Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1920-02-18

The following complete resume
of the colored school situation ap-
peared in a recent issue of the Adj
uocate an official organ of the
Colored race in this state.
The survey of Delaware school
buildings made last summer by DR..
George D. Strayer, N. L. Engle-
hardt and F. w. Hart of the De-
partment of Educational Admin
istration during July and August
verified the worst fears of those
who had for some time been cog
infant of the appalling conditions
that existed and opened the eyes
of those who had hitherto had
only a vague conception of these
conditions.
How the Buildings Were Scored
DR.. Strayer had developed, after
five years devoted to the study Of
school buildings in all parts of the
country, the "Strayer Score
Card" a measuring system by
which it is possible to secure an
accurate comparison of given
building with certain fixed cOndi-
tions which have become generally
accepted as Standard through
out the country.
"In making the score card" DR..
Strayer said, cit was necessary,
first of all, to include as nearly as
passible all Of those details which
90 to make up the perfect school
building. 1t was, of course, de-
sirable, in so far as it was possible,
to include under a few main heads
all of the subordinate factors
After a very considerable amount
of experimentation, the items SITE
Building, Service Systems, Class
Rooms and Special Rooms were de,
cided upon as the main heads. The
score card is accompanied with q
set of detailed standards for each
of its sub-items, in the light OF
which the score for each item is
calculated.
"a school building which meets
all the standards proposed in thu
score card is rated at 1000 points
When scores of buildings have fal
len below 500 points, it has beer
the universal judgment of thos'
who have built the score card tina
speedy abandonment of those build
ings for school purposes is the onl.
Unsuitable course to be followed
In all instances where scores o
500 points or less have resulted
has seemed that expenditures TO
repairs and reconstruction woul'
be highly excessive. 1t has ais
seemed that there was little posi-
bility, even with the expenditur
of relatively large sums OF money
to secure as a result Of such re
pairs and reconstruction a building
which was suitable for school pur
poses.
The completion Of the survey pu
in the hands Of the State ant
County Boards, definite knowledg
of the situation, and at the sam
time verified the worst fears 0
those who had been most wild
awake to existing conditions. /
the entire State, including school
both white and colored, only min
schools scored above fre hundre
points. ONLY one colored schoo
MiddletoWn, scored as much as fiy
hundred points.
New Buildings Made Possible
Closely following revelations
this report, Mr. P. S. dupont, vic
president of the State Board
Education, dispelled the hopeles
ness in the situation by depositin
with the Delaware School Aux
liary Association, his gift of on
half million dollars to be apple
to the building of colored schoo
throughout the State. This, wit
a portion of the original two mi
lion building fund establishe
some months previously, by M
dupont, it was estimated, woul
rebuild every colored school in De
aware.
On September 3Oth, a new cor
mission, composed of DR.. Charl
H. billiard, president of the Jof
F.. Slater Fund for industrial ed
cation among colored people,
Charlottesville, Va, DR.. Fral
Bachman and Mr.. jackson Day