Milford chronicle., 1910-12-02


in having it passed. He did mo-
, offer it as his best thought, but as 8
bill that would pass. When he
talked of enlarging the unit of tax
alton to include a hundred, he was
met with the CRY from the members
of the Legislature: "What ! Have
the people living in one end of the
hundred telling how much the peo-
pie in the other end shall pay ?
Never !" Although the feeling Of
the people upon taxation was so
deep rooted, being an example of
local independence that amounted
almost to individual independence,
the new school law at last brought
the schools under a system. Grad
ually all the schools in the State,
the so-called incorporated schools
and the country schOols-fell into
line and agreed upon courses Of
study proposed by the State Board
Of Education. At first the State
Board prescribed course of study
for schools below the sixth grade,
then a course below the eighth grade,
and soon coursesup to the twelfth
grade were provided. The town
schools, or so-called incorporated
schools, had independent courses Of
study depending upon the efficiency
of the teacher, or the ambition of
the patrons. In the prevailing prac-
tice of most towns, changing teach
ers every year or two the condition
may be imagined. The healthy
condition of the educational working
is seen in the willingness of these
schools to conform to a standard
fixed by law and their example has
set the pace for all the State to fol-
low. Commissioner Draper, of New
York, emphasizes the fact that while
there is nothing in our organic law
which makes provision for the
schools, they are so interviewer and
enmeshed in our social structure
that they have almost the same
lega! standing as the rights of man
to life and the pursuit of happiness.
They are planted firmly in the very
hearts Of our people.
The proposition that the State
should give everyone the fundamen-
tai knowledge that will equalize his
in life, is followed by
.he corrollary that every one must
receive the instruction and training
.hus offered. Within the few years
hat Delaware has had a cOmpul-
3ory law in operation, the wisdom
If such provision has become more
md more apparent.
At first this law was enforced
somewhat leniently but now it is
thoroughly established, and it is re-
,arded with favor by the people gem
rally. 1t is time now to make it
more rigid, both in the limits of APP
,licatiOn and wider in its reaches,
o that every boy and girl may be
.iven an equal opportunity for
into a useful citizen. If it
5 the business Of the State to furnish
he means of education, it surely has
he right to demand that every one
hall have the benefit of such in
and to provide laws for .
arrying out the ends OF its mission. /
An evidence that the people are s
nOre nearly ready 70 extend the old (
ime unit of taxation, is observed in !
he report of the commission APP j
,Ointed by the Governor under the S
Of an act Of our last Leg '
stature. This committee is made
p of three wide-awake citizens who t
ave made a deep study of educa- t
on in this State. Mr.. Brady, of p
liddletown, is the member for New '
astle county; Mr.. Townsend, lately a
ppointed State Auditor of Ac- i
ounts, is the appointee for Kent )
ounty; Mr.. Moore, of Georgetown, 2
spresents Sussex county, This t,
after a careful study of a
le organization Of the schools of &
le State and of a search into their K
orkings, are to report to the ses- d
on of the Legislature this winter a
le results of their labors in the v
'rm of school law, embodying all p
lie useful features of the present v
w, but making any changes that Ii
Jay be desirable in the Organiza- q
on and administration of an up-to. "
lte school system, which viii meet n
le peculiar needs of Delaware. l ls
lderstand that the one thing that Ii
e committee will urge is that all n
hool funds shall be collected by m
e county tax collector, and that e,
ie tax rate will be uniform for the
hole county. This will be affect le
g a great economy in the tax col G
ctiOn, and the uniformity of tax te
tes will do away with the COM s
aint that the burdens are so un- "
Iual, and consequently, thought so ii