Evening journal., 1920-10-30
our SCHOOL CONDITION IS SERIOUS.

rTNIs editorial from the Baltimore sun Of October 96,
Il might have been written with the public schools OF
Wilmington in mind:
The schools OF Baltimore are In a condition which
casts dscred upon the voters OF the city than do
the conditions in tn other lines Of municipal activity
shortage OF water bad Streets lack OF sewerage and other
defects important they are, affect the voters them
selves; conditions in the schools AFFECT children, who
helpless TO remedy them. 1t is the duty OF every
citizen OF Baltimore TO his share Of the response
bily for things ney and to play his full part IN
reforming them. This reform has been begun by increas
ing the salaries OF the teachers, but must be continued
until the school buildings are both satisfactory In con
strIctiOn and sufficiently numerous
summary OF the present conditions Is far from pleas
ant reading Tor any man or woman VINO mas te interest
OF the children at heart insufficient fshng and made
quaie heating dirty and unventilaed toilets and similar
faults are all too prevalent Examples OF such conditions
may be found The school Fayette and Greene streets
the group Of buildings Hons street Monroe and
In the building at Battery and Clement street. but
there few buildings which be termed satisfactory
regards all OF these matters Add to these The build
ngs where overcrowding is 10 health and those
which, like the oo at Broadway and Bank street
literally fretraps, and II is evident that nothing but the
most thorough remodeling viii make It possible 10 be
proud OF the buildings which Baltimore schools already
occupy.
The overcrowdng is neither temporary nor nsgnn-
can't In fact the school attendance Is too large to be
handled simply by overcrowdng. and has caused Tn G
adoption Of system OF shifts" over 5000 Baltimore
children receiving only par-time schooling because
hey live in districts where the schools are feSnsnd
so small that two classes each half-tme, CON
Quoted daily In each classroom. This disgracefu state
or affairs Is responsible for the number OF new buil-
ngs which needed. and conservative estimate
puts tOday's requirements at five buildings, what
The need win be two three years hence only be
guessed but is certain that the construction cannot
be handled by direct appropriations from taxes without
being both oppressive 10 The taxpayer and inadequate to
The needs Of the present situation Baltimore should not
allow the overcrowdng and hal-tlme instruction TO be
simply reduced In amount she should eliminate t. en-
tlroly from the school system.
Seven million dollars OF the Public Improvement Loan
will be devoted TO the schools. This viii be spent
by the commission TO bring all OF the schools OF Bali
more up TO the standards which ordinary regard for
the welfare OF the children demands II win provide
sch oos II will neglect section Of the city and
class OF lbs citizens but will fuln the duty which the
city TO all OF its children.
10 must be apparent TO Wilmingtonians that there is
real active movement the part OF The public Of
ncals and' the citizens OF Baltimore 10 improve school
coietons Baltimore is having a survey Of the
school system made by Or. George D. strayer. OF the
Teachers Colese Of Columbia University and viii pay
him $4,000 for the job
Our Citizens School Committee with the help OF The
survey which is being made, wants to accom-
plish the results for the Wilmington schools which
are being sought for In Baltimore
Tho citizens Of Wilmington must he aroused TO the
serious conditions existing and put their shoulders to
the wheel and help the Board OF Education in It's efforts
TO sufficient funds with which to put the physical
part Of the school system in proper shape and to
strengthen any other Departments which may be weaker
than they should be-