Evening journal., 1917-03-23

agement OF a small board elected at /
large, placing the details and re-
sponsibilities OF such IN the hands of /
properly organized department heads, /
professional aud business, thereby /
leaving the board freer to study, IN |
a concerted fashion, the broad end /
constructive problems OF modern |
education, and TO adopt the ways and |
means and principles of carrying the |
same into effect.
Fourth. That divided responsibility |
on school financing exists in the City
OF Wilmington. which is wrong in
principle. and has worked out badly
in practice.
Fifth. Many OF Wilmington's school
buildings, including equipment, are in
wretched repair, unsanitary, inferior.
and Anticipated i'm design, and n dis
grace to their communities, whereas
ell schools should be well kept
clean, attractive and healthful, 70
serve as models and an inspiration in
their communities.
sixth. That Wilmington's method
OF teaching is good, and that so far
as the limited facilities and unsatis-
factory school conditions permit, the
fine spirit of the teachers and the
work OF the superintendent have pro-
duced good results: but that
Says System Is Wrong.
"The form OF organization Of the
present Board, involving committee
work on detailed operating questions,
has apparently prevented the initia-
ting OF practical and well-considered
plans for the development and extern
sion of the school system. Kindergar-
tens, manual training shops. assem-
bly, rooms. medical inspection. open
air schools for tubercuiar and ane-
mic children. physical education. spe-
cial classes for retarded and subnor-
NAL children, home economics and
industrial courses, attendance Off
GERS. home visitors. etc.--for all OF
which we have no facilities nor funds
in Wilmington at this time-are part
Of even the conservative modern
= school systems and are adopted In all
good school cities That Wilmington
! people want these things has been
sufficiently demOnstrated-and the
fundamental reason why they have
not been secured has been the want
I OF a small, closely organized and
/, directly responsible Board with rel
Z alive and safe freedom in carrying
. out the wishes of the people.
. "As one example OF the working OF
E the present form OF school board or
e ganzation, we may use the last in
. stance OF the handling OF a big prob
e lem under committee regime The
I present school administration has
e proposed 20 build the modern twenty
s room unit school, which necessarily
involves equipment and real estate
e and a type OF school generally ap-
= proved OF for conducting full courses
9 and suited 20 cities IN the class OF
4 Wilmington, for the sum OF 500 900
= The Board did not study the cost oil
such schools and equipment, did moi
J. work out a program In consultation
e with the superintendent, and this
J. board as a whole did not consider the
constructive policy necessary for {
!, broad building program. According Z,
the actual cost of such buildings II
= other cities and the estimates of mod
n ern school architects, a twenty room
y, unit school, designed IN the simples
d manner, cannot be built and equipped
T. for less than $4,000 to $780, 900. AM
81 the ground for building and play
Is ground space would not likely b
Of less than $4,000 additional, whe
Mt purchased. Any smaller unit than tn
TO- twenty room school has proved made
al quate and unsuited 20 the needs {
Of cities OF Wilmington's class, and VI
economical TO the taxpayers.
s- THE instance Just cited Is signii
cant Of the whole situation involve
Is in the demand for modern organiz'
he ton. Everyone admits that sOmethin
r. must be done for Wilmington
m schools. Senate Bill No. rs is base
y, on thorough study OF Wilmington
ID needs and the best practice through
e. out the country. The 100000 bill
n built upon a foundation Of sand an
IL can produce only small. unsuitabl
and inadequate school building unit
n This statement 10 backed up by a
n experts with whom the Citizen
rs Committee has conferred.
he Senate Bill No 9s has been thol
lis oughly discussed and fully Endorsed ;
IT over forty meetings Of members Of 81
n cieties. groups OF citizens, including,
n addition to the undersigned represei
d tative citizens and citizen bodies: n
OF organizat' ons affiliated with the Gel
lie. trail Labor Union. the Loyal Order
OF Moose. an order Of the p. o. S. of \
on the church clubs and brOtherhoods
We "