Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1919-08-02
DELA. SCHOOL CODE
n, Bacbmar Made an Address at
Delaware College
THE FIVE GREAT IDEAS

The FIVE GREAT IDEAS
simple and clear-out statement of
tho ideas behind the new Delaware
School Code, and of the advantages
which it is designed to confer upon the
state was made by Dr.. Bachman. of
s tts General Education Board, before
.h, w. n,hIic school teachers at the Della
,a,p un College Summer School on Won
Ssu and Tuesday last (July 28-29)
The speaker was heard with great in
terest. as thoroughly acquainted with
odncatiopa! conditions in Della ware, DR..
Rachman having been the expert who
a"ndnnted the Educational Survey un-
d.r ,he direction of the State Educa.
t;onsI Commission, and upon whose
ssalunon,mendations slu,n the present Code was
drawn, The Code as passed underwent
coma amendments at the hands of the
Assamhly. but DR.. Bachman's remark
regarding the law in it's present shape
was that mo state legisture ever pass
oJ At one time so comprehensive law
as tne Delaware legisla ur, did.
The five great ''ideas behind the
Code " which are the keys to its appar-
emily complete provisions, according to
Mr.. Bachman, are:
IA That education is a state. not a
local or family Junction."
% That Opportunities OF education
must be equal throughout the states;"
IA That .'the school units permitted
hv the law must be large enough and
rich enough to support good school,"
IA That "school boards should be
]av-boards, not professional, in order
that the schools, in their general con-
troll shall be in the hands of the peo-
ME- not in the hands of the people, not
+ the hands of the teaching profess
sion;''
81 That teaching is a profess on,
with clear cut professional standards
and deserving professional reward,
and that consequently special prepara-
position in the school system.
Discussing these principles as worked
oue II the Code, Dr.. Rachman pointed
ont that the first is no longer question
ed. and that education has come to be
recognized as one Of the first duties Of
the state along with public defense and
the care of health.
Equal opportunity for all in educa-
ton" had been the guiding principle,
said DR.. Bachman, in two important
changes which the Code will bring to
pass. The first is the equalization of
the length of school terms. The diff
ference of the length Of the school-year
in the towns and in the country made
it impossible for the country boy or
girl to have teachers as we'll trained as
those in the towns The time will come
said Dr.. Bachman, when bonus will
be paid the rural teacher in order that
the country children may get their
equal rights in education. Another
change in the school law which was de-
manded by the principle of 'equal
rights" was that by which, under the
new law, High School opportunities are
thrown open to all. Heretofore with
the High Schools located for the most
part in the towns, only small proper
ton of country children could attend,
without tuition. The Code puts the
High School within the reach of every
child in the state and provides for the
transportation which is as important as
tuition fees in affecting his chances for
schooling.
In LAYING out new system of "school
units" the Commission was guided,
DR.. Bachman said, by the common
sense, business principle that ''the unit
should be large enough and rich enough
to support good school," = 1t used to
be thought" said the speaker, ''that
there should be little red school.house
in sight of every mans door" and the
result was that the school districts were
so small that not enough taxes could be
raised Ito keep the schoolhouse warm,
not to speak of employing a teacher. !"
The twelve especial Districts, laid out
in the Code are such as. in the judgment
of the Commission, ''are able to main
tain excellent modern schools.
The new Code. Dr. Bachnan explain
ed, provides for school boards made up
exclusively of laymen. in order to put
the general control of the public schools
squarely in the hands of the people,
and it also clothes the school authorities
with powers corresponding to their re-
sponsiblity. Formerly, he said, "the
local district board could not buy new
heater without holding school election.
County bo ards now have adequate
powers "This State" the speaker
continued, has been full of dummy
boards. The thing to do is to give them
powers and then submit them at reason
able intervals to the review OF the
people,"
"Of course it is not proposed" said
DIR. Bachman THAT laymen shall run
the schools. The laymen has foo
idea of running schools" I" The power
and responsibility for running the
system is centralized in highly train
ed, high-priced executive, the State
Commissioner of Education" No one
DR.. Bachman continued, need be alarm
ed at this concentration of authority
lit is the type of thing that has made
the United States industrially, and i
will make the schools efficient.
To show the effect Of the Code il
professionalizing the school system,
or as the speaker expressed the idea il
simpler words, lin putting it beyon'
for the work." DR.. Bachman explaine'
the new scheme of certification TO
teachers by which professional stand
ards are to be protected. The princlpi
OF setting up bars before every educa
lonal position, 10 make sure VI I'll
professional standing of the occupant
he explained, has been carried all tn
way from the humblest teacher t
those who govern the system:
There is no excuse" said DIR. Bach
man, ''for exempting the higher officer
Of education from the requirement
which the state has sternly compelle
the timid girl in the one room countr
school to nest" For example, to be
County Superintendent, one must hav
graduated from college, done one year
graduate work in Education, anc hay
had five years of teaching experience
and SO on through the scale.
Or. Bachman showed that the Dell
ware Code practically ''annihilate
examinations" for certificates an
makes "going to school the basis
teaching in schools" Promoting