Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-22
MR.. p. S. DU POINT
AND OUR SCHOOLS
Editorial In 'Today's Mornsnp Havs.

huttofhf IN Today n MofMnr news.
Greater interest is being taken in edo
catonal mntters than ever before In the
history OF the country. The attendance
ut all the higher institutions of Learning
is the largest in their history The came
may be said Of other schools including the
public schools. The latter are the founda-
tion of our entire educational system
To somc they are step TO the universities
or colleges and technical institutions
To the vast majority they are the sole
instruments OF instruction. Looked at
from either angle, the desirabiLty and
Importance of maintaining the public
schools on scale Of high efficiency is
obvious.
Delaware, az well as other States, is
very deeply concerned In this forward
educational movement Il has for years
been recognized that there should be "A
marked Improvement IN this State,
especially in the schools Of the rural ds-
tricts. IL has long been felt that the
children were not getting what they were
entitled to. The question has been how
this improvement should be made. The
Legislature grappled with the subject
and passed new school code. That
code has been the topic of debate for
some months. fts merits and demerits
have been discussed
Mr. p S. du Pont has msnifested a
large and intelligent interest IN this
question He has given of his time and
Of his means IN praiseworthy cndenvor
for better schools in Delaware That Is
the broad and outstanding phnee Of IL
better schools in Delaware, Mr. du pont
deserves unrestraTned commendatIOn and
encouragement for hR efforts 10 improve
our school system.
A beginning has bcen mado with enc
school code Tins code, even by ts
stauncheat supporters, Is admittedly
faulty. The faults win have to be cor
rectcd at the next session of the lcgs9-
a.ure
This newspaper stands for the besf
educational facilities obtainabse IN the
State The State owes n duty n lt9
children The State cannot shrk that
duty. The rate Of taxation should be
such as 20 provide for schools Of high
standard
The cotlrscs in the public schools should
Ne along intensely practical llnes Each
individual. boy or girl, should he fitted
for the particular sphere IF physical an
mental activity in which that individual
will 1--we.
We are. therefore convinced that Mr..
T. s. du ront is doing All he can do n
improve the standard Of the Delaware
schools Ills views may not accord with
those of everyone else, but his reasons
and intent are fundamentally sound
No doubt Mr.. du Pont himself IN fact
he has done 80 and about everyone else
who has been concerned with the subject,
concede that the new code will have ~
be modified IN order ~ meet the views and
conserve the interests Of the people and
their children, but tho underlying idea
should remain The underlying idea Of
all this movement is 70 improve the stand
ard 0f the teachers and school buildlngs-
better facilities
The State has made start. Out Of
all the discussion satisfactory solution
will be found in 3 modified code Dela-
ware viii have a system Of which the
State will he proud Mr.. du Pont will
have no small share If the credit IN BRING
ing about thus progressive step. He has
been an indefatigabIe worker IN a good
cause