Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-19
MILLER URGES
SCHOOL SURVEY
People of Wilmington Do Not
Appreciate Situation OF the
Board of Education.

ol EdoAstlttfs
al am quite sure the citizens OF VIII
n,;nrton do not know and therefore can
not appreciate the serious condition IN
which the city Board of Education hnds
itself this wear In not having suthcient
,anaeity in the school buildings to house
the very large number of pupils enroiedni
This statement was made by George T.
Miller nresident OF the State School
Board and former president oil the citA
school Board, Then in addition to tins,
ne continued, there Is the dlstresslngiy
moor condition of the buildings and equip
ment.
"D,scussion of school conditions IN the
meetings of the Board OF Education re-
yeals the fact that there Is immediate anu
urgent need for new and larger periifa-
nent buildings and temporary or portab'e
buildings for the rapidly increasing schooi
regulation and for repairs TO those build
inps which are worth repairing,
1T is very clearly necessary that ne
budoet for current expenses must he
increased considerably to pay teachers
and ianitors a living wage, IN fact IN my
oninion. n saving wage, il We want to
maintain high standards in the quohty OF
work and thereby make 1t possible to I'M
nroye the efficiency of the teaching tor the
benefit of the boys and girls. and the conse-
or,eDt welfare OF city. State and nation
.'Tt. should not be Necessary to urge
rho citizens of Wilmington to respond
promptly and fully to take care OF these
needs Certainly their children are their
frst. interest There is no question that
-eaIIv they would make any sacrlilce Tor
their safety and welfare.
Something VIII hsve 20 be done.
Something must be done TO improve school
conditions. Many other cities Of the Unit
I'D States have been aroused to the seH-
,us condition existing IT their school
svsten,s. and have seized the horns OF the
cii,enoua and have taken acbon-
Sacramento, Calf, with popuia ton
s145nf0. has made successful dr1ve Tor =
bond issue of So. 900 600, Johnstown, IA.
r.,puIation So 900, for S2,0oo,Wo bonds
0mahs, Neb., population l25,WO, for
$1,000. 900 bonds: Oakland, Calli-,, popu-
lation 10000, for Si,973,0U bonds @ !,
Wipston-Salem, y. G, for soouUo
bonds; Denver, Colo, population ia
100. for s., 900 900 bonds.
.Is this rich city mean in the wealth
Of the citizens gong 10 be outcome q
his most important work and ailo" their
rFil0rell 10 Suutl 4tA A%A1RN - "
tional facilities?
Let us Get together and act and put
the thing across. Lct Us forget whether
wc prefer a Ave member or 3 twclvc-mcm-
her citv Board Of Education, or whether
re want the city board to accept the
State School Code, and help them TO the
limit TO improve matters. It Is our duty
10 do It,
CITY Council has been approached BY
tho Board of Education and has been
asked for financial assistance 70 relieve
the present situation. but City ouncll Is
not in position to grant their request.
III appears that the only thing to be
done is that the Board Of Educauon shall
=, To the State Legislature convening IN
January. 1921. and to ssk for authority 70
issue bonds for the necessary amount 70
inauCtlrste and complete an adequate
building program. Ii Will hc lncumben1
lIron the citizens of Wilmington together
with Citv Council ana tho State board q
Education to get right behind them and
make a mighty effort 10 have tins leglsia-
1lon nasScd feel sure that members q
the legislature from the other sections ot
the State will be sympatbct!c anu VIII sup
port tbs measure for they must appreciafc G
what Wilmington Is doing for them IL fl0
sharc Of the income tax receipts Wh4th arc
derived from lts citizens which arc dcyot-
II ta tbe schools and tho rladS u tho en-
tire State
II would seem to me that IN order thai
may be clearly ard definitely known
THAT the physical and professional needs
Z th4. Wilmington school system are, p
would b. we'll TO have a careful survey q
he schools made by the General Educa-
sion Board of New York City OF by some
,ther expert agency N +hIs line 81 work -
aas done in the case OF the rural schools oi
DELAWARE "