Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-29
Our Schools Still Lag.

The total Of the budget for Whining
IONS public schools for next year-iust
adopted- is S9es. $50. showing that we
are extending almost a million dollars
wear for education, and again calling at
,cntion 10 the need of board of cduca-
tional directors capable Of conducting a
milhon-dollar enterprise. There IS no
other problem before the people Of Will
mington of anything approaching the
Importance Of the conduct of our system
al education. and ii is one that grows
year by year.
While We may regard the big sum as
n very large itcml--irdeod it may be SAID
a. seem almost staggering il is lar, very
far below the expenditures Of other cities
If the size cf Wilmington, or Of even hall
our population There have been ire
aucnt charges that Wilmington schools
foot up an enormous ccst account each
year. hut It j. perhaps forgotten that We
cNpcnd far less per capita on education
than almost any other city Of the North
We may recall the figures submitted IN
1916 bv the superintendent Of the local
school system. showing the cost for each
pupd n orr schools VAS $50 a year,
where's the average cost throughout
cities n the United States was s45.55,
ain 4 twice the sum expended here
lccariing a. statistics published four
wears ago. FOR the year l9l4-l5, Spring
field. Mass with population OF lOO,3'5
Al that time. expended 81 ,602 740 year
On is puhhc schools and Dcs MONIES,
Iowa. with population q 96.69l. eX-
pcnar! Sl.Il5.O74. while Wilmington,
with an estimated population Of $4,000.
spent only S3l5.375 on her schools. The
same statistical exhibit also revealed that
ia Ten cities vh,sc population averaged
$3.50 the average expenditure was S67O,-
~. Nilnnngt. ii at that time, with 90
OOc population. spent much less than half
the average of the outlay Of the ten other
oitlcs # half our population.
The fact that this city has increased
educational expenditures from s3l5,315
e. seas. 1858 III five years shows we
ARE gradually awakening TO the need OF
m improved school system, but the
retirement is not correctly indicated by
the figures quoted. for the reason that
the increased costs Of maintaining schools
for supplies. salaries, heat, repairs. etc,
have more than doubled IN the inter
vcnlng fve years
At the same ratio Of increase the cities
of the Springfield class have probably also
more than doubled the outlay for schools
and the cities Of the group Of ter referred
T. II half the population Of this city, com
rncnsuratelv increased their yearly expen-
dturcs. 50 Wilmington may not be adj
Yanced far from the rear-guard Of the
educational movement.
one must conclude. to be logical, that
our educational work is behind that OF
other 1--we communities: there Is no other
way TO look al the matter Il Is often
explained. in arguing for the excellence of
our system, that graduates OF the VIII
mlneton high school are accepted by the
leading colleges on their diplomas without
az examination This usage or custom,
If our information is correct. IS enjoyed by
almost all the high schools in the northern
States
We believe. irrespective Of all other
claims and showings that Wilmington
public schools might be very much I'M
proved and should be boosted to the very
front rank. and there maintained under
the most efficient management. II should
he sand in extenuation, however, that
for many years they have been serious
n handicapped by lack of sufficient APP
preparations. Now that more money is
a. be expended upon them, there is rea-
.sonable expectation Of better results.