Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-13
Wilmington UNDER
NEW SCHOOL CODE
Possibility Discussed, Showing
Wide Divergence of Opinion
as to Plans.

of the School Code Comfnlsslon inee III
The City Council chamber last nlght lot
she purpose of comforting with citizens OF
Wilmington There was a large attend
ance. including the members oi NY
Council and the Board of Public Edu-
sation. City Solicitor John ". Huxley
IT.. George b. Miller, president OF the
State Board of Education, DIR. j. ii Odcil,
director of the Service Citizens OF l1ela-
ware. Alfred D. Warner, Jr.. president,
and William T. Budd, secretary OF the
Chamber of Commerce, Representatives
Theodore w Francis and Andrew \ Mui-
rine and school teachers. Representative
Corbit presided.
The commission did not ask Whining
ton to come under the School Code, but
proposed amendments thereto, which
would affect this city should II accept the
code. wereydiscussed for two hours.
Mr.. du Pont mentioned some OF the
proposed amendments. Wilmington
schools would not come under county
control should the city not accept the
code Schools maintained under the code
rould be remodelcd at a cost not exceed
ing $4,000 without obtaining PERMISSION
from the State Board Of Education.
Special school districts having . popu-
lation of 25,000 or more would have
Board of Education composed OF seven
members. who would be elected at large.
Compulsory attendance would apply to
both public and private schools. Nothing
pxcent illness would excuse a child from
attending school less than 100 days IN a
year.
Councilman John J. Murray argued
that a seven-membcr Board Of Pubic
Education would he too small for VII
mington. He thought one member should
be elected from each ward and SAID some
wards contain more people than some
villages. He stated members elected from
wards would be IN closer touch with chill
dren and parents than members elected
at large. He believed retaining the present
number Of members would cause the
people to take more interest IN cduca-
tional matters.
Former Representative William NJ.
Connolly had no objection TO seven
member board, but he objected to elect
ing the members at large. He said the
wealthy citizens reside north OF Sixth
street and the poor citizens south Of
S;vth street with a working line at
Sixtb a mortgage line at Fourth and
"dead line at Front He declared some
citizens would be penalized because they
reside below Front street and contended
that thew should have representation on
thc board He stated most of the street
md sewer directors and water commis-
,,oners reside in the Seventh ward and all
the members Of the Board Of Public
Education would come from that ward.
He suggested that one member be elected
from each Senatorial district and one
hona each Representative district or three
members north OF Eighth street, three
south of Eighth and one at large.
George T. Lyon, president Of CITY
Council. wanted results. lie would
hot fear putting the management of the.
s1biic schools in the hands OF men from
he Seventh ward II they We're the right
find Of men. He believed the voters would
made proper selections.
Sheryuer IL. Stradley, a member OF the
Board of Public Education, favored a
leven-member board because he thought
It's c0ncrcteness would make It more ei-
fectlve. He advocated changing The school
system and hoped the citizens would take
more interest in school elections. lie APP
proved electing At large.
DIR. John Ayers Negro objected to
seven-member board asserting that the
1000 Negroes in Wilmington would not
have representation thereon.
DR.. ConweIl Bantou, q Negro member
of the Board of Public Education, said
continuance OF Negro representation on
the hoard would be assured only by elect
mo from wards He deprecated lack Of
Negro representation III the Legislature
and. accusing Representative John T.
McNabb Of using the word 'nlggers
during a suffrage discussion. stated the
alleged insult would have been resented
had the Negroes representation in the
General Assembly.
Representative McNabb denied the
accusation and declared published re-
mort of his remarks during the suffrage
discussion was The III the whole cloth
He said had he used the word niger
many persons present would have re-
sen+ed its use. He told DR.. Banton he
had voted for all the legislation the Ne
proes wanted during his legislative term.
He opposed electing members Of the
Board OF Public Education from the city
at large and claimed that such manner OF
electing would prohibit Negro representa-
ton forever and not permit the Third
ward to have one member Of the board IN
so wears He announced that citizens
residing south of Sixth street think they
are being legislated against.
Walter J. Campbell stated FIVE years
membership III the Board OF Public
Education had taught HIM a l3-member
hoard would be more satisfactory than q
seven-me1nbeT board He SAID the num-
her of members had been an issue al three
elections and majority Of the voters
favored 13 members.
Hillary Boiling opposed electing at
large.
Mr.. du Pont, replying to City Solicitor
Huxley, held that the State after issuing
bonds, should have jurisdiction over
school money spent in Whining gt0n He
told Representative McNabb Wilmington
is now operating under special school laws
enacted wears ago and so far as he knew
the state Board Of Education has no
jurisdiction over Wilmington He OK
nlained that the tax levy of each special
school district and each county would be-
snent in each special school district and
county.
Renresentative McNabb estimated
there are $4,000 voters in Wilmington
now and with equal suffrage there would
be 10000 He stated the poll tax would
be between S3 and So and calculated at a
81 rate the total would be S150000.
Mr.. du Pont said all the poll tax levied
in the city would be applied to Viii
mingtOn.
Represen alive LlcNabb asked what
would Wilmington gain BY coming under
the School Code and was told the city
would receive pro rata OF State and
gederal aid
Sir du Pont remarked that a State
INIT school system is desirable and VIII
Il .neton's acceptance Of the code should
be voluntary. Replying to Mr. Connolly,