Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-10
Cesar RODNEY SCHOOL

The Crsar Rodney School IS the first of
It's type in Delaware. 1t shows the pos
sihilities of consolidating small schools into
one central school where many advantag-
cS. that could not be otherwise had, for
fuller and richer kind of education, are
offered to the children of the community.
About three years ago the people of
Camden and Wyoming, which are two
adjoining towns centrally located IN
Kent county. Delaware, decided to close
the two schools IN those towns and 10
send their children to centrally located
school.
The attitude shown by the people Of
the two communities towards this pro-
crcssIve move IN education Is especially
commendahle as there was no opposition
tut n certain determinedncss to support
the Board OF Education IN its striving for
better schools.
4 site containing approximately eight
acres was obtained IN Camden about Md
uav between the centers Of the two towns
After considerable planning and work,
suitable plan for the new school building
was approved. This plan in very short
time was carried into actual operation
and as a result building was erected that
received the second highest rank Of All the
school buildings in Delaware outside OF
Wilmington. hy the educational experts
who made survey Of school conditions.
The Incorporated title Of this new school
district was Consolidated School District
No. l. but it is more famillarly known by
is popular name OF Cesar Rodney.
When people IN Delaware discussed
better school buildings for their children
during the past two years, Cesar Rodney
Bas considered 2s the model.
Many visitors have come 10 inspect the
sibilities of grouping the children and 70
obtain practical ideas for contemplated
improvements in their own school dis
tricts.
When the plans for the new school
building for the consolidated school dis
triCts OF Camden and Wyoming were
drawn. provision was made, IS 1t was tle-
lieved for all possible expansion and de-
vplopment as far as the building itself
was concerned for the next 20 years al
least 1t was planned TO have several
vacant rooms that could be later used as
the exigencies OF the times would require
Roy E. Keller, q progressive young
educator, who was principal at the time
OF the consolidation, remained long enough
TO see the newly completed building used
for the first graduation exercises and then
became offiliated with the \. NJ. Z. A.,
with which organization he has been con-
nected since that time
The members OF the Board OF Educa-
ton who had charge OF planning the bulld-
inC and Of seeing that il was properly
constructed. were DR.. 7. r. Brown,
president; H. B. Johnson. William Gra-
ham, William Evans. Charles A. Carton
These gentlemen deserve much praise |
and commendation for having so faith
fully and SO advantageously, for the |
children. carried out the wishes OF the |
people of the two towns
After Mr. Keller resigned. j. T. God |
frev was selected as principal. For two /
wears he worked diligently 10 give the |
children the kind OF an education they /
needed Mr.. Godfrey then retired from I
the teaching profession and began |
business life.
When two or more schools are cOnsoll- |
dated. miracles and wonders cannot be eX- +
uected al once There Is Immediately d I
great change for the better, but ii takes
several wears for the pupils TO form one /
united student body School spirit does 1
not spring UP over night, but develops +
gradually. This so-cai.ed school spirit or i
the feeling that students have oi working t
together for q common purpose i q neceS- /
sary re0lIisit for a successful school. hen 7
certain ideals must be iosteTed by both
pupils and teachers. here must be q
feeling of cooperation between the teach
ers themselves and between them and the
student BODY There must be feeling Of
fellowship wherein one teacher IS vltally
concerned In the success Of the other
teachers. a school that does not have a
growing school spirit that IS gradally de-
yploping newer and higher ideals, that
does not have teaching force vitally
concerned In the succ ess Of the school as
whole that does not have progressive
Board Of Education and the support Of
tie people OF the community cannot
lelp but fail in some respects at least.
lo from the beginning Of the consolda-
tom there has been a growing and a de-
y,orInent which are still II action