Evening journal., 1919-09-30
SEE BENEFITS OF
new SCHOOL CODE
ContInued from Flrst PAGE.


srs Of this county have had one Of the
worst years I'm their history, due to bad
weather, storms ami various epldemics
among stock, Undoubtedly some oil
Them viii have to borrow money to see
hem through. This condition made
The Increase In taxes all the more no
tlceable and all the more unpopular.
In my opinion, however. the extent and
seriousness Of this opposition has been
exaggerated. The opposition on This
account Is going 10 diminish.
a great many who are. asking why
lakes are SO high, do not know th9I
one OF the reasons is the failure OF the
local school authorities under the old
law 10 pay their school debts. Here I'm
Georgetown. for example, there Is a
$1,000 floating indebtedness which must
be paid, and 5000 bonded indebtedness
that has been hanging over our heads
for years. with no provision made 10
meet it. which must now be wiped out.
An individual may sometimes beat his
bills, but a Slate, or county or city or
school corporation cannot forever re-
fuse or neglect 10 pay up. The day OF
settlement comes some time. u has ar
rived insofar as the schools OF Sussex
county are concerned, and as a result,
higher taxes are necessary TO raise
money TO pay these back debts
''Ihe Very existence Of these old debts
Is one OF the strongest arguments In
favor Of The new school code, with Its
budget system Of financing. We Will
now pay as we go, know IN advance
each year Just what II is going 10 cost
us TO run the schools, and enough OF a
levy will be made TO raise the money.
No more fooling the people by post
poning the payment OF debts In order
10 keep down the tax rate
"One Of the wlsest provisions OF the
new law Is the county unit OF taxa
lion. 10 equallzes the burdens OF gov
ernment II is the logical method OF
developing schoOls-flxes the same
standard for all the county schools. so
That enc section Is not backward while
another Is away ahead II does not
pull back the one that Is ahead. II
pulls up the ones that are backward.
We have had the same experience In
road government in Sussex county. No
one would go back 10 the old system.
Other than this change, there isn't
anything fundamental about the new
school law that really Is new. IL Is
rather a simpli1catiOn and an alb
bTeviatlOn OF the tumble OF school
laws we have had for years"
y. VI. Jones Sees Need Of u.
Frank VI. Jones, a prominent attOr-
ncy, and former deputy attorney gem
eral. expressed himself for the new
school law quite as strongly as did Mr.
Cahall. Mr.. Jones was a member Of
the legal advisory board during the
drafts.
Il was literally emazed at the litter
acy Of white men in Sussex county. II
vas almost incredible The number OF
while men who couldn't read or write
ana had TO have their exemption or
classification papers read 10 them and
made out for them I never realized
until my work in this connection how
urgent was the need for a radical re-
form in our school system.
of course. ! have known for SOME
time, in common with an citizens who
have given the subject any attention,
ihe need Of better schools i'm Sussex
county and throughout Delaware. BY
better schools I mean not only better
paid teachers, better methods and bet
Ter financing, but better buildings and
physical equipment. Why ! taught
school thirty years ago in building
which at that time wasn't nt for cat
ne. and yet 70 is still being used as
school building. You cannot expect
people 20 have any pride in such
schools; you cannot expect children 10
want 10 attend them o. the taxpayers
10 show any -isns OF wanting to conf
tribute anyihihc 90 their maintenance
Everybody has neglected our schools,
and We are paying The Tcnaliy. \ good
system OF free schools is the first es-
seniial Of popular government. II IS
essential 10 honest ard progressive
State and local govCglment Good
schools cost more money than poor
ones. Just as good farms cost more
than poor ones. good stock cost more
than poor slOck and good merchan- |
disc costs more than cheap. shoddy /
stuff. OF course. there is some com |
2iant over the higher taxes. but there !
Is nothing Ike the opposition to thcl
new school law that has been re-
ported.
When the people learn that nearly |
% per cent Of the school taxes they |
pay in Sussex county goes 10 pay teach |
ers they will stop much OF their Grill |
csm. They have not known that. They |
have been told teachers are getting no |
more than before. They have been /
told nearly all the increase In taxes goes |
TO pay a very few men very hish sal |
aries This has made them dissatisfied. /
When they learn the truth IL will be I
New Era for Education.
Albert Worth. formerly a member OF /
the state Board Of Education. Is in favor /
or the new school code for many rea-
sons. The first mentioned by him is /
The codes simplfcation Of the states
school laws.
our school laws had become un-
wieldly and uniniellgiblc They were
amended from session to session Of the
General Assembly. patches put on
patches until no one knew who was
Who state Boards would refer mat
iers to The county boards as The proper
authorities, and the county boards
would refer them to the county super-
intendenis and the county superinten-
lents would shift them to local boards
lr back 10 the State board. There was
confusion of authority and division of
responsibility which mado il impossible
Ia have a properly MANAGED svsiem Of
schools. Under the new law au an
h0rity is clearly defined and all re-
definitely nxed. Insofar as
arc concerned. the old
avs have not been much changed. ex
'cpting as TO methods OF fixing and
'aising taxes. The chief ,,,or,o ~.