Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-25
SCHOOL BOARD OF
SEVEN MEMBERS WILL
NOW Be THE RULE
House Concurs in the Senate
Bill Bringing About the
Reduction.
ARGUMENT ALL ON ONE SIDE

The House of Representatives. last
night concurred in the Senate bill Gre
ating a member Board of Educa-
tion for Wilmington.
Soon after 9 o'clock Representative
White requested the privilege of the
floor for three Wilmington business men
TO advocate the measure.
City Councilman Charles ID. For
ward was the first speaker He said
the bill was the outcome of resolution
adopted by the Board of Education some
weeks ago, asking the Mayor, city
Council and the Board of Education to
each appoint 10 persons. to form
general committee to look into the
school matter Mr.. Forwood was made
chairman of that committee and he said
the committee decided that ii was nee
essary to have survey of the schoois
made This was done under the direc-
tions of the Federal Bureau of Educa-
tion and this bill is the result of the
survey Politics, Mr.. Forwood said are
in no way connected with the bill.
Ioseph Bancroft secretary of the
citizens committee was the next speak
er. Mr.. Bancroft read a survey made by
n Law committee of the physical con-
dition of the schools and although the
lay committee did not consult with the
Et upraI experts NIlO taAN s'Na - =
thcir reports checked Mr.. Bancroft
read some sections of the report of the
experts.
peter T. Ford. another member Of the
committee was the third speaker. He
81 id th,, fact that the bill came from the
other side of the House (Senate),
where it was supported unanimously.
proved that the mea asure must have
some merit. Mr. Ford said he under
sipu,I that olitics were being injected
into the matter and that while he was
"a Democrat and sometimes active. yet
H., was for civic Improvement and
rher, was no politics in il with him
lIr Ford told something Of the con-
dition of some Of the schools IN WI
v4ington He said he had travelled an
over the continent and in his opinion
~. condition of some Of the schools in
Wilmington is worse than any IN me
l-nited states. This. said Mr.. Ford. is
a matter Of great moment 70 the people
ri Wilmington and especially the chill
ar of the city. In conclusion Air Ford
said. If you want the people Of VIII
n7incton obligated 10 YOU for life pass
this bill
Representative Kramer who spoke for
The bill said the other three speakers
did not go far enough. He said he had
made a personal investigation OF many
of the schools and found some OF them
not fit for hogs 10 stay in.
This bill Mr.. Kramr said is a move
10 solve the school question IN VIII
mington and expressed conviction that
II would do IT. Mr.. Kramer went into
the condition of some schools at
length and told of one school where he
said il was necessary for the children
at times to use boat to get there.
Representative Henry Wilson, said
Wilmington wants this Board OF Educa- |
zion bill and hoped the Legislature would |
give il a unanimous vote.
DR.. Thomas O. Cooper a former |
Speaker of the House and known as |
one Of the "old guard in the Whining |
ton Board of Education of which he /
has been member for many years. was 1
granted the privilege Of the floor and /
stated that he could not let the roll /
b. called without saying something in |
defense of the bill.
Dr Cooper said the board had been
asking Council for enough money for
years TO put the schools in first class
order but until the present Council this
money had not been granted. Council
tins year he said had granted funds
" Ia NTH ~ 4lil ~ w t44t IN SiNciS I
condition Of the schools. Some sanitary
conditions, he said had been improved
and contracts given out TO improve
others. He declared the board as well
as others wanted better buildings but
did not have the money. There are
many old schools there" said Dr. Coop
ar some of them older than ! am and
that is going some"
Dr. Cooper praised the professional
or educational side of the schools and
said they were equal TO any in the
rnited States. He praised the high
school and said diploma from it would
get pupil in any college in the coun-
.ry that accepts high school diplomas
without an examination. The report
y the Federal survey. he stated shows
he teaching force TO be better than
he public deserves. The speaker said
he board had been making a success
ul effort all these years TO keep the :
lign standard Of the teaching force up.
In mis- final argument DR.. Cooper
made a plea 10 not wipe out the ward
ines and not to have the members
-le,ted at large. If elected at large.
A. said there never would be a member
Elected below eighth street or at least
JeloW sixth street. He told OF mem
serS OF the board being reelected year
,fter year which he declal I'd was an
Indications that the people wanted them.
Peter j. Ford asked DR.. Cooper if ne
Unsidered the report of the Federal
urvey a fair report. He answered that
I probably was a fair report but that
he Federal Bureau has esta blished such
ugh standards that he doubted If any
ity could live up to them.
Representative Frank Hall Davis said
Ie was shocked at the deplOrable con
ition Of the Wilmington schools as re
atcd by the speakers and said Dr. |
'oOper in his statement practically ad-
nitted that all those speakers said about
he conditions was true.
Representative Kramer, in reply to !
)r. Cooper's statement relative to funds |
( the board said that only recently
,ouncil gave the board special funds to
the sanitary conditions and
hat the board was going TO buy vic ,
rola's with the money until Council
dopted a resolution objecting. Nice
usiness. nice business remarked Mr.
Trainer.
Let Us try the smaller board, il can't
& any worse" Mr.. Kramer said 1T is
rue these men are reelected. The office |
ays no salary but there are men on |
he board who go out and spend good |
ard earned money for runners, to be |
Iected. Draw your own conclusions"
lr. Kramer concluded.
Representative Mari said in his dis \