Evening journal., 1919-11-01

II the new law Is strongest. That is in the
county OF Sussex. Kent county. situ-
ated in the middle OF the Stale, also
possesses many opponents OF progress
while New Castle, which is the third
county and the oSe in which Whining
ton is situated is most strongly in favor
OF the reforms.
Another cry which many farmers
raised against the new law was the
compulsory education. Under the old
system the clsldren were required 10
attend school but five months a year at
the most and If the trustees saw fil
they might reduce this tenn 20 three
months They frequently reduced il TO
three months so that they might save a
little in the way OF expenses and there
by save a few cents taxation.
The section of The old law providing
for this reads as follows tit Is section
If of the Truancy Law and contained
in the Revised Code OF Delaware ~
1919 Every parent, guardian on
other person I'm This State having con
troll OF a child or children between the
ages Of seven and fourteen years shall
be required 10 send such child or chill
dren 10 a day school in which the COM
mon English branches are taught; and
such child or children shall attend such
school continuously for at least five
months each year during Me Time in
which the public schools In their re-
spectiye districts shall be In session. be-
ginning not less than one month after
the opening of said school. unless such
child or children shall be excused from
attendance by a majority OF the COM
missiOners OF The school district which
the parent, guardian or other person
resides. upon the presentation 90 said
commissioners OF satisfactory evidence
showing such child or children are pre-
vented from attendance upon school or
application 10 study by mental physical
or other urgent reasons. and such OK
cuse must be countersigned by The
county superintendent OF the county in
which such district Is located. but the
urgent reasons shall he strictly con
slrued and shall not permit Of irrcgu-
lar attendance.
Reduction of Attendance.
Each school district shall have power
each year at its regular annual meeting
TO reduce The period OF compulsory al
tendance 10 not less than three months.
in which case the school meeting must
at that date nX time for compulsory
attendance TO begin. but such date shall
not be later than January second Of each
school YEAR
This law permitted cruel and ignor-
ant farmers % get maximum OF work
out OF their children. At school they
thought the young ones only learned 90
be sassy" At home there were a mil
lion and one tasks for them 10 per
form Therefore when the new law un-
dertook 10 compel them to send the chill
dren 10 school at least $50 days a year
! that is nine months OF five day school
weeks. the men that had been working
the children like slaves in the past felt
greatly outraged
! They attacked the law with fury. That
( their children were entitled TO an edu-
cation never entered their thoughts.
They saw in the new school code mere
lly a law that would deprive them of
some very useful laborers.
Still another cause for widespread
complaint was found. Delaware was al
most devoid Of teachers. The low sal
aries had driven the capable ones 10
other States or TO other occupations.
They had also discouraged others from
studying TO outfit themselves for a
teachers career. Although the new law
provided for the training OF prospective
teachers il was very hard to get any
for immediate needs. Some competent
ones came from other states and then
the enemies OF the new law protested
that thy didn't want their children un-
der foreign influence"
ANY teacher coming from New Jersey,
! Pennsylvania or Maryland was regard
: ed in certain sections as a hated foreign
er. and one from whose influence the
childhood OF the community should be
carefully guarded.
/ With opposition linus raging. Cover
nor Townsend asked Pierre :. dupont
one OF the chief eXpOnenis OF the New
! School Code. who had spent fortunes
for public welfare, TO act a. vice-presi-
dent OF his state Board OF Education.
( Despite his enormous business inter
ests as head OF the great dupont con-
Germs, Pierre :. dupont accepted this
post and began TO work for the new
school law.
/ But there is another dupont I'm VII
mington with whom duPOnls general
/ ~ are not on good terms. lie is Alfred
| |. dupont. who after some personal and
private dlsagreements with the other
members OF the dupont family became
quite unwelcome i'm their circles. short
ly after the outbreak Of the European
war. the other members OF the family
decided that Alfred's influence in the
dupont munitions works was not to
their liking. and they Ousted him from
the board OF directors Of the dupont de
Nemours Powder Company. Later when
General Coleman dupont sold SG500,
600 worth OF stock 10 Pierre and other
members OF the dupont family, Alfred
brought suit in the Federal Courts TO
set The transfer aside upon The claim
That he was himself entitled 10 partici-
pale in buying in General duponts in
terest This suit he lost.
This. however, is but a brief sketch
Of some Of the differences that have
arisen between Alfred J.. dupont and
other members OF his family. A history
Of them would be very long.
lie Is generally regarded in Whining
ton as the opponent OF the other du-
Points i'm both private business and pub
lie life and shortly after Pierre entered
The fight for The new school code, GER
tain well known admirers Of Alfred l.
DUPONT lined up with the opposition
As Pierre Travelled about the State
TO speak for the new law,h was made
the subject OF personal attack by GER
tain Of its enemies and these personal
attacks received the widest publicity i'm