Milford chronicle., 1919-02-14

school supervision, attendance officers
needed to procure proper attendance
on the part Of all children. and neces
saEY office facilities.
8. That, subject TO the state and
county boards, the county superintend
ent be empowered TO enforce the
school laws.
The District Committees.
The real school authority in Della.
ware at this moment is the district
committee. No other single cause is
as responsible for the deplorable con-
ditions as the district system. Della
ware is now divided into 292 white
school districts, sS colored districts and
~ incorL GRATED districts, a total of 424
small educational republics, managed
by ,399 officials, who, with the eXcep-
tion of the clerks. serve without pay.
In creating these 424 independent edu-
catiOnal units one question has been
asked: Are there enough children in
the proposed district to warrant the
building of a one room schOolhOuse and
the employment of one teacher? Now,
u school in the full sense of the term
is decidedly more than merely rec
tangular room and a teacher. No dis
trict. large or small. should be q sep
arate school unit unless IT Is large
enough TO perform the functions Of a
separate educational unit. that is,
financially able. after contributing Its
due proportion to financing the educa-
tional program Of the state and coun-
~. TO provide schools of standard
elementary and high school grade,
with adequate grounds. buildings and
equipment, well trained teachers and
the requisite administrative direction
and control, On this basis not TO ex-
ceed two or three of the largest towns
In any one OF the three counties could
qualify as a separate school district.
Popular Interest Slight
No wonder that popular interest in
education Is slight The annual dis
trict school meeting is. with occasional
exceptions, sparsely attended. unless
strong differences of opinion arise over
the choice Of teacher or additional
school expenditures. otherwise not
more than one in six voters is present.
Indeed, the usual number in the rural
districts is about ten, including the
three school officials. In one instance,
when the annual district meeting was
called to order. only two patrons were
present, a father and his son-in-law,
both members of the district school
committee. They elected a son of the
father to the committee as clerk and
then proceeded to employ the daughter
Of the father-althOug she had no
certificate-as teacher for the ensuing
year
The truth is the district system rep
resents pioneer conditions. 1t goes
back to the time when an Isolated
group. desiring some sort Of a school
for its children, pooled its neager re-
sources IN order to establish neigh
Dorhood school. Increased wealth,
larger numbers. improved cOmmunica-
ion, more complicated educational re-
Iuirements, render the district system
obsolete.
The report recommends that the
county system. already outlined, should
replace the district system; district
school committees may still be utilized,
Jut with restricted powers.
The Delaware system, as just de
jcrlbed, has worked badly. This the
'eport shows by examining its results
inder four heads: Teachers, Instruc-
ion, Buildings, Finance.
Teachers.
There are now in Delaware T34 !
teachers. On the basis of data OBJ |
-ained it appears that 81 per cent. Of |
hem hold the very lowest grade OF
certificate issued. Of the teachers re-
porting, 81 are classified as high school
eachers Only 43 per cent of. these |
an be regarded as qualified to under |
axe high school instruction. The ele-
nentary teachers in Incorporated dis |
ricts are even less well equipped |
)nly 23 per cent. reach an acceptable
standard Of training. while A per cent.
lave not completed a high school
curse. Teachers in the rural elemen-
AIRY schools make a still more unfavOr-
ihle showing. In general they are
PRODUCTS of rural schools, and of high
choOls which give one, two or three
ear courses. Only IS, or 9 per cent,
# them have had full normal training
II its equivalent IA per cent. have
Iever advanced beyond the grades, and
80 others, or IS per cent, have had
My part of a high school course. OF
he elementary teachers the cOlOred
eachers appear TO be relatively the
eSt prepared 40 out of SO reporting,
r A per cent, are normal school grad
ates or have hadpart or all of col
ege course.
The teachers of Delaware are not
My deficient in respect to training
hey are in the main immature OF
he 651 reporting, 152, or % per cent,
re under twenty-one years of age.
Tor is the number of older teachers
arge; only % are fifty years of age
nd older.
As is generally true throughout the