Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-05-19
ATTENDANCE IN RURAL
SCHOOLSAPROBLEM
State Board of Education
Opens Campaign to Show
Benefits of Learning.

tors who posses minimum standard
certificates enabling them to follow
their profession. to strive to obtain a
higher standing. are two OF the knotty
questions TO which the State Board OF
Education is giving thoughtful consid-
GRAFTON. Both questions were talked
over informally at the meeting of the
State Board this week. but no change
was made I'm the plans that have been
I'm the minds OF the members for some
time.
While there is n law calling for
compulsory attendance OF so many
days each year. there has been no
concerted attempt TO have II enforced.
The matter. wherever IL has been pos
sihle. has been talked over with the
parents and in many cases this has
won out. Now tho board has decided
upon an appeal to the pocketbook OF
every taxpayer in the state. who may
have been keeping Johnny or Mary
cut Of school to work about the farm.
Cardboard signs have been author
tied which will contain figures show
ing the cost Of education for each
child. The signs will be distributed in
every store. postof'ice. cross roads and
tion is likely to congregate. The signs
will show 70 the parent that in keep
ins the child home. Il has wasted just
30 much Of his money-that is his
proportionate share, and that this
waste IL not Ia he blamed upon any
one but himself. The expense of cdu-
eating the child viii Ice figured out
year nv year. and through this appeal
10 the poCkethook of the taxpayer. the
state Board hopes 60 induce him not
20 squandcr any more of his money
paid in taxes 20 the state. through fall
Ing To send his boy q girl 10 school
Still another method ~ aiding in OBJ
tanning an education for the boy or
Girl who is kept at home, has been
suggested in the shape OF night
schools, such as are common in cities,
where the boy or girl has employment
in some industry. Whether such a plan
would work out successfully, is Ques-
ton that the members have not de-
termined. Some OF the members feel
that 10 the ambitious boy or girl kept
AT home during the day, and who pos
sesscd a desire to better his or her
condition, such n school-sort of a
parttime school, might be a blessing
In disguise.
The greatest difficulty the State
Board Of Education has met with in
the attendance problem has been the
indifference Of many parents 10 wheth-
er their children attended school or not
Many Of them did not have the adj
vantage Of such modern school build
ings as Delaware is rapidly accoumu
lating. and there was not the incen
tive for them TO attend school.
Improving Teachers Standing.
In their efforts 20 improve educa
tional standards in the state, the mem
bers OF the State Board realize that Z,
turn out intelligent and progressiv
students. they must have a teaching
corps that is thoroughly efficient them
selves and competent TO instruc
others. In this latter particular, Their
Is a big problem that the members O
Che board are talking over at every on
portunity. That il how 10 induce tn
public instructors 20 improve thei
standing.
AT the present time there are 10
school teachers in Delaware, VIII
posses but a minimum grade certif
cate, emitting them 10 follow the
profession. In other words. these teach
ers have a certificate that bring
them within the standard. but Of III
lowest character of certificate. Whs
the state board wishes is 20 have thes
teachers study and increase the!
talents and ability 10 teach.
Whenever these teachers. who ar
almost entirely young women. ar
fxF hax do
advance themselves another grade /
passing tests that would enable thei
40 teach in a higher grade. the answs
almost always is that they do not IL
tend 10 remain school teacher a
their life and that il is likely they wi
Net married any way" Confronte
with such an argument the board Ia
been rendered almost powerless 10 cor
with the situation.
one Of the methods adopted by III
board last winter was reading coure
Books selected with the idea OF in
proving the teaching ability and stanC
Ing OF the teachers have been give
them. Tests have been given al fr'
Quent intervals 20 determine whethe
she teacher has advanced because
the course. Not all OF the teachers hay
consented 20 take this course, bl
those who have, have usually ben,
fted.
Another plan which the state ofiicia
nre urging upon all lower grade teach
.rs is the necessity for taking II
course at the summer school. Thos
who have taken this course have usl
ally proflted wonderfully. and the chit
obstacle has been TO induce thef
teachers that there will be high,
salary IL they succeed in being az
United 70 a higher grade.
One plan that was suggested ar
dropped almost as quickly as il va
offered was that OF looping off IF,
dollars from the lower grade teacher
salary ana adding it to the next high
est grade. The members Of the boar
believed that with no incentive no
to induce these instructors 70 adva n,
themselves the looping OF OF tn
money would still further reduce II
enthusiasm they had for teaching.
Eventually. the State Board hop,
TO instill into the teaching staff q
esprit de corps. that will make tho
possessing low grade certificates Gag,
20 advance themselves. The state O
hcials say thep expect within n,
years 70 see all public school instru,
tors anxious TO add TO their talen
pnd efficiency as much as they can,
--
Lieut. Lowe Recovering.
FIRE Lieutenant Thurston NJ. Low
who had his left hand crushed Ia