Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-08
SCHOOL NEEDS
OF WILMINGTON
Defects in Educational Facilities
Pointed Out at City Council
Meeting Last Night.

Councilman Robertson, ut the weekly
meeting of City Council, last night, told
the members that if the public service
corporations of Wilmington would pay
the city what they should pay for the
franchises which they enjoy the city
would have plenty money. This state
mcnt was made Nv the chairman of the
finance committee after Councilman
Mcarns had made n short speech IN re-
gard to the dcplorable condition of the
public schools of Wilmington
Just before the adjournment OF Council,
Councilman Mcarns asked for PERMISSION
oi the floor, which was granted, and he
SAID that he wished all the taxpayers OF
the city could be put on the same level
and have a hcart-to-heart talk over the
affairs of the city. lie then spoke of
the plan for the Amcricanization of the
forrign-born people by means OF opening
night schools in the city Mr.. Mearns
said that during the past week he had
made an investigation OF the SIX schools
shat had been suggested to be used Tor
the purpose Of educating these foreigners
and he had found the conditions IN
the schools deplorable and he thought II
was about time Wilmington started school
for Americanizatlon of American children,
aS the conditions existing in 4 number ot
tho schools were such that would not
promote the proper spirit of Americanism
even among American-born children.
The schools of the city are tho main
supports in it's foundation, sand Mr..
Mearns. Wilmington l. proud of n great
number of things, but am ashamed OF the
echoois" He stated that IN one school
ne had found five different shaded window
-h>des In one room, another room had
none and in other rooms they were In
~hreds. The toilets at number OF the
schools were beyond description; the
drinking water Is bad, many Of the
scholars don't have enough books and
tho conditions should not exist
In going ahead, Mr.. Mearns said that
be did not see how either the Board Of
FSfrcatinn or the Council was going TO
better the conditions But it was up to the
T, reople, ne the education Of tho children
ldcpends on the grown-,ipe. Children OF
American birth, said the Seventh ward
Councilman. cannot get An idea OF Amerl-
s-,rism from these dTnsy schools "Our
public schools are the blacklist page in
Wlnington's history" were words OF MIR
MeaYns He also stated that If these
conditions were allowed to exist the en-
yironucnt would be hotbed for anar-
chists.
Mr.. Mearns sid he wished the people
rf the city could he awakened TO the real
condition OF the schools, both the nch and
the poor, SIS il means as much 10 one as TO
the other that these conditions now exist
ing be rcmcdicd. "lt Is serious que s
ton. a QUESTION which hope the citizens
of Wilmington will take up seriously,
said MIR Nlearns.
James W. Robertson, chairman OF the
~. sod hn aCra.NH y
hls colleague from the Seventh ward
but was in hopes that after hearing Mr
Nl,arn~ start on the question he would
otter some solution for the problem Mr..
Robertson also said that he thought that
i tho people IN tho other city departments
A4altd trust Council and be patient the
,..f.4.fIan, would be improved during the
e. G hScal year.
a ttr I Sfovcr 3 member Of the
baari ~ assessment and former mem
l 81 Council. was present at the meet
4fr sud asked for permission Of the floor.
eArh vas granted Col Stovcr SAID
tlat hc had gone 70 country school
where the conditions were much worse
thau thev axe in the local schools and
lad obtained an education He said that
u Was not the surroundings that taught
tho pupils AmericanIsIn but the lnstrUc-
ilonS they received: IN great part this
instruction coming from the parents,
Mr. Stover further added that in 8
short time the State income tax would he
collected and that when this was done,
the State would have more money than
II knows what TO do with and, IN his
opinion. the city OF Wilmington should
demand enough Of this money 10 properly
run its schools.
Another member Of the city department
who was present was George h. Miller,
president Of the Board of Education,
who spoke few words TO the members Of
Council He thanked Mr.. Mearns and
told OF how great number of the local
students were on half time IN the public
schools because OF the crowded conditions
lie also SAID that more teachers were need
I'd and that 1t was impossible to keep
janitors at s35 month. the salary paid
IL was after Mr.. Miller had finished that
Councilman Robertson made the state
ment In regard 20 the public service cor
poration tax
Mr.. Ward sdmitted that, although the
buildings were not what they should be,
the students aTe beng well educated Ii
them