Milford chronicle., 1921-05-06
PIERRE S. DU POINT DE-
CLINES APPOINTMENT
CONTINUED from first page)

CONTINUED from first page)
densome and call for much absence
from Delaware. I can not plead
these facts as a proper cause fol
declining to accept another ap-
pointment as a member OF the
State Board of Education.
A report on certain features OF
the law leads me to the following
conclusions: -
A 25c tax rate is insufficient ana
has no defense in the practice COM
mon in other states; the tax rate
on real estate is the only means at
command of the State Board OF
Education for raising money 10
meet unforeseen deficiencies in the
income tax or other source OF rev.
enue. Therefor, the tax rate should
be sufficiently elastic so that the
Board may use it as means OF
providing the budget approved by
fhe LEGISLATURE. The new law,
placing the power of increasing the
tax rate with 300 or 400 separae
districts, makes a uniform school
system impossible.
Under the new law a bulldlng
program is impossible. The several
districts vote for improved schools
and raise money therefor separate
ly. These schools will be DullI
through the whim of local preJudlce
without regard to the needs OF ad-
Joining districts, or the develop
ment of the school system OF the
state as a whole. 1t would seem |
most unwise to spend public money
in such an extraVigant and un-
systematic manner. Even the. pro-
pOsed high schools can not proceed
with their planned buildings, lot
they can no longer rely upon re-
ceiving high school pupils from
distant points on account OF lack
of Transportation facilities. rms
practice of building development is
so at variance with established
practice that it would be most un-
wise to proceed under the new law
until the latter has been thorough
lv tested over a period OF several
years. ILL,
My two years contact with
school affairs in Delaware has leo
me to the conclusion that the tax !
pavers. parents and pupils all suf- :
fer from lack of sufficient admin
istration expenditure. Good schools
cannot be had without proper SUI
peryision of teachers and pupils
the efforts of supervisors
and attendance officers and schooI
affairs in many districts cannot be :,
without proper expendl-
ture for clerical and statistical i
work in order that there may pc
record of accomplishment and STU "
ly for improvement. ',
The above comments are based u
lpon a comparatively short expert
ence in school affairs. The people d
If Delaware are entitled to the fair el
,st trial of the new law. Possibly -
t may be made successful and eco
lomical. To this end urge you to - -
.ppoint as members of the State "
Board of Education the men who -.
re responsible for and who ap- " "
rove the provisions Of the new
aw. All citizens of the State
hould support the Board OF Edu- ~
alton and allow time sufficient to
rove conclusively the merits OF q,
be choice that has been made. The ~ ~
aw of 1919 was not bettered by 90
be notifications of 1920 and two
ears trial was insufficient to
rove it's merit. The new law
hould be given at least two years
r a sufficient time for the people
{ Delaware to conclusively deter ga
line which one Of the two plans fri
the better. Ca
AS stated il the forepart of this re'
tier, I have not yet had opportun- pa
v to read or to study the details :
the new law, and if you so wish any
shall not give a final decision un- IT
l 1 have had. opportunity so to do. 10
owever, if it is your desire to ma
ave from me an immediate ans ore
er, I write, with regret, that this
lswer must be mo" are
Sincerely yours, COZ
P. S. DU POINT acl
. du Points final refusal to ac-