Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-23

good school system, the road program is
very timely in its relation to the present
school development. Delaware long
chung to the little red schoolho,lse on the
country road, but the Survey Commits
sion of 1917, with the fine service of the
General Education Board, presented to
the 1910 Legislature the plan of mod
ern schools system generally acclaimed
| TO be at the top in educational advance.
| This was adopted and has been in OPP
| Grafton for year. lt was unusual to ex-
pect that perfect law, perfectly adapted
to the conditions of the State, could be
put on the statute books at first That
the test of the law will finally result in its
Improvement In spite of any temporary
weakening, cannot but be the belief of
every real Delawarean.
''The State ideal is the best educa-
tion, from the youngest child to the
graduate student In its State college.
The public law school has the merit of
establishing Statewide policy of educa-
ton, with fair proportion Of State
financial support and with the county as
the unit of administration Co-opors-
ton between State and community for
the best development of the school and
the advantage of the child is the keynote
of this administration. and its fund mt
al principle is equal opportunity in ica-
ton to every child IN the State.
GIFT OF $1,000, 900 FOR SCHOOLS.
Interest in Delaware public schools
has drawn gift Of S., 100, 600 from a
prominent citizen To and the building Of
new schoolhouses m an emergency which
demanded broad building program.
The school program is being adapted 10
the needs OF the child today. To- make him
an all-around human being and q Useful
citizen, with none Of the real fun left out
The State approprlates $4,000 an
nually to provide classes for the adult
alien. This amount IS largely supple
mcnted from private sources for a broad
program of AmcrlcanizatIon, following
out a State policy established during the
war
Closely related 10 the school program
are the provisions for child carr. Charg-
cd by the State with lnSurlng the health
Of mothers and babies, the roool iction
commission has devoted an appN ltlon
of $4,000 year for 1919 aud 20
the establishing OF child health ters
IN the city OF " ilmngton and thro, ..sout
the State. These public funds arc supple
mentcd by organizations and individuals.
TRAVELLING DENTAL CIINICa
Through cooperation with the medica
inspection department Of the state Board
of Education and the I'nltcd States Pubic
Health Service, and large gift Of money
by Delaware citizen. there viii he travel
ing dental clinics operating IN the rural
districts in the fall
The infant death rate has been ap-
preciably decreased since the child health
centres have been in operation, and a
growing field of usefulness and interest
has attracted many volunteer workers
to the child movement. The Red Cross
and other local health agencies have
played helpful part in the child program
for Delaware.
During the war Delaware took stock
of its health conditions by having sur
vey of health administration made by
the Bureau of Municipal Research. This
was later followed by detailed study of
health conditions, especially in Whining
ton, by DIR. Charles K. Terry, authorized
by the Wilmington City Council With
such practical information as a guide, the
State employed a sanitary engineer, aid
ed its Board of Health by additional
and encouraged the devel-
opment of a State health program which
would properly coordinate with the school
program and the child health program.
FsiltfRtIlCttS pl the war showed so
plainly the need of efficient business
in State and local govern
mcnts that the Delaware State Council
of Defense secured study of State,
county and municipal government, based
on the present system and the experl-
ence and practice of modern apd prac-
tical government. The report and recon-
were submitted to the 1919
General Assembly and the material made
available TO State and local agencies,
both public and private. The Legislature
created q Survey Commission, which
could have the time .andl service which
we're not possible during the war. to
adapt expert Recommendations TO local
conditions and 70 select such changes
As might be Immediately essential and
practicable.
NO VICIOUS CONDITIONS DEVELOPED
Government IN Delaware has never
ieveioped any vicious conditions. It
las only become cumbersome bv add
lions and duplucations from year to
year, over very long period, until the
State government has at present III