent OF eloquence which was no
oubt designed to sweep an ordinary man Off
IFS feet? My experience with those men con-
1nces me that they were acting for what they
Onsidered the best interests OF the schools
hey represent. And yet j. d. B. would lead
$ to believe that they are not at all at
oard-not even a decent splinter.
But j. d. B., by being sucn a strict construc-
Onist, will compel himself to move out Of
lilfOrd, for II remember correctly the Del ,
ware law requires a county superintendent
, reside in the county he supervises The ,
uperintendent and the Institute, then should ,
ave together. such an Interpretation OF {
tets, either with regard to the superinten- I
snts residence or the place OF holding the 3
stitute, is ridiculous. Both may remain in !
ifOrd for all Of anything the Board OF Edu- @
tiOn has done. Whether they do or not de- q
nds on the choice OF the Superintendent. l I
q confident that Milford can survive the n
IS in any case. 4
Now, why did the Board wish to have the o
1Ools administered from the North instead o
from the SOHth? Let It be understood that
e Board is not speaking through me; II is a
It responsible for what l say. The mem c.
rs may condemn nay reasons as unsound
ey may have better ones OF their own. j S
b. says they "heaved sigh of relief that d.
~ had accomplished their purpose" yet "
ed without valid reason or excuse hi
en- they seem to have accomplished their in
rpose without having any purpose! No, al
nix they are sane. In the first place. II ci
med wise to have responsibility fixed on dc
g side Of the line or the Other-no matter 10
ich. J. D. b. says, 1.-The superinteRdents gr
,nse teachers but aside from that no Off so
authority is exercised" That is erron- lO'
IS. lfit were true, what would the super
endents be good for? But even II this were tn
il would furnish a valid reason for placing ha
power Of Issuing all the certificates in the ser
IDS of one man instead OF two lt was fri
letimes possible for teacher, having ass
ed In one county, to cross the line and get AM
ertificate IL the other. Again, teachers sell
e afraid of offending one of the superin- an
tents by going to the other for examina. OF
l. and such an offence might prove very est
imental TO a teachers educational career. Sl tne
be licensed by one superintendent ald hit
icised by another is not altogether delight, Be'
Then, too, examinations are not always iIa Ias
Orm In the two counties. One superin-
lent may permit equivalents ana substi-
Ons which the other will not allow. This
Its in a careful accommodating on the part
achers to ind out where they can secure 1
most advantageous terms-althOugh the NY
ent Sussex superintendent. In reply to we
Of this kind, sent back the veT
teOus and reassurlng reply that he Tor
uldn't refuse one Of those old maids a /
acate." of
space permitted, many other reasons pla
be urged why the schools should ad- OF !
stered through one county only. Then NIL
e the question, which county? Well II ant
a matter OF indifference who exercises De
roll as J, d. B. says. the first thing one NM
Ks Of is the location OF the school build Zen
Tsis may seem accidental, but 1t isn't ers
'ether accidental that man is enrolled -
pays his taxes where his residence is-and -
residence" OF the Milford schools is now 4
ent County. Location alone was consid-
sufficient to decide the matter in the case
e Smyrna Schools, which are similarly
ted In Kent and New Castle Counties.
the Milford building been erected south
, line, should have expected the schools