Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1919-05-14
High School
Teachers Organize
Hear Discussion Of New School Code
Local School Board Holds Confer
ence with Commissioner Spaid.

A significant step in securing
statewide cooperation in educa-
tional matters was taken on Satur-
day when representatives from the
various high schools Of the state
met in conference in the chapel
room at Old College Hall and per-
fected a permanent organization.
The conference called by Profes-
sor w. A. Wilkinson, held its open
ing session on Friday evening with
very good attendance considering
the inclemency Of the weather. DR..
S. C. Mitchell extended cordial
welcome to the visiting teachers. He
then introduced DR.. Clifford j.
Scott of Wilmington, who acted as
presiding officer and in a brief
opening address designated the
passage of the new school code as
"the dawn Of new day in educa-
.tional matters in Delaware"
DR.. Joseph H. Odell, director
general of the Service Citizens OF
Delaware, spoke Of the value Of a
high school education to a boy and
the benefit that would accrue if
boys would remain even one year
longer in school under the new edu-
catiOnal system.
Much interest was manifested in
= the discussion of the new school
code presented by A. R. Spaid,
State Commissioner Of Education.
lie summarized the history of the
public schools of the state from
1896 to the present time.
He stated that until April IA
1919, when the governor signed the
new school code Delaware had not
an established high school system
" 1t was an individual matter, he said
entirely. Under the new law the
state must subsidize the higf
schools. He referred to the fact thai
until this time some schools Of tht
state kept open only 60 days in the
year but under this new law NJ
school can close down each year un
til it has been in session 1S0 days
This alone is sure to result in grea
benefits to the children of the state
Every child in the state will nov
have an opportunity for both higl
school and college education with
out having to pay one cent tuition
from the start to the finish Of hi
education.
The speaker stated that numbe
Of the special districts have alread
elected to come in under the neN
code and it was hoped that all sue
districts would take similar actor
} Last year he said the high school
Of Delaware outside Of Whining
ton graduated but 116. If Delawar
College is to eventually secure a
enrolment Of 600 to 700 as is tn
hope, more graduates will have I
he turned out by the state schoo
and this the speaker thought wi
be done under the new law. "Tl
code he said, Greatly establish'
a high school system in the sta
and gives uniform state aid. 1t ais
standardizes the schools. "
To DRAFT New STUDY COURSES
DR.. Spaid said the principals
the schools will be asked to ASST
in making up the courses under Il
new system. Under the classlfic
tion of the high schools they mu
have under the law the require
number of teachers or state a
preparations will be held up. "T
code was written with the idea
justice to the children Of the sta
and not for the benefit of the ia
PAYERS" DR.. Spaid stated. gu
der this code Delaware will lea
its present position of 33rd in t
union to education and push abe
and stay ahead. Everything l
democratic in the schools shop
disappear under the new law
W HAT OF THE SMALL High
SCHOOL?
Superintendent Schilling of
Kent county schools, discuss
possibilities of small high scho
under the CODE He. said it v
not time yet to definitely plan j
what can be done in the seco
group of high schools. but agric
ture, industrial arts and no
economics can be taught. Under
old system the speaker said tn
was no incentive for the boy or s
in many localities where the gra
only ran to the eighth and sol
times not that high but under
new plan of the second group
can 90 higher and will probably
(Cop tipun1 m, papa H0