Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-24
REPORT TO DIRECTORS
ON DETROIT SCHOOLS
Chamber Of Commerce Conn.,
mittee Urges Improvement to
educational System.

Joseph 8. Hamilton. Fred II. Gawth-
rop and Alfred ID. Warner. Jr.. constl- !
tutinx a committee from the Chamber
OF Commerce, who visited Detroit at
the time when members OF city coun-
ell and tho board OF education went to
that city to inspect the schools there.
made a report to tho board OF direc-
tors OF the Chamber OF Commerce yes
terday afternoon, embodying their
opinions and making suggestions The
report follows:
"On January 18th a request from the
Service Citizens WIS prescnted TO the
board Of directors asking that n
Chamber of Commerce delegation as
soclate itself with n party OF the pub
lie authorities. which was planning
TO vlsit the city of Detroit on January.
Gath. for the purpose OF inspecting
some Of the modern school buildings
of that city and for the further pur-
pose of observing In actual operation
what is known an the Platoon system
and Work-Study-Play plan.
Mindful of the Chambers repeated
advocacy OF needed Improvement in
the public school situation. and feel
Ing that n decided step forward had
been taken by Wilmington In secur5
Ing a seven member school board
whose earnest efforts should be sup
ported TO tho utmost. tho board well
coined the opportunity and formally
authorized tho appointment Of such n
delegation or committee rs had been
requested.
"Messrs. Joseph Hamilton. Fred ".
Gawthrop and A. ID. Warner. Jr.. were
appointed TO represent this organizs- .
tion.
''The entire day. January oath. was
devoted to the inspection. your com
mites Joining tho Official party nj 8
n. m Through the generosity OF the
General Motors Corporation there was
adequate motor transportation for all
which also enabled us 10 cover more
ground than would have been the case
otherwise
ABOUT three hours were spent al
the PattengilI School--pupil capacity
2.000-during tho morning. Here we
had the opportunity 10 measure the
full efficiency OF the platoon system
We will not go into a detailed de-
| scription OF this for the reason that
such has repeatedly appeared In the
local press during the past two
months It is sufficient 10 say how
ever. that "A method or practice which
enables school building TO serve
> approximately 30eo more pupils thar
customarily obtains. would naturally
command the approval Of any bushes:
man, and It so impressed us Patteu-
gill In now building. Incorporating tn,
latest ideas in school facilities snd oi
course designed especially TO render
easy the handling OF tho WORK study
play plan. II is needless TO say thai
we wondered at the order and disci-
pline which prevailed. when 1000 chill
dren ranging from s TO IL years o
, Iage, shifted from their verious class.
rooms. 10 whatever other rooms wher,
they might be next engaged. but th'
keen interest and happiness which ap.
peared everywhere must have been TN,
basis OF 1t. Their day is full Of inter.
ests. activities and responsibilities anC
, they seem 10 meet and work out theiI
own little problems with a fullness o
pleasure which must cause many o
them a regret when the closing hou
= makes II necessary TO leave.
Lunch was enjoyed at one of tn
high schools which comprises a grou
OF six buildings and a seventh in cours
OF erection. Though our party we
served by some OF the girl pupils. thi
In II s.,t
and we were informed that satisfaC
" tory hot lunches were obtainable q
. from IS cents TO 81 cents. The YER
, elaborate meal served TO use Wis
" tors was said to be listed at ~ cent
About two hours in the afternoo
:. we're devoted 70 visiting the Bale
o School-pupil capacity 1000. The pls
/ toon system was in operation at tn
l. school too. but our principal intere
y was in observing the operation Of q
= class IN civics. This class was organiz'
y as the Truly American Good Cover
N ment Club. its proceedings being pr
81 sided over by a president and seer
he tary, age Ia. About ten committee r
ports were read bearing on good ord,
ir personal health. clea nliness CT groun
r lation, etc. An exceedingly interestil
IN physical feature OF this school was
r. adaptability TO community use. A co
C. siderable part of it. incorporate
sv swimming tank, gymnasium, meeti
SO rooms. Americanization class room
70 etc. comprised a building within itse
"a having its own entrances and could
y shut Off from the main school bull
to Ing. This school IS located in the mid
or Of large foreign born population a
so eager are these men, women a
children TO make use of modern faci
ties TO improve their own mental a
physical condition, that this secti
es OF the Balch School is used by oN
r. 900 persons each week. Each gro
ef of persons must be organized into
nj club of some sort to qualify for I
IL privileges offered and so we fou
nd Boy Scout Troops, cooking class
ay sewing classes, basketball clu
oy swimming classes. mems study clu
n and 50 forth. making full use OF I
d. facilities offered them by the Detr
Bos-d of Education.
I'VE feel this report is already
long but even 30 II Ia only genera
Zation of what we had the privile
"a. of viewing on January 24th II Is c
A. feeling that the educational suthorit
OF Detroit have taken great stri,