Milford chronicle., 1919-09-05
YES. THE scHooL CODE is DRAsTIc. and so is mue


YES. THE SCHOOL CODE is DRASTIC. and so is much
OF the statute law now the books governing this as
wen as other states il has to be, to get results law
without teeth worthless. In a letter which print
another column OF this paper Dir. Robert b. Hopkins
of Milton Delaware makes out bill OF opposition to the
new School Code which might have weight with those
who give the question OF public schoo education little
thought were his statements close to the border
of being ridiculous. The statement is not based upon
facts the hypothetical questions he propounds are
not relevant TO the conditions they exist All thru
the letter the uneXpressed fact that the writer is
no. familiar with the text of the School Code or
that reading of hurried and without digestion
His first opposition that is too drastic and then adj
mits that the od school out Of date and needed
changing a well known fact that the State OF Mary
land has school laws very similar the system provided
by the School Code of Delaware and in that State
public school education ahead OF former school
laws Dr. Hopkins says that he has never heard any
person advocate that the School Code would put
extra brains in the cds head-well. who entertain
the any enacted by the human race could
accompl that Certainly the gentleman does not
entertain any such then why inject this ridiculous
proposition part of argument for against any law?
In his second the real point Of the questioHis
almost laid bare when he that it is a system Of
robbery by taxation for the purpose of public school
education This the real opposition to the School
Code most cases, if not with the writer from Milton
that the rural part of Delaware has been escap-
ing just obligations for education for many years past
and give proper opportunities TO the children OF the
people OF Delaware il is necessary expend money
by people themselves well from the State Treas
ury and this money must come thru taxation
Personal liberty has been before the people largely
past years, and the various angles from which
that much discussed topic has been considered would
that the exploded arguments would become well
known to an persons His picture of a poor widow is
r,fo,t ba vyprp
not so dream His statement of the handsome
calculated bring smiles rather than
seriousness because Of its evident spirit of unfarness
The school teachers Delaware have been poorly paid
that sefrespectng woman could afford to re
main in the educational work of Delaware longer than to
get the necessary experience to teach in other States
where the pay is commensurate with the service given
That why the schools of Delaware lost
many OF the best class of teachers under the old laws
addition the low salary. there the short school
which practically shortened the money to the teacher
for the year one-third of the whole years work
But the argument up by Mr.. Hopkins in his letter
against months for children brings the question
OF exploiting child labor How many farmers there in
Delaware who affected by this clause OF the law? OF
what value is year old boy girl to the farmer in
harvesting crop? The children which God has sent to
the men and women OF Delaware not just much
material from which extract labor We do not believe
that there single farmer in Sussex county who has
average common sense or who has half the ambition OF
the average man. but who and does, conduct his
farming operations wider margin of profit than what
the Of children between and twelve years will
supply. There men who would compel children to
labor for them from cradle to grave if the laws
would permit it. but thanks be to the wisdom OF law
effectively stopped this slavery OF chd
parents There may be emergencies when few days,
or few hours assistance could be given by few
children with benefit all concerned but this can be
taken the school laws thru the State Board
Of Education the administration factor This is another
sentimental picture which the writer has drawn that has
real bearing upon advisabty OF opposing the
School Code
We have seen enough of the government administered
by the working Russia have much faith in
popular opinion a guide where educational questions
which require money to contributed from the public
At large the basis support The old form OF legis
atye enactment far better than any referendum, if
eal benefit to children and future gem
my which opposes tax upon property and it exists
the conservative rural towns extent Men who
rave accumulated property and have loaned bonds
md mortgages or who hold large landed interests com
ose this opposition. They nothing for the public
chools the churches any other public institution which
equres money from the public, and make opposition
o anything long their personal interests are not
nected and believe this applies to the present op-
osition a very large the School Code OF
Delaware &
It would be interesting know exactly how many of
hose who against the school laws have read the
ew School Code carefully from start to end. I
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