Milford chronicle., 1912-01-05

OF courses arranged to meet Varletl
'r of tastes and capacities and it urge
If the boys to come and take advantage
of these privileges, without cost. Th'
State and the Nation pay the bill. 3"
y But when the ambitious Delaware
girl desires similar educational op
portunities she is told that no pro
vision is made for her. If she wants
advanced educational opportunities
she must go out of the State to gel
them, and pay for her ambitions as
best she can.
Thus the State Of Delaware is
, placed in the awkward position of
maintaining that higher education
for boys is important, but higher
education for the girls is a matter of
no consequence. I maintain that
the girls are not getting square deal.
But the State is not even consis-
tent A sense of justice few years
ago impelled her to build a college
for cOlOred people. And an excel
lent institution was established and
is doing fine work. At this college
both colored men and women are
taken as students. And thus we
have a remarkable situation. The
State provides for the higher educa-
ton Of white boys, of colored boys,
of cOlored girls-but she has made |
no provision for white girls; they
are left to shift for themselves.
Now wish to call your serious
attention to another phase of this
question. The State Board of Edu-
cation has decided that a great pro-
portion of the teachers in our public
schools, persons who are training
the generation which is to follow us,
are ill-prepared for their work. The
Board also announces that it proposes
to raise the standard for awarding
certificates. The idea of the Board
is excellent, but I doubt whether it
can be put into effect. Teachers,
even fairly well equipped, are scarce, {
and if many are eliminated, some Of
hrcountry schools will have to close. {
Most Of these teachers are women /
they are generally intelligent, am t
bilious girls without means. 1t has {
been necessary for them to support t
themselves. If they are required to
take advanced work before getting s
certificates, that means that thev e
will be obliged to incur great expense r
by going outside of the State to OBJ f
tain an education. Think how un- il
Just it would be to compel these il
young women to go to otner states "
70 become equipped to teach the s.
children in our own schools 1t is g
rue that we have provision where o
1y the State pays the tuition of b
United number Of students who wish
o attend normal schools outside of st
he State but the number is limited. 81
md it Is made not a matter of right OF
,ut a matter of grace. 81
Now, if we wish to look at it sell p
shly, which is most important from F
he standpoint of the public, to train b
boy for a professional career or to S.
rain young woman to become an
tficient teacher? The young man 70
nay graduate as an engineer, and l
cave the Stale to take a position in th
Iontana or Panama The State has ia
one handsome thing for the young re
nan, but received no future benefit sv
'Om its sacrifices. pl
Whereas, the teacher returns to til
er own community and begins to 10
Sc her training for the public vel ST
ire, in more efficient education for
le mass Of boys and girls who are
soon to be citizens of Delaware.
The question sums itself up into
w points We need to extend pr
igher educational opportunities to co
lr girls for the public benefit as
ell as for their own. Our present Of
.titude is one of injustice and of in 2O
ifensable discrimination between Gle
le sexes; and, finally, the unan-
'OA"oAO al SuhiClil, llldL III IillS uH-
and the women Of Delaware are
richly within their rights. -
They propose that there be estab-
shed at Newark a college in afilia- mi
on with Delaware College. Whv
1t? viii the men who are so for
nate as to enjoy the privileges at
at institution be so unchivalrous
to debar the girls? VIII the trus AM AM
es say to the women of Delaware. iun
Keep out, because you are women +? pro
lucatiOn is only for the elect yS0,r
en-? al; all
Certainly we could not establish
d maintain a college elsewhere; the
pense would be too great. By an
iliated institution we should be
lie to use with greater economy the
,ulty and the administrative forces MI
Delaware College. -
Thus we should be able to conduct :.
laUo oOurcas Nor,,,o1 oo,,,.,,. - JAN