Evening journal., 1919-10-13
P. S. DUPONT GIVES
HALF MILLION MORE
contlaued from First Page

NiHHvNes NHdb ne IDS seen ana utdIu
must have convinced him that nothing
= but radical measures can ever meet the
= situation In Delaware.
The administration OF this fund is TO
be undertaken by the Delaware School
Auxiliary Association, the members Of
which are:
Joseph II. Odel. President
Henry p. Scott, Vice-President.
Mrs. w. X. dupont, Of Brandywine
hundred.
Henry Rldgely, Of Dover
DR.. Rowland G. Paynter, OF George
town.
With this money available and with
no technicalities or red tape TO stand
in the way there is no reason why the
work Of reconstruction should not be
started Immediately
In setting aside this amount for the
rebuilding Of cOlored schools, it, re-
leases a larger portion of the 100000
which Mr.. dupont gave on July ?, 1919,
for the rebuilding OF the white schools
outside OF Wilmington. Even with this
additional amount for the white
schools both the county districts and
the special districts will have 10 strain
every nerve in order TO put up the types
or buildings that are required for mod
ern education. lt is probable that the
taxpayers will be all the more ready
and eager TO do this because they will
not have 10 use their bonds for coloned
schools.
The trustees OF the Delaware School
Auxiliary Fund TO whom the following
letter is addressed. are lrenee dupont.
/ j. ]. RaskOb and w. w. Laird. Mr.. du-
! Points letter is as follows:
The Trustees Of the Delaware
school Auxiliary Fund, Whining
ton, Del
Gentlemen: Since the creation OF
the Delaware School Auxiliary Fund
for the purpose OF assisting the re-
building of the public schools Of
Delaware. a complete survey OF all
existing buildings has been perfect
ed. This survey shows necessity
for a reconstruction program even
larger than that contemplated and
founded upon the report Of the Cen
cral Education Board Of 1918. In
brief, fourteen 10 out OF seven
teen 10 large buildings, outside
Of Wilmington cannot be ecOnOmi-
cally repaired or remOdeled, and
fOud Hundred and five tiO5 out Of
four hundred and eleven liii)
schools OF four rooms or less are
in similar condition. Many. IL not
all Of these buildings should be re-
placed as soon as possible
"One of the most serious prob
lens now confronting the State
Board OF Education Is The question
OF how 10 furnish seating space
for the pupils OF the public schools,
II the compulsory attendance law
Is enforced. In recent years public
school attendance In Delaware has
averaged about fifty 500 per cent.
so that it has not been necessary
60 maintain sufficient desks and
seats for the children OF school age.
10 NOW develops that it is impos-
sible TO seat the full enrolment Of
many schools. even though made
duale equipment is supplemented I
by the use OF temporary benches
and chairs. In some schools seat
ing Is made possible only through
crowdlng three or four pupils on
benches that are designed for two.
other districts have desouied to
renting. temporary rooms that are
inadequate and should be quickly
discontinued for educational use.
Apart from the over-crowded
condition Of the schools, the ply
steal deterioration Of some Of the,
buildings requires immediate atten-
ton There is serious menace TO
health in the maintenance Of many
Of our schools an din others the
fire risk is far beyond possible
justification.
"The survey commission OF Col
umbia University has submitted TO
the State Board of Education a pro-
gram Of consolidation whereby
many OF he single room buildings
may be eliminated This plan will
overcome The serious handicap
imposed upon the pupils Of single
room schools where SIX grades are
cared for by one teacher. It Is
clear that these pupils receive one
sixth Of the teachers attention as
compared with those Of the larger
schools where one teacher is as
singned 10 each grade. The educa-
tiOnal advantage Of consolidating
the smaller schools and eliminating
the single room building is great.
A further advantage Of c0nsOlida-
tion is the increase in size OF the
combined school units. In those
districts that have awakened TO
the inefhnclency OF their own
schools, there Is demand for build
ings embodying all modern and ad-
vanced ideas and arrangements.
As our studies continue it is evil
dent that well-equipped high
school and elementary school can
not be developed economically with
less than seven hundred and flfty
t1j0) pupils. 4 lesser number
means sacrifice Of desirable feat
ures Of the building in order to
bring the cost within the amount
available.
Plans, such as those proposed,
require careful and patient study.
First, because many interests must
be consulted in order to bring
about consultations that are desir-
able and workable. Second. because,
the funds available are so barely
sufficient that hurried decisions in
regard TO the first schools con-
structed may leave insufficient
funds for the building OF schools
that are last on the program.
Delay in reaching a decision in
regard 10 rebuilding where consoli-
dations are possible should not in
terfere with the very necessary
work Of reconstruotlng those build
ings which are not included IN the
consolidation program and which,
from theJ isolation. cannot be con-
sidered ID any possible consQlids-
ton. Yet IL would be quite i'm