Milford chronicle., 1920-03-19

in Kent county had been in session
only Al days-twO records that we're
far worse than anything ever known
under the cid system. He charged that
overhead expenses were eating up so
per cent of all the taxes raised under
the new code, than only 20 per cent
of the peoples taxes ever reached the
school children in the form of educa-
tion.
Governor Townsend has said he re-
CARDS the School Code as the greatest
piece of work of his administration
If that is so, God help the poorest" ;"
exclaimed Mr.. Layton, and the crowd
yelled its approval.
Mr.. Layton then called upon those
present to arise and speak their mind.
The first speaker was Mr.. West OF the
st. Johns school district. east of
Georgetown. He said the people of his
district were against the Code in its
entirety. They want good schools;
but they don't want the Code. They
want local self government They want
change in the county board of edu-
cation and they want a check on the
county superintendent. They are
against school supervisors. He didn't
object to the taxes so much. He said
they had not raised enough taxes un-
der the old law, but they were not in
favor of the proposed plan to trans
fer funds from the States general
fund to the school fund He said Gov
ernOr Townsend had suddenly evinced
a disposition to relieve real estate of
its burdens since he had bought sew
eral hundreds of acres of land in Sus-
sex county
Charles Powers, of Lingo. said their
school taxes had been increased 300
per cent, but that their teacher was
getting S. month less than under the
old system and the children were not
getting any better education, if as
good. He attacked County Superinten-
dent Hardesty' saying he refused to
give the people information.
OctOgenarian Asks Fair Play
Mrs Richardson 81 wears old asked .
to be heard. She made a plea for Civ I
ing the School Code a fair trial. She
said the most awful sin which could
be committed was sin against the chill
dren, against the little ones, and if
they were not given the best oppor-
tunities it would be a sin against
them. Her plea was short and very
simple, and it touched a responsive
chord with many of the audience, but
Chairman Landreth Layton promptly
any one following Mrs.
Richardson along the same line by he
himself launching into a reply to Mrs.
Richardson. He said the School Code
is a bad law from its inception to
its finish and its damnable iniquities
cannot be covered up by the wealth
Of dupont. 1t is a farce to attempt
TO defend the Code, because it is inde-
fensible."
He then1Opened the floodgates of his
abuse and vituperation upon the head
II DR.. Joseph Odell, of the Service
citizens making a very personal de-
lunciation Of him and his motives and
work. He continued-"And this man
Jdell is only a sample of the rest of
he cOterie of small men and puppets
lround Mr.. dupont, who wait upon his
miles and fear his frowns, but Mr.
luPOnt cannot frame law by the aid
II such men and force It on the people
# Delaware. They are going to fight
or their rights. They are not going to
e misled by any sop of throwing a
art of the money brought into the
tate by corporations from the gener-
/ fund to the school fund. The people
ont want to be let alone to run their j
wn affairs. The school code must not
e permitted to be kept alive by lit i
e milk taken from a bottle which be- A
ing to another baby"
w. J. Jones, of the Phillips Hill dis h
'ict, said Is out of the 10 voters of his '
strict were opposed to the code. He
I'D been in that district % years and n
e new code is giving the people no
tier schools or teachers than they IL
ID q years ago, but taxes are multi
led many times. Ii
Makes Plea for Code oi
e. ]. Winder, Of Seaford, made a
rong plea for the code. He said the Ii,
ndamental trouble is the taxation th
VS. Of Delaware which make the as to