Evening journal., 1915-02-09
CONSOLIDATION Of
THE STATE schools
Progressive Bill Wins Favor
of House and Now Goes
to the Senate
VOTERS HAVE FINAL
SAY ON THE QUESTION

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, Del, Feb 9.-Should the |
Senate concur in a bill for the con-
solidation Of rural school districts |
that was passed by the House yes |
terday afternoon, Delaware will take I
an advanced and much-needed step |
10 better her educational system.
The measure. introduced by Rep |
resentative Hoch. has the backing OF
the State Board of Education, and
was advocated by Henry Ridgely, OF
Dover. president of the State Board
and by DR. Charles A. Wagner State
Commissioner of Education, who adj
dressed the House and explained
provisions of the progressive educa-
tional step contemplated. The vote
on the bill was 90 ayes. nays and
6 not voting
Governor Miller advocated some
such legislation in his message to
the Legislature recently.
The bill provides that when the
State Board OF Education deems the
alteration of boundaries of any school
districts, or the consolidation of dis
tricts, expedient the Board shall sub
nit the project TO a meeting of resi-
dents of the districts affected and
then can submit the question Of con-
solidation or alteration to a special
election. at which every property
taxable. male or female, shall be
privileged to vote. If a majority of
all the votes cast are in favor Of con-
solidation. then consolidation shall
take place but if a majority vote
against II, consolidation shall fail. In
event Of districts voting for consoi-
idation erecting a new schoolhouse,
they can receive from the State one
fifth of the cost of the new build
ing. provided. however, that no dis
trict shall receive more than $4,000
toward the cost of erecting a new
schoolhouse. The State appropria-
tion TO assist in building new schools
in consolidated districts shall not
exceed $4,000 in any one year. In
event OF any consolidated district
erecting graded school IL shall re-
ceive $1,000 from the State to assist
in defraying the cost, but the State
is limited TO paying out more than
$4,000 in any year for this purpose.
An important feature of the bill
is that empowering the local Board
Of Education of any consolidated
school district TO arrange for the
transportation of children to and
from school, free of cost TO the pu-
pills or their parents. This is de-
signed to enable the children to tra-
verse without inconvenience the in
creased distances to and from school
! in case of new schoolhouse being
] 81 Ia, 1ta - IL
dated district.
Mr.. Ridgely was given the privilege
of the boor and explained the bill in
detail
III you do not pass this bill you
will have to be satisfied with rural
school conditions as they exist said
Mr. Ridgely. Rural conditions need
Improvement, and are getting more
assistance and Improvement I'm every
other state north of the Mason and
Dixon line than in the State OF Della
ware. / say north of the Mason and
Dixon line because there are three
or four States in the South where
because Of the enormous. negro pop
ulation the rural schools have not
made the advancement they should.
"All over the land with the three
or four exceptions referred to, the
States have made more advancement
with their rural schools than has the
State of Delaware"
State Commissioner of Education
Wagner also advocated passage of
the measure "lf you pass this bill,
Il will give Delaware chance TO
take her first step forward in the
way of consolidated schools" said
DR.. Wagner.
Representative Hall and several
other members asked questions of
Mr.. Ridgely to clear up a point OF
two they had heard raised against
the bill. Mr.. Hall was interested
, particularly in the provision that the
total vote in the districts voting on
consolidation would determine. in.
stead of a majority of the districts
, determining the result. Mr.. Ridgel,
said the State Board had considered
that objection. but regarded It as ;
ghost rather than an objection tha
would work any hardship He die
not think Il fair that a minorit,
should dominate in an election to de
termine whether or not district
should consolidate. Another poin
raised was whether towns would no
u vote TO compel nearby rural district
y to consolidate with them. Mr.. Ridge
y ly said the State Board of Education
y could act as the check against an
y such effort by a town to dominate al
" adjacent rural district. The bill doe
y not contemplate town schools. bu
= those of the rural districts. MI
y Ridgely said
Those who voted against the bill
! were Representatives Allen, DALEY
- Milbourne. Donovan and Salisbury.
Those who did not vote we're Repre-
|, sentatives Elliott, Roach, Salevar
Schwatka. Mabrey and Warrington.