Evening journal., 1919-11-11
PREDICTS SUCCESS
FOR SCHOOL eide
,. S. dupont Declares Edu-
cation Will Advance Rap
idly Under New Law
SAYS BOARD WILL
BE ECONOMICAL


success Of the new school Code and
, bright future for education in Della
ware. were predicted by Pierre :. du-
oonf, yice-president OF the State Board
u Education in an address 10 the
chamber OF Commerce at its weekly
luncheon in the Hotel dupont al noon
today.
In spite Of the inclement weather The
absence Of number OF members Of the
chamber who are attending the Allan
llc Deeper Waterways Convention at
Charleston, :. c., ana the fact that to-
day was a semi-holiday, a large audi
ence heard Mr.. dupont
In the absence Of \. ID. Warner. Jr..
president OF the Chamber. who l. al
tending Tie Charleston convention.
Frederick Brady, yice-president OF the
organization, presided and introduced
The speaker DR.. Joseph NJ. Odell. diroc-
tor of the Service Citizens, and Dr. Cliff
ford j. scott supervisor of the schools
of Wilmington, were among The invited
GUESTS present
In view of Mr.. dup0nrs munincent
gifts Of - O0OOOO for white and 100000
FOR cOl0rcd schools of The stale, his
address was heard with exceptional in
ieresL His points also were frequent
Is punclualed by applause.
Mr.. DUPONT. Who spoke cXlcmp0r-
uneOusly. thanked The Chamber Tor rs
invitation to address the luncheon. Ile
then briefly reviewed The principal fca-
lures of The new code and analyZed IFS
financing and The benefits which would
accrue 10 The state at large through
The uplifl OF lis s-th0u,ands Of children.
Mr.. DUPONT c0nlHsted the methods
of l5Xalion. lleretOfOcc, each district
fixed H. own tax rate. Assessors fay-
ured their ncighbors and the tax rate
Vas too low and the schools We're not
managed properly. The code. iic de-
clared, would overcome this defective
method. Instead Of each district mak-
ins guess and fixing the tax rate, each
district will make a list Of its needs,
ihe county superintendent viii gather
the lists, the county board of educa-
lion viii prepare a statement and the
Levy Court wlil fix the tax rale, and
ibc taxes viii be collected. Before a
cent comes in. Mr.. dupont said, the
people Will know for what the money
i- 10 De- spent Nor will they be un-
daily taxed for the dislmct boards of
education Will not spend more than is
necessary.
Mr.. dupont admitted frankly there
would be some increase in the total eN-
.pendllures for schooling in the state,
hut emphasized his belief that the in
crelsc would not be so large as TO be
burden upon The taxpayers, and that
money expended would bring in q high
ly profitable return in benefits 70 the
commonwealth.
Great advantages Will result from con-
sol'datng schools, Mr.. dupont asserted.
Consolidated schools Will have things
lhe smaller schools cannot have, such
,s vocational training, home economies
and agriculture. -Four hundred schools
can be consolidated in One-haf that
number There viii be IS high schools
instead OF 10 as at present and there
viii be fewer small schools. Children
Nil be- enabled TO study and develop
1etler in the new buildings and under
he brighter and better surroundings.
Mr.. dupont stated The code should
not be blamed FOR high taxes. II gem
,ral prices decline. school expenses
win decline. be said There Is a great
shortage OF teachers. Thiriy-nine thou
.and teachers are wanted I'm The United
states 10 mn vacancies Delaware must
pay more money 30 get better teach-
ers. Mr.. dupont declared The salaries
Of teachers have increased only 10 per
cent. while fuel has increased p per
cent. Text books were last year paid
for out Of the dlstric funds: this year
they are paid out Of direct funds.
The experiment Of taking children TO
and from school by bus was proving a
success. continued Mr. dupont. That
costs $4,000 "a year. but more children
are being transported this year than
last. ~ school conditions improve. The
sneaker asserted. there will be greater
popular demand 20 spend more money
and taxes rhiurally viii increase. But
the result achieved will be far greater.