Milford chronicle., 1920-07-16
DR.. FINEGAN APPEALS
FOR MODERN SCHOOLS
THOMAS E. FINEGAN, COMMISSIONER OF
EDUCATION OF PENNSYLVANIA,
SOUNDS KEYNOTE
FOF THE SUMMER SESSION
URGES CONSOLIDATION AS THE ONLY
MEANS OF MODERN SCHOOLS FOR
COUNTRY CHILDREN.

Il ne hey Atlt VI tllt culltiAtA f'NAONl
Lecture course was sounded last
Thursday evening in a lecture deliver
ed by DR.. Thomas f. Finegan. Com
missioner of Education, State of
Pennsylvania. Dr. Finegan put the
question squarely to Delaware peo-
pie: In a world of(modern things
why can't we have modern schools for
our children. The United States as
a while is spending more for the
building of highways this year." he
declared than the amount being eN-
pended for all kinds of education, and
every educator wants it to be SO; only
by school buSses, transportation and
consolidation can we achieve modern
things i'm the school room.
DR.. Fnegan made a strong appeal
for educational equality for the boy
and girl of the city and of the country
"Our school population is about equal
ly divided" he said. we have prac-
tically twelve million boys and girls
in the city and twelve million in the
country. The constitution Of forty
seven of our States has clause
which reads something like this The
State of. Ot................. .Shall mann
tain an efficient system of public
schools which shall be free to the peo-
pie Of the commonwealth. 1t clearly
implies that there shall be no distinc-
ton in the opportunity afforded coun-
try and city children.
"But we all know the wide differ
ences in opportunity that confront the
boy and girl according to the chance
location of his parents residence. We
must recognize that we never do jus
tice to country children we can never
give them the right type Of building
for their school rooms or the course
of study equal to that of the city cOus-
in, until we get away from the notion
that every child must have school
within three-quarters of mile of his
own doorstep. Motor busses and good
roads are eliminating distance. We
must plan to use, in our school scheme,
these modern things.
a few years ago Calvin Kendall,
Commissioner of Education of New
Jersey, spent the summer in Indiana
where modern consolidated schools are
in operation. He mingled in their
homes with all types of people; he
talked to working men in the fields
and workmen in the shops. What do
YOU think of consolidated schoOlsE he /
put to everyone of them. And every
where the answer was the same. We /
were opposed to them before we had |
them: we have them, now we would |
not part with them.
personally, a, short time ago. DR.. /
continued. Il sent out a |
thousand letters to people chosen at
random in parts Of the country where I
schools are in effect. In /
all the replies received l found no I
words of protest. They are the only .
economic plan possible both in regard I
to the expenditure of the public money
and the conservation OF the child's
time and efficiency of results in the
school room
DR.. F'inegan insisted upon the i'm
of Summer study for the +
feacher. In Pennsylvania. he declar
ad. I'VE have doubled our enrolment
this year in the Summer Schools.
there seems to be Il re-
spOnse on the part of earnest-minded
Young people to meet the teacher
crisis in the schools. We have
no problem greater than that of sup
plying teachers for our schools. There
mas not been in the past the number
IF Young people entering the profess
on necessary TO fill the positions in
he country But conditions are i'm
The public has been brought
ACE to face with the situation, and
he public has become interested. They
nave learned that high standards in ]
he school room require salaries of
ike standard In the past teachers, in
,rder to get salary increase were {
to lobby for it. / am un- !
.lterably opposed to all such ma
We want to go direct to the
axpayer and demonstrate in dollars
md cents just what our services mean
o their children. We cannot put inn
nature girls in the school rooms and
,xpect them. from the raw product of [
he public schools. to turn out good J
american citizens. Those engaged in
eaching themselves must take the !
eading in raising the standards of
equired qualifications. Personally l
m working for a four year high
chOOl requirement for admission 10 d
he normal school and three year
curse there before graduation. l
Through the cooperation of the
ervice Citizens Of Delaware series Q
f lectures and entertainments to con- Q
inue daily for three weeks began on
IOnday of this week. Marcus Louis u
Iohler of Columbia University lee
ured on Monday on the appreciation 5
f music. Dallas Lore Sharp. writer, ?
tlucat0r naturalist. well known to
thousands through his brilliant liter
~ achievements, opened a series of
lree lectures last evening. Mr..
harp'S subject tomorrow evening is
The Magical Chance" a literary y
leme developed in a sparkling, Origi- +
nj style which directs men to nature 2
Or that escape from the conventional a
life which everyone feels the need s
{ Everywhere Mr.. Sharp goes his "
and keen observations 5
pplied to all things about him, com .
and attention. His nature talks are e
Dpular throughout the country John h
urroughs recently commenting on =
n. Sharps nature talks declared
rhey possess the breeze of the woods e.
nd hills. ,
Art. modern drama and music have o
large place on the program, not even 4
the wealthiest and most expensive v
,ctions of like size in the country is =
le grade of musical talent to be
iund which will he brought to the r.
tate College for the benefit of Della v
are people during the next two n
eeks. III
All the lectures are entirely free, Ia
AIMED for the peasure and benefit re
the public. Beginning promptly at
in the assembly room, IN
o. at in srIn,ndidlr, with crnninn mo- [ ID