Evening journal., 1919-11-19


nlshed a budget setting forth each item.
II the amount asked for as salary for
the State commissioner is too high the
Legislature has the power 60 reduce
the item.
Although these two points were made
much OF by Mr.. Layton In his recent
Georgetown speech, when IL came his
turn 90 speak last night he carefully
rcfrained from discussing either OF
them, although in his Georgetown
speech he deflcd the State Board and the
governor and the world in general TO
contradict him. Here was his chance
TO make good, but he "ducked."
Regarding the removal OF elective Of
ilcers. Mr. dupont said the power
should be conferred upon somebody TO
remove elective officers who were OBJ
structing the enforcement Of the school
law. II that power were not vested in
the state Board OF EDUCATION whose
duty Il is TO enforce the law. in whose
hands should IL be vestedg Mr.. du-
Pont said upon this and upon other de-
tails, II it We're found wise TO change
the law. well and good
Taking up the question OF County
Boards Of Education having the power
10 issue bonds 10 build schools. Mr. du-
POnt sa the county board does The
work, therefore why should il not issue
the bonds. 10 pay for the work which
10 does? The levy court goes before
the legislature and gets permission to is
sue bonds for building roads, and then
builds the roads. The Legislature has
sVen permission TO county boards TO
issue bonds 10 build school buildings.
The cases are parallel
Taking up the criticism that a school
district like Bridgeville, which has
good building it built while yet a dis
trict, but for which il has not yet paid,
now passes over to the county the debt
ID owes on its building, Mr.. dupont SAID
that while Bridgeville did this, yet Il
also turned over TO the county the
which is an Offset TO the debt.
But there are many districts which
have turned over 10 the county moth
ing-nelhcr debts nor buildings-that
is no buildings 1T TO be used. The
must build buildings for these
districts. Then there are districts
which have done still worse. They
have turned over big debts and no
buildings. OF the three classes, Bridge
vile was by far the best.
Old Debts Amount 10 S260.O00.
Taking up the question OF old, un-
paid debts which school districts have
turned over to the County Boards Mr..
dupont showed that these debts aggre-
gate $500 600 This fairly took the
breath Of some OF the audience. II
was an explanation Of why tax rates
are so high that they were not locking
for. The old school tax rates were
kept low because the old school com
mittees didn't pay their honest debts.
While upon the subject Of taxes, Mr..
dupont showed the county rates estsb-
lished under the news system are not
high compared with school tax rates
In adjoining counties in New Jersey.
and Maryland. He also
showed that under the Old laws. the
,Olored districts were paying higher
rates than the white districts and that
e per cent OF the colored districts in
HE State OF Delaware were paying
rate OF more than 60 cents, under the
old law. which is the new county rate
in Sussex. Mr.. dupont concluded that
II two-thirds Of the colored district in
Delaware and the adjoining counties
in neighboring States all paid tax rates
as high as those now asked under the
new system. the new rates are not so
as some try to make II
appear.
Another place Mr.. dupont scored was
n his discussion Of the $50 days school
,lause. He reviewed the opposition to
hat clause, and said the state Board
lad made IA ruling that children could
.tay out Of school until November, II
heir help were necessary on the farm.
But the school records show that the
chool attendance for Sussex county
ural schools in September was 81 per
ent.. and for October it was 50 per cent. !
FOR Kent county rural schools during
he same months the attendance was
6 and 50 per cent. respectively. This /
vas better attendance than under tho
,ld law. and it is a high average for |
nv State. Il shows iS0 days Is not un- |
.opular nor too long. when So school
hildren out Of every 100 attend school |
c certainly would be wrong to shorten |
he term and close the schools against /
he 50 per cent. in order to accommo- I
ate the 10 per cent.
In conclusion, Mr. dupont said the /
reatest thing Of all is the need Of pub |
c cooperation. No law, however good, /
an be IA success, II the people do not |
elp enforce it and give it a trial.
Following Mr.. dupont there was an /
ther effort by Or. Prettyman. Again /
eading from notes. he charged that /
lr. dupont had "pussyfooted" and /
odged The issue and hadn't discussed /
he Code, that his remarks had been [
generalties and trivial
entimentalities." He then said I'VE
ave here with us a man Of acumen 4
nd intellect, a student and a successful |
lwyer, Mr. Daniel J. Layton. lie will
ow expound to you the Code"
Mr.. Layton said II was a pleasure 10 /
blow Mr.. dupont because Mr. DUPONT
iates the question as fairly as he is
lpable OF stating it. lie is sincere in
hat he says, he really believes what
e says regarding the code, but he fails
! this; he does not know the m nds OF
le people Of Sussex and Kent counties.
man who does not know the people
lnnot explain their laws to them or
their wishes.
Mr.. Layton then charged the school