Evening journal., 1916-11-21
IN
Schools DESIRED
DR.. Claxton Thinks Standard
of Rural Teacher Should
be Raised
GOVERNOR CRITICIZES
EXISTING CODE

The second days sessions Of the
New Castle County Teachers Insti-
TUE opened N The Playhouse this
morning. School commiss .oners and
their clerks, delegates from parent-
teacher associations as well as teach
ers made up the gathering. Governor
Charles r. Miller was one OF the
speakers. He criticised the existing
school laws OF this State, especially
that provis on which forb ds the Chief
Executive to 20 outside the State and
employ a comm ssioner of education.
The Hon. p p. Claxton, commits
sioner of educat on for the United
States. was the first speaker. He
treated OF the rural school and em-
phasized the Importance Of these
small schools. lie deprecated the
fact that men and women, TO be teach
ers IN country or rural schools. need
not have the train ng or experience
required OF city school teachers. He
contrassed conditions between those
existing in the publ C schools of Will
mington and those Of the outlying dis
TT cts.
"The teacher OF the rural school is
the principal. the board Of education.
the medical inspector and often the
ianltor as we'll" he declared. THE
schOolhouse must take the place Of
the church, the Sunday school. the lee
ture hall and even the amusement
place. TO be found I'm the city he
said.
Mr. Claxton urged a higher plane Of
education and train ng for teachers i'm
the rural districts OF Delaware. He
said the schools must further the idea
OF democracy and equality among She
people; must give the same oppoytun
tiles FOR education 10 the country boy
as to the boy dwelling IN the city.
and preached the doctr nc of voca.
tional life. that schools should teach
the things future men and women
ought 20 know
Treating Of school conditions in
Delaware. Mr.. ClaNton asked what
subjects the young people Of this
state needed 70 know and answered
IT, by declaring that as many OF the
jewellers in this state are agricultur-
lists knowledge pertaining 10 agricul-
iurc should he spread abroad. He
said that he had an intimate knowl-
edge Of the family lives 81 Delaware
farmers through a system ~ vista
ton conducted by a trained woman
social worker for him last year
He said that Delaware boys need
10 know their soil. the various kinds
met with and how TO treat it such as
deem blowing. They should have a
knowledge OF plant life. should be
i mach'nists. business men. Lookkeep-
crs. architects. engineers.
Governor Miller followed Mr.. Clax-
ton. He said that he had before him
all the elements OF the school
teachers. school commissioners and
DELEGATES from parent-teachers as.
sociations--everything except the lii.
lie red school house aud the pupils
He urged progress and a forward
look.
The problem OF education in thi,
country differs in different section,
so in the broad question OF education
there are many problems 20 solve
he said
Referring TO things that should b.
done for Delaware. the Governor men
toned first. the State Board OF Edu
cation the members OF which he ap
4 pointed. He described the personne
Of the body and said that they brough
10 the work Of furtherlng education
the training and enthusiasm so mdol