Milford chronicle., 1919-10-24
ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL
CODE BY MIR. DU POINT
lConelnded from - -


vey made by the General Edueafio,
Board. During the review 900 point
were given the best schools and los.
than 500 points indicated that il woul,
not be economical TO repair schoo
house. Only three of the II larg,
schools in the State received over 70C
points, and only nine of the 4GO small
schools were given 500 points. Una,
condition must appear discourarine \,
first glance. 4. will be a piece oi
good fortune if the school buildings
can be rebuilt in a few years. The f.
nancial condition of the State hhs been
reviewed, but it is not ready for pub
lication. The code provides that bonds
to the amount of five per cent of the
States money may be issued for the
school buildings. The State board
must know what schools should be
rebuilt and where to rebuild.
Great advantage will result from
consolidating schools. Mr.. DUPONT said.
Consolidated schools Will have things
smaller school cannot have. such as
vocational training home economics
and agriculture. -Four hundred schools
can be consolidated in one-half that
number. There will he is high schools
instead Of 10. and there will be fewer
small schools. Seaford viii be given
a school accommodating between 600
and zoo pupils. Bus transportation
viii be provided when necessary
When new buildings are obtained bet
ter service viii be desired. The chill
dren will study more under better con
ditions.
Mr. dupont stated the code should
not be blamed for hign taxes If gen
erai prices decline school expenses
will decline. There is a great short
age Ofsieachers. Thirty-nine thousand
teachers are wanted in the United
States to fill vacancies. Delaware
must pay more money to get better
teachers. The salaries of teachers
have increased only 40 per cent Fuel
has increased 27 per cent in cost. Text
books last year were paid for out of
district funds. this year they are paid
for out of direct funds. Heretofore
parents paid for lead pencils used by
children, now they are paid for out OF
school funds The average child uses
ten lead pencils in a year. AT five
cents each 10 pencils cost so cents a
Providing pencils for $4,000 pupils
costs $12,500. The experiment of tax
ng pupils to school by bus is PROV
ng successful. That costs $4,000 per
'ear, but more pupils are not being =
transported than last year. Hereto :
ore coal and miscellaneous supplies &
we're paid for out of taxes and teach 2
rs salaries by special appropriation
anitors are paid $4,000 per year. The Fl
ode has nothing to do with such eX-
enses; il should not increase taxes.
f school conditions improve there will
e a popular demand to spend more y
honey and taxes will be increased.
Mr.. DUPONT hoped the taxpayers
-Ould evince more interest in the n,
,hoOls He suggested that Delawar-
ans visit the buildings and see if they
re overcrowded if they are sanitary HI
nd if they are up to date. He had
sited the schools and did not thing
)nditions were overdrawn by the sur
~ commission. He said a plan of ie
,nsolidation would be sent to Sea
I'd and requested that decision be
ade this winter. en-
Dr. Joseph II. Odell, general direc- tiC
T of the Service Citizens, made a
ief address. He remarked that he
ID an idea if the audience wanted 90.
w school house with a large and -
ell ventilated auditorium for public ~
eetings and voted on the question
e vote would be unanimous. Think
2 chiefly abOut-themselves the vote tul
luld be selfish, but in educational boz
ltters they should think more about
e children. They should make the
nditions in the coming days better
the children who follow them.
Some men in Delaware profess to 7
" indignant because the school code apI
S passed, Dr. Odeil said but they AM
2 not making any great financial gre
,rifice to support their convictions, elot
going from place to place to dis ciea
IS matters vital to parents and chill wat
n. When it comes to the education clot
our children let us tell the pOliti- WA Wi,
ms keep hands off-this is holy folk
und. 10
Dr. Odell related an incident of the com
tie of Cambria. A child of an Ally a.
iment wandered beyond the Allies at !
IS and, crossing gully, went to III
t 100 yards from the enemy. When his
officer went out to bring reco
child back the Huns were too aprc
ent to shoot Applying the Incl prUy ratS
t to the school code, which was ieria
lie for children, DR.. Odell said tell ing
politicians they are too decent, too term
-alrous, to shoot the little ones.
'e are living for the future, DR.. 5O2
Il stated. the future of our boys -
girls. our children and grandchil-
/. The future of our country and
eadn fegeGsS Is simply i'm Tat Me means @ to to quail
the children to go out and COM
to get the best of life, to better ~
e mankind than we. The children SbTo
the most sacred trust we have. -
will not be paying the school 70
Is: we will be playing golden Son Is', (
s long before they are paid. The -
lren, who then will own farms 70
stores, will pay the bonds. We i-sseA
It to be a little unsellish and give -
a chance to do it. FOL
Odell said there is an element Corne
in the code. New partic
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary Housi
Ohio, Massachusetts and Connec- WA
{ have good schools. We spend farm
26 cents per pupil per year. 8i ',..l NJ
teen States pay more than 90 q 500
more than so and five more than Shaw
Dur children have got to compete -
children of other States in busi-
and political life. 1t is not right
re our children a less perfect ed ,
on. Give them a fighting chance a
g the children of other States.
children are worthy of every
e. We would be doing a finan-
social and moral wrong if we did
i've them the best education.
audience was enthusiastic.
sic preceded the addresses. Chas.
Leer Mrs. Isadore Stephany,