Newark post., 1912-04-10
r,,r EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS
OF DELAWARE
,.nriuued from page ,

u ,a,trus tracts of valuable
WI. ",..r Eni, are exempt from
~" hI -axr> h"vause they have no
N' ..I.,. Delaware cannot eX-
''t", +, ... hrr rightful place in
,,.,.. ~>.ou Of progress until the
.H ...nripin uf taxation is ap-
~. w.. i. IL. matIrr Of supporting
.,' ...". .a.nIS.
'". IT. ....... .,..n with the tax levy
.nolt Of the public
h- mentioned the man
....rn4 the school tax. 1t
.a .. fer a special collector.
... ..~ ."E. and. in some in
.a.t IT collection has
n."... pam Of the tax collect
H. u.t coed business. par
...n a.u il ii concerned with
r.. ... vi th" future citiZen~
. ,=@. r.H.mmWralth.
..,.n... W -NIlUOL DISTRICT TOO
,,,.. ta EFFICIENT ADMINIS-
irrI., factor that may be con-
;Iu,,I n connection with the ques-
.,o.., t..>a1iuu is the one Of school
r,nnrlat.uu. The school districts
. un..- nudrr which the rural
.hoa'> arp now working, were or
rni..d bv Il commission appointed
w. tha ..ry, Court in accordance
9TH thr school law Of 1929. The
.,c Iid uG limit the commission in
ayinu uu, the districts. except to
truIarr that the school house in
H.. districts should not be more
,5gn I'VE miles from any residence
~ III. district. This law is still in
,,,rn a,aI if child Of school age
.anpru~ to live more than two
,.;Iny from school house he can
rot he compelled to attend school.
# ourId be strange. with the in
Stability oi our rural population,
lrI with aIl the progress that has
.mn made in education. that the
,.hooI districts and school houses
that met the requirements Of Della
r.r, in 1~13 ~hoUld satisfy the con
r+;a}. in Delaware in 1912. Those
yho hay. given the matter any
rhoryht realize that our school unit
mach too small for satisfactory
.r>ult>. and that it is impossible to
mntaIn y school worthy the name
m tfn r.o,!rln SENSE of the term
with ru uutrained. immature
,4rhrr. and six or eight pupils III
poorly Iightcd. uncomfortable
m>aritary school house.
One cf the great hamdicaps ere,
.rrd by the present small district Is
that the detailed administration OF
>chGo affairs is left. in most eases
IN the hands If these who have moi
been trained IN matters pertaining
to pdunaticn and who. therefore
know but little about them. having
in too MANY eases little. if any. III
.prp>t in their own schools othel
than to keep their taxes down to the
last penny.
Under such conditions, and they
have net been oycrdrawm. the chill
rpm are the ones who pay the pen
aI.y hy decreased efficiency in the
years Of their full strength. Whel
mankind needs the best they nigh
have had il they bad been trained
under the NEST modern conditions
and with the very best Of facilities
II is impossible. under eXistln!
conditions for the rural schools t
have the >pp~imt"ndence they ne@'
and ,houIU have. The schools ar
widely scattered. the hours durn!
which they can be inspected short
and carH superintendent has s.
many >"hooIS under his care. and 81
much clerical work. that the beS
h. can do is to "call" once or tWlc
ayear and make a very cursory eX
animation of the work Of the school
The superintendent has 10 an
)hOrIty. and if his suggestions o
recommendations do not meet witt
the approval Of the local schoo
committee land they frequently d
not, especially if any extra expens
Is involved nothing is done am
Inc school loses the benefit tina
SaouId accrue from the supervisor
Of one skilled in matters pertaining
% the conduct Of school affairs.
WDER SCHOLARS NO LONGER FOUN
IN THE RURAL SCHOOLS.
1t is drplorable fact that 80 pc
rent, Ct tn" youth Of our State en-
,aeIr school days when they leav
ne public school. and that childre