The sun., 1919-11-01
BETTER SCHOOL
CRUSADE WAGED
| BY P.S.DU POINT
Attacked by Enemies of
Educational Reforms i'm
4 Delaware.
HIS GIFTS scOFFED AT
Leader Keeps Up Fight to
Give Benefits to People
of State.

Bv star Correspondent Of Tar SUI.
WILMINGTON, Del, Nov. 1.-Pierre
3. du Pont, who as vice-president OF
the new State Educational Board is
leading the fight for educational re-
forms here. has given s2,000,000 to be
I used In building new schools for white
lldren. He has offered to stand the
l5tai expense of the rebuilding Of all
Iof the negro schools of the State. He
has also established sixty free scholar
ships in Delaware College for the
training of teachers, providing for Che
payment of their expenses from the
time that they leave their homes until
vheir courses have been completed.
And for all of this he is to-day being
reviled and slandered at public meet
ings, in private conversation and in
newspaper articles from one end OF
the State of Delaware to the other.
Enemies of Delaware's New School
Code which embodies the plan for
educational reform are asking, Whats
behind all this? There must be some
reason why du Pont gives away all
his money. What's he got up his
sleeve?"
These efforts on the part of the
head of the du Pont corporations and
chairman of the executive committee
OF the General Motors to better con-
ditions in his own state and the fierce
: opposition which is being launched
against them present a case almost
parallel to the theme of Henrik
Ibsen's drama. AN Enemy Of the
People"
Many Receive Benefits.
Certainly IL MT du Pont had chosen
frivolity and wasteful extravaganza for
his sphere: IL he had dedicated his for
tunes to his personal pleasures instead
of to the betterment of conditions in the
schools of Delaware, or IL he had at
tended strictly to his own business en-
terprises and refused to interest him
self in the affairs of the people at large.
thousands Of Delawareans would not to-
day be heaping anathema upon his head.
But to Pierre S. du Pont such life
had no charms. The story OF his gifts
- public institutions would be very
lengthy one. although most of these gifts
were made anonymously, as he has al
ways shrunk from the spotlight Of pub
Lefty. Columns might be written about
what he has done for the men in his
employ. There are stories circulated in
Delaware about great sacrifices which
ne made during the war to help his
Government at time when many people
III foneously imagined that ,he was SIM
X cleaning up" war profits. but he
II } persistently opposed all efforts to
~ Ice the wreath of public commenda-
NJ m upon his brow
IA ktA
4 ON in her industries occasioned by
II I, European war that Delaware has
II akened to the need of educational re-
rms. With the great du Pont con-
| ms engaged in pouring forth supplies
4 the Allies a new spirit came to Will
| agton. There was a desire to place
| State on an educational footing with
| 81 rest OF the country, and 1t was
| aren't that this could not be done
III " Anticipated laws which required
II .,children in many instances to at
III ! school but three months year and
II -ided little or no facility for learn
II during those three months.
II ne selective draft law gave severe
III to the educated residents. Examin-
III ms made by boards In the southern
III ! of the State showed that 20 per
~ / of the youth OF certain sections
III tr the age OF 81 years were unable to
Al tie their own names. Draft officials
" Z, found that this illiteracy was not
-Ifined TO the poor. but was quite COM
IN In the landed families Of Sussex
! d Kent counties.
III Disease RACES Unchecked.
The influenza epidemic brought an
pther and an awful phase of this sltua-
tion to light The uneducated displayed
during the reign OF that terrible dis
case q total disregard for all laws OF
sanitation and health.
II was annarent to those who in ter.