Evening journal., 1914-01-20
BEER BOXES
AS SEATS IN
THEIR SCHOOL
COlOred FupiIS at Newark Get
Their Education Under
Difficulties
TEACHERS DO GOOD
WOEK DISi ITE CONDITION

Special to THE EVENING journal
NEWARK. Del. Jan. 20. With
many Of the pupils sitting three in a
seat that are intended to accommo
date but two and others occupying
beer boxes, old piano stools aud soap
boxes. as benches, conditions IA on
Of the rooms of the local
cclored school are little short
Of depiorable. This condition ex-
lists in the room where 63
beginners and first ana second grad
pupils are enrolled The average att
tendance In this room las week was
o6 and at the present time hardly
more that half thai number could
be properly cared Tor. Those sitting
three 10 d seat are SO cramped for
room ,hat it Is impossible for them TO
be comfortable while doing their les
sons and Miss G.. L. WaddletOn. thu
teacher admitted yesterday tla, there
was no doubt but what the condition
Interfere with the pupils work.
Conditions in the other room OF tho
school of which Miss A. r. Davis 3
the teacher are not so bad. as the en.
rollment is smaller. and while the
pupils are older, they are not com
PEELED 20 sit more than two ia a seat.
Those connected with ne school sa
that the two teachers under the cir.
cumstances are doing excellent work
aud have complained about the con
tions, but there have not been funls
W until this time 20 provide add
tiOnal seats.
While the room where the smaller
pupils are located has been crowded for
some time. II was not until shortly be.
fore the no ilays that conditions be-
came SO bad. when number OF pupils
started 60 school tor the winter
months. To help raise fund. for the
school the building is sometimes rented
for entertainments, and it is claimed
that some Of the desks and benches
which. however, are very old AMI made
guate were broken 40 these times As
no new desks were sccurcd the teacncis
were compelled to do the best they could
and had the boxes and stools brought
IA SO all pupils would at least have
place 20 sit down.
q. G. Gray, "a colored man. who is cln-
pl0ved at tho Delaware College Expert
ncnt Farm. is clerk OF tine school dis
trict. and under an rhc circumstances
has apparently done the best that ne
could. The school receives State aid
Go run it between four and
live months. but 10 secure this aid it is
necessary 60 keep thc school open for
seven months. The funds TO run the
school this eStfa time hns 60 be raised
ly taXation aluong the colorcd people of
tho district, and the clerk has been
Iinding it hard proposition TO gel sliiit
cicnt taxes. This is his first year as
clerk. and what money has been paid
n taAes had to 90 ior fuel, etc. Many.
however failed to pay their taxes. and
the rlerk has now started to lay at.
taohnonts against the wages OF large
manhcf Oi culorcd men employed in
lccsl plants. When this money j. Sc
cured he states that there viii be
enough 10 secure ihe additional seats
That are needed. hut until that time the
teachers VIII have To continue with tue
present recommendations for tho pupils
inlr4s aid aftiVcs fr0m some other
source. The other members oi the school
loan are Samuel R0hcrts and William
Rhodes notwithstanding the ccndi
lions there has heeu good average
lttpndance at .thc school
County Superintendent Gross visited
his SCHOOL the latter part OF November
md while the conditions then were not
IS bad as they are now. yet the primary
DOM was even then crowded