Milford chronicle., 1926-12-17
BITS OF EVIDENCE
Illustrating Delaware's Need For
New School buildings.

In the second story room of the
Leipsic building sagging ceiling
has pulled away from the studding,
leaving a gap of three or more in
ches. Great patches of yawning lath
are in evidence everywhere. The
panels have gone from the doors.
The children have patched them up
with pieces of desk and store box.
After the exercise of a great deal OF
ingenuity, the teacher has succeeded
in making it possible to lower two
windows. Before it can be done, how
ever, a child has to go outside and
remove the props" Other windows
are nailed down to protect the coal
bin. Nine feet of stove pipe, broken
in three or four places, running
along an exposed wooden ceiling ad-
ded a terrific fire menace to the sit
uatiOn.
In the Willow Grove District, near
Dover, children work at the black
board with loose, bulging plaster ov-
er their heads. The door, which
leads from the entrance passageway
to the school room has done. This
means an open space and draught
on the backs of the children. Small
wooden store boxes were stuffed in
one or two windows. There is no
water on the premises. Each child
has a soft drink bottle and in these
he carries his drinking water from
the village. In spite of it all, fine
type of school work seemed to be
going on in the building.
Thirty first grade children are
spending five days week in a YES
tibule, size IA IA feet, in the
Brandywine Springs District. Two
small square windows, placed high,
are the sole source of light and ven
tilation. Three long kindergarten
tables, some small chairs upon
which the children are seated, fac
ing each other, five on a side, make
I'D the rooms equipment. Even the
chairs have given out, though, for
one group of children is seated five
| in a row, on a backless bench. The
use of the vestibule for the trst
grade school room has robbed all OF
the children of cloak room space. In
a narrow corridor they attempt to
hang their coats and hats, six on a
hook. "Of course" the teacher sald'
"they are mostly on the floor IN a
heap"
| Millsboro's school was pronounced
too old for repair seven years ago.
This year it is housing 10 children.
| % are in a small building erected at
his own expense, as temporary quar-
ters. by George S. Williams, and ~
are in second story rooms over a
store facing the railroad track. In
the main building light wooden par
titions have been used to divide the
original grade rooms. This has ne
cessitated fifty-one joints of pipe, to
connect the stoves, in use in all OF
the rooms, with common chimney
| Children from two second-story
rooms pass through a small vestibule
size 6 10 feet, on their way to
the wooden stairway. High narrow
windows create dangerous cross
lights in all of the rooms.
First grade cnlluren' qudI Gu
above the store at Millsboro have for
their only play possibilities, a slide
and a few swings, literally set down
in the midst of the woodpile. A
driveway, leading to the freight sta
ton abounds the small play space on
the right; a barnyard on the left.
completes the picture. The school
room for these children is a few in
ches over seven feet in height, heat
ed by stove. The only exit is by way
of one wooden stairway.