Evening journal., 1920-10-02
IMMEDIATE NEEDS or our STATE SCHOOLS.

nELAWARE needs more adequately prepared teachers.
~ The teacher shortage has been for years not
merely local problem but problem Of national even
word-wde Importance
While Delaware this year is offering salaries that
compare favorably with those Of other States Of
The rural schools could not in time because suit
ably-prepared teacher was lacking
II is unfortunate that the Misunderstanding department
Of Delaware College is new since its graduates
not yet be depended upon to add largely to supply
Of state teachers.
As both living and travel are expensive, imported
teachers always viii demand higher salaries than resi-
dent teachers OF equal ability Moreover, their perma-
nency and their interest in community problems fire.
quently much less than that Of homebred teachers
The National Education Association states that teacher
shortage far greaer in rural than in urban localities
Many county superinendens report that third OF their
schools cannot open for want Of teachers
In comparison with such conditions as this Delaware
is farng extremely we'll but stl need teachers
teachers Of character ability and professional training
The next pressing need Is for
few schools have been very much overcrowded This
congestion has been relieved in by transferr
ing pupils to consolidated schools by paying their tuition
schools located in special districts by renting rooms
less suitable for school purposes, and by the
erection Of portable buildings.
The Service Citizens Of Delaware have loaned New
Castle county four portable BUILDINGS, which have been
itNNNf 't'tANNN
most needed
Another vital need is for better sanitary conditions in
many Of our schools While there has been much inn
proyement in sanitation in recent years ideal health
funess or school buildings and grounds s st far from
attanable
The school nurses provided by the ned Cross. Miss
Pearl Moore and Mis-. Vera Davis are at work Civ
ins preliminary medical examination TO each pupil in
he county They report many serious lacks and
with their help Improvement doubt viii be made this
year.
In order to secure better teaching nearly correct
assignment the number or pupils to each teacher, and
better sanitary conditions State needs more consol
dated schools
Since skilful weprepared and conscientious teachers
are difficult to procure is manestly wastefu and in
efficient to place such teacher in charge Of group Of
twelve or fifteen pupils.
Moreover in the consolidated school rural children
can have educational opportunities nearly equal 10
those Of city boys and grseschers who have special
ized in the work OF the grade they teach more social
contact with children Of their own better chance to
attend school regularly because long walks in bad
weather have ceased better facilities for athletics and
supervised play and better training arts and vocational
subjects.
State has many good roads and is yearly securing
more very many localities where one-teacher schools
now in session there possibilities OF consolidation
beginning has been made Last year New Castle county
had four school busses for the transportation OF school
children; this year nine in use
Even more rapid growth along this line is stl CRYING
need, however, and much Of the building to be done in
this reconstruction period undoubtedly should be The
building Of consolidated schools
To make school consolidation possible and eftectiy,
better school spirit is needed in rural communities
There public-sprted citizens in most country com
munlties They do good work in maintaining high stand
ards in their local schools, but many more citizens Of
/ this type needed.
We need widespread interest in the Improvement Of