Evening journal., 1919-11-04
SCHOOL REFORM AIDS
DELAWARE CHILD SLAVES

The New York sun prints the follow
ing under a Dover date line from a stan
correspondent. who has been making a
Study OF conditions in Delaware:
While people who cannot write theii
own names are protesting that Deia-
ware needs no educational reform
while politicians or both big parties
backed by selfish voters. are demanding
the repeal Of the new school laws upon
the ground that the old ones were
good enough" there lies in the office
of The State Educational Board an inter
esllng document prepared by two dis
Interested parties, both OF them recog-
uzed experts.
This document is the report OF Or.
Abraham FleXner and Dr.. Frank p.
D8chman. both Of the General Educa-
tion Board Of New York. who made q
thorough survey OF ihe school system
of this state at the instance OF Gov.
Townsend. This report is the official
arralgnment and condemnation OF the
old system. The reason why these
men were called upon TO make the
survey was because Of similar work
done by ihem in The state Of Maryland
which had resulted in the adoption
there OF an up-tO-date slate school law
very much like the one that Is now
The subject OF controversy here.
Some OF the glaring defects which
these two experts point out in the old
law here are the inability Of officials TO
enforce attendance; incOmpeiency OF
teachers; inadequacy OF books and
learning facilities; unhealthy and dilap-
idaied condition Of school buildings
snd penuriousness Of persons in charge
0f rural schools in matters OF repair
and Improvement
Layins their fingers directly on one
OF lhe reasons why Delaware today
stands at the bottom Of the white"
states in the matter OF literacy, Drs.
Flexner and Bachman wrote. "The
compulsory education law Is practically
2 dead letter.
Indeed. they point out that while
Delaware had law on its antiquated
statute books requiring children, TO
have a certain amount OF schooling,
there was not an attendance officer in
lhe State, and that the law was utterly
impossible Of enforcement.
Furthermore, they call attention TO
The fact that while the old law con-
tanned a general provision for five
months attendance at school each year,
it vested the local school boards with
authority 20 reduce the school term to
three months year. and that "an as
iQnishing number" took advantage OF
this provision.
The report states that when the fig
ures were compiled last yesr, more
than half OF the white school districts
0f the State had reduced their terms
10 less than five months, and that ilJ.
or 80 per cent. Of all OF the white
schools OF the State, had voluntarily
reduced their yearly term 10 three
months.
10 also shows that there was no
school census on which TO ascertain
how many children were escaping
training The school clerk was sup
posed 10 report all children Of com
pulsory age In his district. receiving 81
for every hundred names or fraction
thereof that he turned in. This, the ex-
peris found, furnished a list incOm-
piete and unreliable.
Many schools. lt was discovered. had
not lnfrequenily been closed for weeks
'at q time OF whooplng cough, measles,
,hickenpOx and other contagious III
iesses. and this was ascribed TO the fact
.hal no provision was made for medi-
,ai inspection.
AT New Castle" reads this report,
made Just before the adoption OF the
new law. 'the public schools are
housed partly in the City Hall. partly in
he old United states Arsenal. partly In
ihe old academy building and partly in
lwo-roOm building Zone floor above
lhe olher).
"Not one OF these buildings is nt FOR
school use. Similarly at Newark the
primary school occupies an old brick
structure with inadequate lighting and
ventilation, while the high school oc-
cupies The old academy building, long
since outgrown, which IS a flreirap.
poorly lighted and ventilated
The situation in Sussex county is
gate as critical. For example. at
georgetown. Laurel and Seaford the
buildings are old, rambling wooden
structures. which have been added lo