Evening journal., 1921-03-25
MEMBER
SCHOOL BOARD
FOR CITY NOW
CONTINUED from First Pare.)

A(Qn4nQtu AIOAll aE ~
the membership of the present
board.
DR.. Cooper served several sessions
as a member Of the House, once as
speaker. He is an experienced cam
paigner and generally an effective
one, but this proposition had out
grown him and the "Old Guard"
member did not seem to have the
usual pep" to his arguments that
at previous sessions have featured
his successful fights to stave on the
modern ideas relative to a Board Of
Education.
The bill received the vote OF 20
House members. Representatives
Brown. Dill. Hudson, Lester, Noble
and Smith were absent. When the
vote was announced there was con-
siderable applause and Speaker
Paskey had trouble in restoring
order. Former Representative j.
Edward McNabb also met another
defeat in the passage of this bill,
as he had been working hard with
DR.. Cooper against the measure.
Mrs. Donald S. Ashbrook OF Will
nington, deserves much credit for
the passage OF this bill. Mrs. Ash
brook did considerable effective work
for the measure for the past few
days.
After Speaker Paskey succeeded
in getting order restored, Peter J.
Ford shouted to the legislators that
he thanked them for their votes on
behalf of the citizens Of Wilmington.
The bill was passed with three
Senate amendments, which have
been explained several times.
It was shortly after o'clock
when the clerk concluded the read
ing OF the bill and Representative
White asked the privilege Of the
floor for three Wilmington business
men to advocate the measure.
City Councilman Charles For
wood was the first speaker. He said
the bill was the outcome Of a reso-
luton adopted by the Board Of Edu-
cation some weeks ago, asking the
Mayor, City Council and the Board
of Education each 10 appoint ten
persons TO form a general committee
to look into the school matter. MT.
Forwood was made chairman or that
committee and he said the commit
Tee decided that IL was necessary to
have a survey of the schools made.
This was done under the directions
NJ the Federal Board of Education
and this bill is the result of that
survey. Politics, Mr.. Forwood said,
arc in no way connected with the
bill.
Joseph Bancroft, secretary Of the
citizens committee, was the next
sneaker. Mr.. Bancroft told of a
survey made by lay committee OF
the physical condition OF the schools
and although the lay committee did
not consult with the Federal experts,
who made the survey their reports
checked. Mr.. Bancroft read some
sections OF the report of the ex-
perts.
Peter ]. Ford, another member OF
the committee, was the third speak
err. He said the fact that the bill
came from the other side OF the
House (Senate), where it was sup
ported unanimously proved that the
measure must nAN1 HRAAA' AAN@@N- 49,
Ford said he understood that poll
tics were being injected into the mat
ter and that while he was Demo-
crat and sometimes active, he was
for civic improvement and there
was no politics in it with him.
Mr.. Ford told something OF the
condition OF some OF the schools II
Wilmington. He said he had trav'
elled all over the continent and II
his opinion the condition of some o.
the schools in Wilmington is wors'
than any in the United States. This
said Mr.. Ford, is a matter of grea
moment to the people OF Whining
ton and especially the children o
that city. "If you want the peopl
OF Wilmington obligated to YOU 70
life pass this BILL said Mr.. Ford.
Representative Kramer. who spok
for the bill, said the other thre
speakers did not go far enough. II
said he had made a personal inves
tigation Of many OF the schools an
found them mot fit for hogs to sta
in"
This bill. Mr.. Kramer said. is
move TO solve the school questio
in Wilmington and he expressed cor
vlction that il would do it. Mr.. Krs
mer went into the condition OF SON
OF the schools at length and told {
one school where he said it was ne,
essary for the children at time TO u,
a boat to get there.
Representative Henry Wilson sal
Wilmington wants this Board Of Edl
cation bill and hoped the Legislatui
would give it a unanimous vote.
DR.. Cooper was granted the pri'
iiege of the floor and stated that :
could not let the roll be called witt
out saying something in defense
the board.
DR.. Cooper said the board hi
been asking Council for enoul
money for years 10 put the schoo
in first class order. but until q