Smyrna times., 1923-01-17
DELAWARE SCHOOL AUXILIARY
SPENT NEARLY TWO MILLION
S8 BUILDINGS ERECTED AND 250
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Twenty of These Buildings Put up in
Kent County, Mostly for COlOred
PeOpIe-DrOp Five Locations

rooms nave been erected ana Z0O COM
munity organizations have been form
ed to date by the Delaware School
Auxiliary Association, according to
the report of DIR. Joseph H. Odell, pre-
sident, which was read to the assOcia-
tion at it's meeting last week in its
headquarters in the dupont building.
The colored school construction pro-
gram for the entire state will be prac-
tically completed February l, Dr.Odell
said, with the exception of two build
ings; one at Iron Hill and the other
at New Castle. Both of these are un-
der construction. This program in
cludes 80 schools of 148 rooms, the
total cost of sites, construction and !
equipment being $1,025,000.
While it has spent $1,025,OO0. on
colored schools, the association also !
expended for white schools, for sites,
architects fees, construction and
equipment, $771,0O0, and is now in a
position to cooperate with the State
Board of Education or other constitu-
ted authorities in the State for a
building program on behalf of the
white pupils, DR.. Odell said. This pro-
gram cannot be even outlined because
it will be dependent upon the action
of the General Assembly now in ses-
sion, he said.
Several Locations Are Now Available
Five locations on which $4,000 was
to have been expended, DR.. Odell ex-
planned, are unavailable at the present
time. They follow:
Two in the Caesar Rodney district
where public opinion has prevented
any work. One at Townsend where
we have had options on five sites, but
local prejudices and legal difficulties
have prevented US from securing any.
One at St. Georges which must
await the construction of the white
school.
One consolidation at Bethesda and
WilliamsVlle for which no site ap-
pears available.
The project of building a consoli-
dated school of seven contiguous dis
tricts near st. Georges should be
dropped, DR.. Odell advised, unless the
consolidation can be effected by the
close of the present school year.
According to official statistics of the
State Board of Education, the attend
ance of school children enrolled in the
public schools of Delaware was an av-
erage per pupil attendance of 80 days
in 1918-19; 118 days in 1919-20; 12S
days in 1920-21, and 1872 days in 1921
%, which amounts to total increase
of Al days for about $4,000 school
children. This is the most remarkable
advance in school attendance reported
in the entire United States, DR.. Odel
stated.
This has been accomplished, DR.
Odell believes, by the prizes for at
tendance which the association hai
given by the medical and dental worl
which it has financed, by the erection
of new schools by the work of com
munity organizations and by the visit
ing teachers. supplied by the associa
tiOn.
Since Dr. William j. French left tn
Child Welfare Commission, the woll
of the Dental Unit has been carrie,
on under the direction of a denta
committee, which has acted in an ad
visOry capacity since the beginning o
the work. The unit has been doini
creditable work in Sussex county an
will give a demonstration in Dove
during the meeting of the Legislature
, Following DIR. Odell's report resolu
, tions were passed instructing the pres
ident to inform the State Board o
. Education that after the present yea
no money would be available for pay
! ing wishing teachers or to make up de
, ficits in the salaries of supervisors.
+ Report of Expenditures to Schools
!. Receipts to date were reported t
$ be $2,033, ,494.50 and expenditure
e 81 ,960,0 leaving a balance @
( $73,415.24. The expenditures incluC
e ed:
0 White schools, $646, 6,947.46; negr
= schools, 1864, 1882; Women's Colleg,
n $51 ,512.8O; colored college, $2S,612.1s
architect, $91, ,263.12; pupil enrollmer
d $56,909.38; attendance campaign, SIS
t 1855; visiting teachers, $11,2O9.1z
n teacher training, $5,156.77; supervi,
g ing teachers, etc. .,$10,8 ,865.22; opportur
ity class, $116.67; survey city school
$6,O00; Wilmington building program
$2,4701S; dental unit, $22, ,065.52; Pa
It ent-Teacher Associations, $2,468.1;
d Grafonolas, $4,249.50; fire protection
/ $1,829.25; University of Delawal
l. Press, $2,505.04; Office expense, $34
: 696; employees working fund, $780,
I petty cash fund, 5000. Total, $1,960
d 079.26.
. Buildings Erected New Castle Count
. The erection of twenty-five bulk
. ings, containing fifty-one rooms,
= New Castle county was reported III