Evening journal., 1923-02-06
SOUDER PLEADS
FOR SCHOOLS
Situation Bad Enough, "
Says Member of City
and State Boards
AGAINST CUT OF
BUDGET NEEDS

Ellwood Souder, president Of the
Wilmington Board of Education
and a member Of the Delaware
I Board of Education today called
upon members of the Legislature
| to go slow and consider carefully
all phases of the school situation
In Wilmington as well as through
out the State before deciding upon
drastic slashes in appropriation or
changes in method of conducting
the public schools. Mr. SOuder op-
poses any change in the law giving
the local board power to fix the
school tax rate, such as Representa-
tive McManus' bill aims to make.
In his appeal to the Legislature
and the public Mr.. Souder said:
why all this commotion and
criticism of those who are striving
to devise ways and means to provide
educational advantages to the chill
dren of our State?"
Why should any man in order to
be elected to any political position
pledge his every effort to reduce
the tax rate. than open fire exclu-
sively upon the school system and
rob the helpless youth Of that which
means everything to their future
life and citizenship"
Il am heartily in favor of every
thing that goes to make our city
and State great and do everything
possible every day in every way to
make them more important. No bust
ness ever thrived through narrow
contracted views and so-called con-
servatism. 1t is impossible to make a
success Of any enterprise that way
One cannot keep the penny and eX-
pect to get the cake
If we want good schools we must
expect to pay for them. Let us
protect the welfare of our children
and If something must be done to
curtail. let it be something else for a
time, not schools all the time.
Il feel l am IN a position to know
that there was never a time when in
every part of the State the school
system was given more careful at
tention, or greater efficiency brought
about, with the limited amount of
money at the command of those Who
have this important problem TO solve. !
There was never a time when the
people were given such an Opportun- /.
ity to see, hear and understand all /
actions of the boards-city and state |
so why all this controversy? Why /
all this criticism of every effort in /
behalf of the schools and the educa- |
lion of our children? We must have !
schools and IL we are to have schools .
We must have money to run them.
We do npt need more law as badly as
we need sanitary places for our
to occupy from morning till
night while striving to fit themselves .
10 assume the responsibilities of pro-
vid.ng for generations to come. What (
a pity it would be for the next gem
GRAFTON If they are provided for on
such a narrow congested basis as
some of the school rooms afford,
some of our splendid boys and girls
are occupying at the present time.
In many places throughout the
State, most d;sgraceful conditions
exist. The State school law is. per-
laps. about as satisfactory as can be
With exception of few slight
changes suggested by the board,
which would make requirements
more applicable to the routine of ex-
scut.ve work and efficiency.
"The law enacted for Wilmington
by the last Legislature is quite sat
sfactory and needs no change. other
han to have Councnl comply with
IS provisions in backing up and as
iisting the Educational Department
n compliance with this law.
L most sincerely hope that there
Will be no legislation Of discrimina-
ion against the public schools in the
fort of anyone to make good or
ighten the tax burden. The situa.
ion is bad enough. A most dis
proposition, and unless
is done to alleviate mat
ers, and provide for a reasonable
Of this important work.
{ will not only be impossible to in
luce those to continue to assume
his responsibility who are now do r
ng the work, but TO get others to
succeed them who are willing TO un-