Smyrna times., 1921-11-09
AWAKEN MORE INTEREST OF
PARENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MOVEMENT TO ORGANIZE ASSO-
CITATION IN EVERY DISTRICT
Federation of WOmen's Clubs, State
Teachers Association, Service Citi-
zens Ond Others Back of Plan

Have you community organiZa-
ton In your district, an association
which will bring adults to your school
and tend to make the school building
the center of community life?" An
organized drive, which will bring this
query to every school district in the
State, is receiving especial attention
OF educators throughout Delaware for
the month of November. A joint COM
mittee of men and women from vari-
Gus organizations in the State, inter-
ested in better schools for Delaware
children, has been organized to direct
the campaign, with Mrs. John B.
Cleaver and Miss Eta Wilson of the
State Parent-Teachers Association as
chairman and executive secretary of
the committee. Other members of the
committee with the associations repre-
sented follow: For the State Board of
Education-H. V. Holloway, State Su-
perintendent of Public instruction;
w. II. Jump, in charge elementary
schools; John Shilling, in charge of
high schools; Misses Ina Barnes, Ruby
Miller, Ruth Jones, Elizabeth jenkins,
Edith VanSyckle, Leila Thomas, Edith
Barger, Blanche Pepple, Laura Rich
ards, Mrs. Annie E. Snyder and Mrs.
Mabel Riggin. For the State Teacn-
ers' Association-H. E. Stahl, Seaford.
Delaware State Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs-Mrs. H. D. Boyer, Smyr-
ma. Boys and Girls Clubs-Alexan-
der Cobb. Service Citizens of Della
ware-Dr R. w. Cooper.
Already there is an association IN
one out of every five districts in the
state; the campaign committee has
adopted as its goal one out of every
two by January l. The state has been
divided into seven districts corre-
spending geographically with the sup
ervisory unit of the State Board of
Education. In each district there is a
resident chairman who is assisted by
committee, including the supervisor
of the district and prominent local
people. Mrs. c. o. Houghton of New
ark is directing the drive on the west
side of New Castle county. Mrs
Theodore Ferguson of Blackbird on
the east side; Mrs. Garrett Harring-
of Kent county; Mrs. H. X. Wright
of Bridgeville and Mrs. Mabel Draper
of Milton are directing the drive in
Sussex. The district chairmen are
being assisted by a staff of local
speakers furnished by the six organi-
cations interested, which includes men
and women prominent in all parts of
the state.
Work Accomplished in New Castle
Organizers throughout the state are
presenting as the best argument fol-
the organization of an association
centering in the school, is found il
the records of districts where organi
cations were started last year. A
st. Georges, in New Castle county, d;
Parent-Teacher Associaaion has prov
4 ed its usefulness to evesy resident o.
1 the community. (1 The association
placed a piano in the school; (2) i
gave a Christmas treat to the child
rem; (3) it equipped the playground
furnished an entire basketball outf
for the older girls and baseball equip
ment for the boys; two good sub
stantial swings, two see-saws, a dodge
ball and jumping ropes for the small
er children. The association bough
! double shades for the windows anC
/ white scrim curtains to relieve tn,
baroness of the room; it provided ;
clock for each of the three rooms
This year it has adopted "a goot
school library" as the goal for tn,
years work.
Splendid as all these things are,per
haps St. Georges greatest accom-
plishment is the working conception
concerning standards and ambition
for the schools which it has carried t,
i it's patrons. Last year the topics re
lating to school attendance, furnishes
by the State Association, wer
thoroughly discussed in the meetings
i this year the exact meaning of tn
, term "The Modern SCHOOL, will b
made clear to all who attend the meet
ings. Work of this kind can yield on
ly one result, an intelligent insistenc
upon the things that are known to b
good, in the school of the district.
At M;ddletown a library table, te
dollars worth of books for every roor
pictures, clocks and sand tables ar
some of the material contribution
which the Parent Teacher Associatio
has made to the local school. Recent
5000 worth of playground equipmen
has been purchased. Again, howevei
as at St. Georges, the association ha
demonstrated its greatest value in tn
sentiment for good schools which
apparent in the community. The Mic
dletown association has developed
n genuine interest in the local schoC
y situation and a sentiment which car
not long fail to bring about results.