Evening journal., 1920-12-30
BENEFITS OF
new SCHOOL
CODE shown
CONTINUED from First page.l


ware has gained eight points in edu-
cation on other States. About this
phase in his report, he says;
1.-THE increase in the States index
in the last two years warrants the
prediction that Delaware will not
rank much below the middle when
the figures for 1920 for the other
States come in. certainly not below
thirtieth."
The report as to attendance gives
the average number Of days for each
child enrolled during the past three
years, as follows: 1918. 92; 1918
age attendance in i9iS-i9 is accounted
for by the influenza epidemic.
In starting his report Mr.. Spaid
makes the following statement:
THE state has been handicapped
for her school building program had
10 be almost entirely suspended on
account Of the high costs and short
age Of labor and material. Indeed,
repairs and reconstruction program
have been reduced to a minimum. At
the same time, the cost OF supplies
and the increase in salaries have been
mounting Had not the legislature
in special session appropriated $780,
600 for school purposes for the COM
aware would have come 10 a stand
still Although Delaware, measured
in wealth by the income and profits
tax paid 10 the national government
for the year 1919, is the richest State
in the Union, it has never made in
the past PROPER contribution to the
education OF her people.
Supervision Of rural schools i'm
I proved school attendance under the
new attendance law which gives each
county an attendance officer. The
medical inspection OF school children,
3 the organization OF the teachers into
a statewide association, with COM
, mencement projects, defamation con-
tests. plans for athletic meets and the
! organization of community centers,
with well supervised vocational edu-
cation in the high schools, with ade-
quate State support for the state
high schools and standard State
diplomas, and a continued Interest
i'm the Junior Red Cross work, 1t may
be said that Delaware has made a fair
beginning. The most important OF
these school activities will be COM
mented upon in this report, or set
forth in detail in reports made by
those responsible for certain phases
Of school work.
II Commenting ON attendance in the
report, Mr. Spaid says:
at Is in the attendance that the in
crease is most striking. For the year
i9iS-i9, the average daily attendance
under the old compulsory attendance
law was 1926, and for 1920 inc
first wear under the new law, the
average attendance was 1868, an IN
crease OF 4.3i2. or more than % pei
cent. II these figures are compared
with those Of some Of the states
there is nothing to boast about ye
the year was one Of decided improve
ment. From the figures given above
+, The new compulsory law increase
the enrolment over last year 2,65i
, that is. the compulsory law kept tina
number OF children from ahsenc
from school. The attendance law car
ricd out for the first time under Tn
attendance officers increased the aver
age daily attendance to the eXten
of 1919. In other words, these chill
dren received s2SS 900 worth o
schooling which cost s62,2lOo6 I
s supply the attendance officers and 7
J pay their travelling expenses, Whicf
{ Of course, Is the, amount IL cost IN
= State to raise the daily attendanc
g over last year TO the extent Of 43i
/ children. This means that the stat
n received on It's investment placed 1
!. the compulsory attendance law an IN
n come of 1900 peg cent.
4 Does any one doubt the value
!, the COMPULSORY school law and tn
. attendance officers? Some one ha
said: 1t is unfair to tax man to edu
cate his neighbor's child and then pei
init the neighbOr to keep that chill
out Of school Therefore, ! recon
mend an additional attendance office
n be placed in Sussex county and th
| counties be given an assistant attent
ance officer TO help take care OF th
work in the special districts"
G The report shows that the tot
j. spent during the first year Of tran.
n porting pupils in all three countie
g and the various special districts wa
e sos 4O09i.
Although Delaware in 1919 stoo