Smyrna times., 1947-02-13

had to be devoted to vocational
work. To comply, the students
dropped several academic courses.
The Agriculture Department, Prof
N. F. Thurston, instructor, was
busy in shop work, the aim Of
which was to teach the boys the
proper use of tools and the ways
to construct numerous articles
which every farmer was felt to
need.
During the legislative session of
1919, the main issue was the New
Delaware School Code. There was
considerable objection to this bill
in its original form, as many mem
bers believed that it conferred too
much power and authority upon
the State Commissioner Of Educa-
tion and took too much power
away from the State Board of Ed
Ication. However, despite objec-
tions most people were in favor Of
its passage as there had been no
general effective revision Of the
school laws of Delaware since the
legislative sessions of 1875, when
provision was first made for a
State Superintendent Of public
schools. After being once defeated
the new School Code was so
amended as to make majority
vote necessary, instead of a two
thirds vote and was finally passed,
with amendments limiting the
powers conferred upon the Com
missioner The two outstanding
features of the Code were, first,
that it provided State supervision
of education which fixes the mini
mum standards of education in our
State through the State Board and
second, it provided equal opportun-
tiles of education of all children in
the State. The special district and
county boards We're to arrange for
the appointment of teachers pass
ing the examination provided by
the State Board, and also the sup
ervision Of the teaching force and
provide for the consolidation of the
schools. In May, 1919, the Smyrna
School Board, by unanimous vote
decided to adopt the new School
Code. Smyrna, therefore, became
one of the possible five Special
School Districts of Kent County
The difficulties arose when they
discovered that the district did not
meet the following requirements:
ample grounds, building and equip
nent The building would not
have passed the test for a Gram
mar School, and it would not have
begun to accommodate the pupils
and teachers of the High School
for the next year, adequately.
Feeling that it would be most
desirable to become a special dis
trict, if possible, the citizens of the
Town Immediately set out to do
what was possible in the way of
meeting the requirements. Dis
cIlssions of a new school building
brought on heated battle between
three factions: those who favored
a location in Smyrna, those want
ing it in Clayton and those who
wanted to cement relations by put
ing it half way between the two
towns. These latter saw a school
building with a good road and a
cement walk with shade trees on
either side. This they believed to
be the perfect solution to smooth
ing the road between one incorpor-
sated municipality, Smyrna-Clayton.
However, recognizing the advant-
ages of placing the new School in
Smyrna, (the nearness of facilities
being, perhaps the greatest) the
new and modern school facing on
Frazier Street was constructed.
Prior to this, in 1919, the follow
ing resolution was adopted by the
Kent County Board of Education;
Resolved, that the special school
district, known as Smyrna Special
District, be and the same is hereby
enlarged to include District No. 119,
known as Clayton, District No. 2,
known as Alley District, No. 6
known as Seversons and such part