Milford chronicle., 1910-01-28
SUGGESTIONS TO THE
SCHOOL COMMISSION

Now that the State School Com
mission Is soon to meet, for the pur
pose of receiving suggestions anC
formulating plans to be offered t,
the next ensuing Legislature. 70
the further improvement of th,
School Laws, is it not about tim,
we had called halt in this partic
ular, and ask our selves the aues.
tions: Where we are ? How we
got here and how long we should
tarry at this modern Jericho ,
That the act Of 1875, creating a
Board OF Education and providing
for a State Superintendent. has
been a blessing to the people Of the
State cannot be doubted or denied
1t was the entering wedge that
separated the modern from the an
cient and antiquated ideas of for
mer generations and its success and
practical utility ought to be the
pride of ever Delawarean. Since
that time much Legi,l ltion has
been had in the form of amendments
and enactments, some of them wise
some otherwise.
The thing most needed now is
not only other enactments, but a
careful revision of the entire code. ]
One crying evil that ought to be I
Temedied, is the tendancy to dis
credit, diparage, and disgrace.
the local school committees. These
faithful servants of the people are !,
expected to make the assessment.
lay the taxes, notify nOnresidence, /,
advertise meetings, hold appeals.
purchase books, hire teachers, visit :
he schools at least once a quarter. {
axe care Of the school property, all 2
'or no pay, except the clerk whose 6
oay is the pitiful sum ofone dollar f
year and milage with an addition L
j dollar thrown in for taking the +
ensus of the children whose ages Q
lace them within the pale of the n
OmpulsOry law and for his making a
is settlement with the Auditor of
accounts. While the Superinten o
ent, State and County commits ii
IOners, etc. ETC., are receiving no 81
IS than five dollars a day for their fe
me and labor, would it be anv o,
ling more than just that these men te
lould receive at least three dollars of
er-day for the time actually spent c,
the faithful performance of their Ct
titles. f.,
Although the people have had ex
lrteit OF Legislation in regard to Z,
hoOls along certain lines it is ex
ghly important that they should un
We further legislation along the er
les of revision and reform. Es- 6e,
cially is this the case with the so br
He'd Compulsory Law. Some of ma
rough corners need rounding off, etc
as to make it less intolerable.
hile it may be all right, and work
II, so far as cities, towns and "a,
lagos are concerned, it not only
a hardship, and inconvenience T
IN many cases a whitening in COu
tice to the rural districts. was
The rural districts are composed uar.
inly of farmers and laboring men, Dey
D are not only the bone and the
w of the country but in some rece
IS the brains also. Upon this insu
s-these honest sons of toll amo
ban of this stringent law falls the
! unusual severity. And more the
.cially so when the law confers the
he superintendent absolute au- ship
ity to act at his own discretion. l8. 10
t or wrong, without restraint Sll, 3
from whose decision, however held
lst, parents and guardians have mem
ppeal. 1t is a noteworthy fact ums
these parents are Just as essen AYERS
Y law abiding citizens as the $685..
hy Superintendent himself. electe
over, there are but few parents GeorG
nnatural, as not to have at for ty
the welfare of their children Officer
lily as much or more than any
official.
e law of Nature, which is weak
II and holier than any human BIsdde
ment, makes it the imperative All Owe
of the parent, to provide for iaiis ihsaL'A
hildren proper food, clothing lgl sl peoI
helter, and there are but few Mother
all to do this to the full extent s5ess 5ses ~ 4