Milford chronicle., 1911-11-24
They Are Such as to Place Scholars
and Teachers in an Undesirable
Situation.
AND ALSO, lARE UNSANITARY
RepOrt Covers IA Schools in New Castle
County, Two of Which Are for
COlOred Pupils.

apportionment had not been paid.
Reply was made that several of the
schools had not opened at the time
specified by the law, and for thai
reason were not entitled to their pay
until the rule of the board had beer
complied with. 1t was, however
agreed that the omission this time
would be overlooked and the orders
sent to the banks in the several dis
tricts to pay the amount due.
The petition from the Cheswold
school to be placed on the graded
list was taken up and the secretary
of the board, the State auditor. was
| instructed to notify the commission
ers of the Cheswold school that as
soon as qualified for the graded list,
their school would be placed there
on.
The reports of the three county
superintendents showed the number
of visits made, number of scholars
in attendance and of the general
work being done throughout the
State.
A communication was received
from the State tuberculosis Com
mission, asking that wherever a
child is suspected Of having tubercu-
losis. or symptoms of the same, such
child be excluded from the schools.
The board referred the matter to
the committee on buildings and
sanitation to report at the December
meeting.
The committee on buildings and
sanitation was asked to submit plans
for a model one-rOom rural school
building, and report at the Decem-
ber meeting.
Messrs. Twitmyer and Messer-
smith were directed to meet with
the various teachers institutes to be
held the last Of November and ex-
plain the plan OF examinations which
will be required of all who teach in
the schools in Delaware.
The report Of the committee on
buildings and grounds was submitted
as follows
On the 10th of October this COM
mittee, with Superintendent Spaid,
spent the day visiting schools in
northern New Castle County. By
using an automobile we were able
to investigate the conditions existing
at IA schools, two of which were for
colOred pupils. Particular attention
was paid to the location of the build
ing, its size and its suitability for
school purposes, with special refer
ence to the lighting, blackboard
space and heating and Outhouses.
Before going into details, il may be
said that Delaware, like other States,
has no uniform system Of building
or equipping its rural schoolhOuses.
In consequence, many of them,
measured by present-day standards,
are most unsuited to their use. OF
the IA schools visited only four had
separate closets, and of the IA only
three could be considered in fair
condition. In some cases the pupils
were obliged to walk through the
filth of the closets, and would un-
avoidably carry more or less of it in
the school room. In other cases,
the closets were exposed to the flies
in an inexcusable manner.
1t is impossible to Overemphasize
the need Of attention on the part of
some authority to the condition Of
the outhouses at the rural schools.
In every case, with one exception,
the schools visited were heated by
a stove located in the centre of the
room. The buildings are so small
that it is necessary in most instances
to place seats close to the stove. 1t
could be seen that the pupils occupy
ing these seats were uncomfOrtably
warm, so warm as to make efficient
mental effort impossible. In but
one school, one for colored pupils,
did we find a steel jacket around the
stove.
In some instances we fonnd the
pupils facing the light. In none of
the schoolhOuses was there any suit
able ventilating system.
One schoolhouse visited is totally
for the purpose for which
it is being used. 1t is unjust to the
pupils and unfair to the teachers to
ask them to occupy such a building.
This particular building has been
condemned by the county superin-
tendent, but nothing is being done
to remedy existing conditions.
We feel that if our rural schools |
are to fulfill the purposes for which
they are intended, there should be
a definite policy concerning the con-
arrangement and equip
ment Of the school buildings and