Milford chronicle., 1919-10-31
D. ]. LAYTON LEADS
SCHOOL CODE ATTACK
LAW EXPLAINED BY PIERRE S. DU POINT
AT A MEETING AT LINCOLN CITY
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, OCT. q.
The AUDIENCE WAS DIVIDED
INTEREST IN THE QUESTION DISCUSSED
WAS EVIDENCED BY THE LARGE
CROWD THAT WAS PRESENT.

Daniel J. Layton Of Georgetown. dep
uty attorney general for Sussex coun
ty. came over to the meeting held a
Lincoln Tuesday night Of last weel
and did one thing to his entire salts
faction and to the satisfaction to some
of those in the crowd assembled L
hear a discussion of the provisions ol
the new school code. This one thing
was an attack on the new school code
in practically all its provisions. An
other thing incidentally" accomplish
ed By Mr.. Layton was the mailing
down OF a nomination for the Gen.
eral Assembly for himself on a plat
form favoring the repeal Of the school
code.
After the meeting it was freely pre-
dicted that this would be one of the
results Of the meeting. Mr. Layton is
a good speaker. 1t was not generally
known that he was to be there. The
opponents of the code evidently had
him under cover" He was the big
artillery" they had in reserve when
the meeting was called, and he per-
formed TO the entire satisfaction Of
the opponents Of the code. He came
prepared He was ready-cocked and
primed, and went right to work as
soon as he could get the floor. To use
a little auto language, he went into
the attack in high gear and was soon
going q top speed, with all six cylin-
ders working, and hitting the ground
in high places. He attacked the code
from every possible angle, hitting il
going and coming, and the crowd was
loud in it's cheers.
The meeting was held in the little
town hall, which was not nearly large
enough TO accommodate the crowd.
o. ]. Cook presided and opened the
meeting a short while before the ar
rival OF Pierre S. dupont, who was ac-
cOmpanied by DR.. c.. Layton Grier Of
Milford and DR.. R. W. Cooper OF the
Education Bureau of the Service Citi-
zens OF Delaware.
The interest in the question to be
discussed was evidenced by the crowd
which filed the building and overflow
ed on the outside. The asles were
full many women standing during the
entire three hours of speaking
Ar. Cook stated the object Of the ]
meeting. and as soon as Mr. DUPONT
and his party arrived, called on him. j
ir. dupont was given good attention G
by the crowd, although the great ma I
jority was hostile to his views. This a
section seems to be the h0tbed of the "
opposition to the CODE L
Explained by Pierre S. dupont \
Mr.. DUPONT explained what was q
meant by the term New School Code" h
which he said was a compilation of the 4
school laws of the State. He told of n
no eurwaw hrr fha EnuaruT TTTrrooeso~
Board of school conditions in the p
State, and of the commission appoint -,
ed by the Governor in 1917 to inves- u,
igate conditions. This commission q,
employed experts from the General i,
education Board, which made a thor n
lugh investigation of the school con =,
.itions in the State-buildings teach II
rs salaries, etc.-and made recon- IN
some Of which are includ- h,
d in the new code, which also includes n,
ome OF the best features of the school +
avs Of other States. fl
He said the new code had been dis he
used pro and con ever since its en- GO
ctment several months ago, but no av
ne has yet said that under its pro- 10
isions the children Of the State are M,
OF ohered better opportunities for ed We
cation than they had before. so
Mr. DUPONT referred to two leaflets
hich had been scattered about the Wi
tate. One of these, given out at Har- III
ngton, said that the people of Sussex tai
lunty were not opposed to education, va
lt they do want to know that it will an
ot cost TOO much. One question 80,
iked in the leaflet was as to whether tor
lere was any limit to the amount a an,
h0o board may levy. He explained !
at under the provisions of the code io;,
e amount could not exceed S1.5O per cot
90. He took up other provisions Of The
e code and explained them from his sne
ewpoint & sps
He said the State could under the das 5e.
W bond Itself to the amount of one
entieth Of the assessed valuation. FOR
lioh was, outside of Wilmington. ~
out SlO0,0O0,00O. This would give he
100000 for educational purposes, se,,
d added to the S2.500,000 already ~
ailable. would make $500, 900. mis-
The speaker said that the rate of tbo
Sation after the proposed building sio,
ogram shall have been completed ona
uld not be burdensome, but Of svst
lrse would be greater than now, ed
1 the benefits would be greater. and
Why He FarOrs the Code CON
teplying to one Of the printed aues-
MS: why is p. S. dupont trying to ,yas
4 favor for the new school code?' s;on
said he was a member of the State INN,
ard Of Education and a g a rnarsalaa..
5 trying to make conditions better ae
education in the State. IF the new II
e Is deficient, or works undue hard ed
ps, it should be amended; and If A,
sr fair trial it does not work good Cd !
the State, ii should be abolished" bo.r
said. ~. g1aI
eferring to his own gifts to the sai5 ~
sc OF education in the State, he said s,,oa
he had the welfare Of the children ~ =,
the State at heart and wanted to aar,,
te i easier for them to get an ed IT,
ton. Conditions in Delaware had go
q bad, he said, and should be rem 60 ~
a. He believed that even those 10 =.
are so strongly opposed TO the = =, ~
wanted better facilities for edu- go
on. Everybody wanted conditions -,
cred. Differences were only as to ,,,.e pSs
methods to be pursued. He ex- ~ ~" :
ned the working OF the budget sys- sos.S
under the new code. 800 sSs
the school Of the State could be -,
Mt for one million dollars. then -,
lght to be done for that amount ~.
II II were to cost seven millions -.
the people should know It. There ~, appi'
no disputing the fact that this 40.
ID be done and must be done .s
Ierring to the enactment OF the ~
Mr.. dupont said he had never az :.
II until after 1t was passed. and sEst.,,' 80 NJ
MS tours over the State making ,-...1s
lnatiOns OF the code, about which r. ~.