Evening journal., 1922-12-08


SCHOOLS. $3.50"
The School Law Of 1921 "empow-
ers and directs" the State Board OF
Education TO cause its provisions
TO be carried into effect, so as to
provide a uniform, equal and effec-
i've system OF public schools
throughout the State"
Though Delaware still has far To
so to realize the ideal OF equal edu-
cational opportunity for oil her chill
dren, yet probably no State in the
Union has better legal provisions
looking toward this end. No other
State contributes directly from the
state Treasury such a large percen-
tage OF the expense OF running its
1 schools. Outside OF the CITY OF
I Wilmington, nearly 100 per cent of
( the cost OF schools is paid from
that source. OF the entire cost of
education in the State, IS per cent
Is distributed by the State Board of
Education from the State Treasury.
! The next nearest State to this in
that respect in 1920 was Texas,
which paid 81 per cent OF the cost |
OF her schools from that source.
Under the present law It is no more |
expensive TO a given school district 4
to run a good school than It is to
run a poor one. There Is no longer
any temptation or reason for n local
BOARD of school trustees to try to
engags the cheapest teacher avail
able in order to keep down the tax
rate, yet any tendency to extrava-
genoe on this point is checked by the
salary schedule. The same IL true
in regard TO all other matters OF
exp snse. which are likewise checked
by the budget limitations
However. when It comes 70 the ,
type of schools maintained, and the
qualifications OF the teachers work.
ing therein, as we'll as tho physical
and educational equpi-
ment of the schools Il is seen that
the Injunction of neither the con-
nor the law Is being obeyed. r
This is also true both In regard to q
'ohools are kept open, and more y
particularly true in regard to the a
number OF days children In various C
parts OF the State are sent 10 school.
The one-teaoher school. undertake q
Dg TO teach from six to eight grades. Il
las been shown over and over again a
o be an adequate instrument OF e
nodern education. The day Of the c
ALLOWED little red schoolhouse" Is b
rome forever in progressive rural c.
communities, and Il has taken its s
~ he =
pinning wheel, the scythe and
radle, and the wooden pillow. When IT
10 was simple and required only
he RS, 81 served a most useful 81
urpose. But life is no longer sim Il
lie. II is growing daily more COM B.
lex and oorrespondingly more diff
at Pupils in one-teacher schools -
18th all grades cannot be adequately
repaired to meet these new de-
lands.
OF 1877 teachers who began teach
is last year with provisional certif-
ites, over 100 of them were in one
,aoher rural schools. Only extra
rdinary devotion to a local rural
will induce the best
'aohsrs TO teach such schools for
ore than year or two. hence a
instant change OF teachers, TO the
'ejudlos OF the quality OF the work.
poorly prepared teacher with a
,or instrument cannot train chill
en- 20 the best advantage. III
Rural buildings, with the rarest
ceptions. are among the poorest
fuses IN the community. and,
ough the work IN them has i'm
owed UNNECESSARILY in the last
rec or four years. they tend to
scourage rather than to inspire
sals and effort
The children living IN communi-
5 where such schools exist are
nalized for living there in their
* OF educational opportunity as
impaired with the opportunities OF
lldren where graded schools are
tintained.
Last year one district in New
stle county, eight in Kent and
'ty-three in Sussex, by action of
,ir local boards of school trustees
der the law permitting the same,
Iuced their school term from $50
100 days, and thus limited the
,ortunities of their own children,
.hout any saving in their taxes.
st year 2,75S children OF the
to outside OF Wilmington attend
school fewer than 100 days.
OF opportunity TO its citi-
- as far as Government agencies
concerned, is the boosted claim
democracy. America spells OPP
'tunity" said Chief Justice Fuller
E State owes as much to one child
to another, their mental and ply
Al powers being equal. This IS
e, no matter in what part Of the
te the child happens to live.
rhe existence of school districts
the State having been operative
Delaware for half century The
,lication OF the same idea 70 pre-
t one-room country schools Is
ng to be one OF the means of
ing the farmers children an edu-
ional chance equal to that OF
ir town cousins.
Equality Of educational opportun-
will not come in Delaware until
one-teacher school, where from
, s grades Of work are attempted
eliminated; until every boy and
has a professionally trained
her, as we'll as a professionally
ned physician; until there is
liable to every boy and girl in
State a proper school building
perly equipped for his physical,
tal and moral development; I'M
every boy and girl can attend
! a school at least goo hours In