Smyrna times., 1923-01-03
LEGISLATORS AND EDUCATORS
MEET.|N STATE CONFERENCE
LUNCHEON AT DOVER ARRANG-
ED BY SUPT. III. v. HOLLOWAY
Public School Matters Discussed and
a Number of Able Papers Read and
Addresses Made Regarding Laws

Addresses Made Regarding Laws
With the idea of considering edu-
cational matters in Delaware, the
members of the State School Associa-
ton and of the General Assembly had
a luncheon at the Capitol Hotel in
Dover Thursday afternoon. Many
persons were in attendance, the Legis-
lature, as well as the educational au-
thorities, being we'll represented. The
luncheon had been arranged by H. V.
Holloway, State superintendent of ed
ucation, who had invited all interested
in the subject to attend. Each person
paid his or her own expense, the cost
being 81 plate. The object of the
luncheon was to consider educational
matters all over the state and also to
consider proposed changes in the
school laws. School problems in the
State, as well as the plans of the State
Board of Education for launching the
proposed $3,000,000 building program
were discussed. All of the members
of the State Board of Education were
present. DR.. Thomas r. Brown, pres
ident of the State Board, acted as pre-
siding officer. The speakers were
Miss Ellen Samworth, of the State
Educational Association; Ellwood
Souder, of the State Board of Educa-
tion, whose subject was "The News of
Wilmington" Eugene Shallcross, mem
ber of the State Board of Education;
M. E. Culver, also of the State Board
whose subject was "The Problem as
Seen From Sussex" Colonel Theodore
Townsend, whose subject was "The
Duty of the State to Itself in the Ed
ucation of its Children" VIII. Jump,
assistant state superintendent, in
charge of elementary schools gave an
interesting talk On ''The Work of
Schools" 10. Adams, business man.
ager of the State Board of Education,
spoke on "The Finances;" John Shill-
ing, assistant state superintendent in
charge of high schools,on "The School
Budget" H. V. Holloway, state su-
perintendent of public instruction,
spoke on the subject of most impor-
tanee to those present "The Building
Program" During the course of the
meeting there was chorus singing.
The conference began at 1890 o'clock.
Outstanding Features of Conference
One of the outstanding features of
the meeting was the formal launching
by the State Board of Education of its
proposed $3,000,000 school building
program throughout Delaware. This
is one of the most important subjects
that will be presented to the Legisla-
ture and it will be one of the first
bills offered, but just what the MEM
bers present thought of the PROPOSE
tion they did not state. One thing the
state school officials endeavored to
forcibly impress upon the minds of the
General Assembly who were present
was the query as to whether the white
children of Delaware are going to have
the use of public schools as good as
those now being used by the negro
children of the State. The fact that
many of the negro school buildings
are so far superior to many of those
used by the white children apparently,
is a source of much discouragment to
all those in Delaware who are inter
ested in the educational system of
this state and they seemingly are
keenly desirous of having this condi-
ton remedied without delay. One re-
grettable fact of the conference was
the small number of members of the
Legislature who attended. Of the So
members of the General Assembly
only ten or eleven put in an appear
ance. The meeting was arranged to
save time later on when the Legisla-
ture is in session, for it required time
to explain what the State Board OF
Education is planning to do and the
members Wanted the legislators to be
familiar with the entire project before
voting on it later. AS DIR. H. V. Hol.
loway, state superintendent of public
schools, explained, it costs about $1.5(
per minute to talk to the Legislature
| Wnen Lne session SJdfLS.
Nothing Definite Was Accomplished
Nothing definite was accomplished
at the meeting, as nothing definit'
had been planned for accomplishment
The sole purpose of the conferenc'
was to inform the members of tn
General Assembly of the schoo
boards new building program and tn
needs Of the public schools in thi
state. 1t was made clear that tn
State Board of Education and ever.
official of the State Department o
Education wants the members of tn
General Assembly to consider sue
officials at their service whenever the
desire information on educations
matters in this State and it was re
peatedly urged that the members Q
the Legislature first inform them
selves on school subjects before the