Milford chronicle., 1922-03-10
MESSICK'S SCHOOL
(near BridgeViIIel

I | UlSlIll
r and by giving the facts publicity, wi
. certainly do the children of the ne5
3 generation great good. 1t seems thf
, tie men who were elected, or appoint
. ed members of the local school boar,
, have never read the school laws, @
did no. understlld them when the
looked at them. They even want to b
! paid for acting as members of the 10
cal school board. 1t would be ridic
ulOus, if it were not so amazing t
learn of the ignorance and averice O
men in any community. They are o
the kind who would demand tina
their children or wives, deliver owe
to them the cash earned from pickin,
berries-so that they could be pait
for permitting their families to work
But we will let the correspondent whC
sent in the report of the work of th'
citizens committee, which seems Il
have turned up a very unsavory mess
in which a rural school district has
dropped into. The report follows:
At the regular meeting of the Della
ware Apple Parent-Teacher Associa.
tion of Messick's School District, q
committee was appointed to investi-
gate and cooperate with the local
school board, if possible, to learn the
real conditions existing at the Mes
sick's School with the purpose in
view Of trying to correct the troubles
or, at least to get into touch with
the local school board and advise
them as to the best plans to persue.
The committee appointed was: Fran
els B. McCaull, chairman; Francis
Morgan. Mrs. w. B. Connoway, Harry
LOfand and William Short.
The committee met on March End
with all members present, and also
the two teachers, Misses Nancy Tru-
lit and Florence Isaacs. The attend
ance laws were first read and it was
deemed necessary for all the people
to get acquainted with these laws.
The poor attendance at the school
was next taken up, and after discus
sion, the secretary, Miss Truitt, was
told to get the information from the
visiting teacher, who stated that the
attendance laws were not in effect
which miss-information has caused
part Of the poor attendance at the
Messick School. By this impression
getting fixed in the minds of some of
the people it has led into a serious
situation.
We realize that the weather condi-
tions have been unusual this wh>ter-
but some of the absentees Esve gone
to the extreme in attendance. 1t is
hoped that the activities of this COM
mittee will be big factor in causing
an improved attendance by the chill
dren of the district.
The laws defining the duties and
powers of the local school board in
rural schools, was then taken up and
discussed. 1t was clearly shown that
-he local school board is in possession !
If more power than they seem to have |
realized-which probably was the re-
suit of the members of that board |
falling to read the laws, or under |
stand them after they did read. 1t |
was reported that the reason why the
ocal school board had not functioned
was that they received no pay for
heir services. The question asGad by
hose present was: what have these
men done to deserve pay for their
ervice?" This was unansWerable. If
hey were too lazy to act, or too ig-
lorant of the duties. they agreed to
or without interest, they
hould have resigned long ago.
We learned that there is only one
ian as member Of the local school
oard who does anything-and when
e performs the duty of holding cleo
ons or making reports, he may get
ay, or he may nOt-that has nothing
} do with the case.
It seems to have been shown, and
le people are asking why, if only
ne man is needed on a local board,
-hy should three be elected?
The men men chosen then are cap
BILE of doing big things for the
there has been a lack of
as a board.
The question was asked-Why was
Ot a copy of the school laws sent to
le local board by the State Board of
ducatiOn? That might seem to be
srtinent questiOn-but to any man of
1erage ability to think for himself,
is surprising that he failed to get
copy from Georgetown, or request
lat a copy be sent to his address
he was interested sufficient to act
|
norance in this case, is no excuse.
Mr.. McCaull had several questions
hich he had sent to the Superin-
ndent of Public Schools, which dealt
ith the Messick School-one was as
llows: Why should this community
I'VE to contribute money raised at a
cial, to purchase a globe for the
hool?
In reply, we were told by him,
hat we should have had a globe ten
ars ago." This reply was greeted
th laughter and called absurd. A
mark was made-"We don't want to
ow what we should have had, but
lat we are going to have"
It is possible that the Superintend-
t never saw the letter we sent to
n, and it was possibly answered by
assistant. If this be true-then it
the assistants who are directing
, schools and not the Superintend-
t. But, I am sure that the state
nts Of the Superintendent himself
4 be depended upon, or he would
t be in his present position-for
en a statement of those in author
can not be depended upon, our eff
ts are useless.
letter was directed sent to the To- !
school board here to repair the I
mp and fix the stove at once.
recommendations were also made as n
lows: That the school rooms be
'ainted; put new floor in one