Evening journal., 1920-12-01
WOULD REVISE
TAX SYSTEM
FOR SCHOOLS
CONTINUED From First Page }

school buildings and as opposed 10
any special districts in the county
outside OF Wilmington.
Under an amendment 10 the code
passed at the special SESSION Of the
Legislature last spring, IL is neces-
sary 10 take a referendum vote before
/ the county Board OF Education can 90
| ahead with a bond issue 10 is pos
slble that the board will arrange for
a referendum on the question in a
short time, as IN ere is an urgent need
/ Tor new schools, especially at Richard
son Park, MiddletOwn, Rose Hill and
| other places In the county. School
! oondi lions in those lOcalitlols are
greatly handicapped because OF lack
| OF room TO accommodate properly all
the children attending the schools, A
| bond issue OF SfOOOOOO augmented !
| by funds received from the Delaware
School Auxiliary Association, in the
opinion of President Medill OF the
county board, would provide the
needed new sch ool buildings.
Time after time il was brought out
during The conference that taxation is
The basis Of most OF The objection %
the new school law. In answer TO a
question by Or. r. w Cooper Of the |
Service CitizenS practically everyone !
present agreed that the tax question !
was the oaus. OF most Of the dissatls-
faction over the school system Dr. !
Cooper made the statement that he be- |
lleved so per cent Of the people OF
the State would he for new and bet
ter schools at all costs II they felt
! that everything was being done cor
! rectly and affairs were being admin
! istcred economically.
The afternoon session opened with
a general discussion OF various phases
OF the school law. Mr.. Tumln, trus-
Tee OF the Chrishana school. said he
would like TO see the Christiana and
Sunnyslde schools consolidated.
Harlan G. Oskins, Of Brandywine
hundred, said he thought all Of that
hundred should be combined into one
; hlgh school district instead OF Just
J one corner Of the hundred at Clay
J mont being a special district
Their was considerable discussion
! relative 10 the cost per pupil OF Oper-
ating rural schools and the cost per
pupil Of transporting pupils 10 and
from schools by omnibusses. County
Superintendent jump said it Is now
costing Nv Cast county about ST.
$50 a year TO operate a school OF 30
To 40 pupils. and thought he cost
Of transportation would average about
Sii pr pupil
Miss Ella w johnson. a trustee OF
the Newport schools. said she believed
In a Statewide tax on real estate and
personal property including stocks,
bonds and other investments. She
favored a State educational unit. and
gave 10 as her opinion that the county
| suptrintendents are necessary hut did
not believe that the county boards
are a necessity in the school system.
Miss Johnson said Delaware Is sup
: poed 10 be a rich State and she could
not understand why 10 was that the
yards Of the iails, poor houses, etc,
could be kept in fine condition and
the schools allowed 10 look ke "old
! Harry" She said II the State and
county can afford TO keep the jail and
also AFFORD 10 hav the scchool yard;
y looking we'll In the Newport dis
lrict. she said, high school pupils ar,
sent 10 Wilmington but she consid
cred 10 would be hetier TO have
h rural high school for them. She als'
II advocated SOM vocational courses {.
TX the schools.
n ]. Frank Eliason, OF Mt. Pleasant
\ said the great problem in that local
II ity is need Of a grammar school. Tn
L grammar school pupils are now sen
I 10 Middletown He was also 0f IN
! opinion that the people would raihe
1 arrange Individually 10 send thei
children to Middletown than depen
on the county school board busses.
Mrs. w Harmon Reynolds, Of Town
send said the school at that town
much improved under the new schoC
system. She said there are still som
conditions that they hope to improve
but cannot expect 90 do everythin
at once The greatest complaint /
that district, she said. Is that Of taxa
tiOn and added, those who do IN
most talking, l think. know the leas
about the system" Mrs Reynold
said the community wants a iunlo
hlgh school. The high school pupil
"a now go to Mlddletown
iu While there was a dlVrs ty Of opin
ion on The subject, 10 seemed 20 be IN
-, opinion OF a majority that the pres
it ent organization OF the school syster
rs Is satisfactory Some believed In
el State unit, with subdivisions. thereb
doing away with the county units. T
o., do his. 10 was commended, more super
III visors would probably be require,
Is also county manager In each count,
~ Jesse L. shepherd. Of Middletowi
50 advanced the proposition OF doin
away with the special districts. Chail
a man Medin also favored abolishing IA
al special districts and the idea me-
e. with general approval.
N Mr.. Oskins insisted that Wilming
I'd ton should not ne special diStric
m but should be a part Of the count
e. unit. Before the special districts ca
10 be abolished, a referendum vote
" the p pple Of the districts would ha,
o, 10 be taken.
MIR. Eliason also asked why shou
II | Wilmington be outside" He inquire
ld why 70 would not be a good idea Il
ne an school taxes TO go into the sta
y fund and then be apportioned out.
A. William Mcknight OF Mlddletow
a said he did not favor doing away vii
of the county unit. He claimed q
rd larger unit plan had failed wherevl
~ tried.
5d Miss Ina Bsrner, a supervisor. col
fe tended doing away with the cOun
unit would be a step backward
Mr.. ShallcrOss said the board no
to as a county unit cannot Civ, a
ls- time TO the schools that the boa
lwouh like 10. and II a unit was ma,