Smyrna times., 1958-08-28
Annual Report Of
School Praises
Local Agencies,
Cites Advances

the year 1888 was presented
to the Smyrna Board of Educa-
ton at the regular August
meeting "wednesday, August
27th) by the school superintend-
ent. The 25-page report, cover
ing items such as finances, test
ing programs, library services,
and nursing services, commend
ed a number of community or
ganizations for their assistance
during the year. Picked out for
special praise were the police
and fire departments, The Smyr-
ma Times, and Mrs. H. c. Webb,
News Journal correspondent.
Mrs. Rachel Lane, senior secre-
tary and bookkeeper of the
Smyrna Schools, was also cited
for her service to the school.
The report, contrary to previous
reports which emphasized fin
ances, placed greater emphasis
on curriculum and the various
educational programs within the
school. The report still contain
ed a detailed summary of all
school expenses during the past
school year, both local and
state. A copy of this portion of
the report will be mailed to all
residents of the Smyrna Special
School District.
Staff Increases To 81
Two features of the report
were the review of enrolment
increases and study of the
progress made toward fulfilling
the recommendations of the
1857 evaluation of the school.
In 1954-55 there were 43 teach
ers in the schools of the Smyrna
Special School District. At the
end of the 1888 school year
the district was entitled to 81
teachers. This represented bet
ter than a 40 per cent increase
in teaching staff in four years.
Since teaching staff in Della
ware is based on enrolment,
this represents a significant gain
in enrolment. This gain has
forced the district to expand its
facilities and IA classrooms are
presently being added to the
buildings of the district.
Secondary Improvements
The report summarized the
improvements that have been
made as a result of the evalua-
ton of the high school in the
spring of 1857. Many items
suggested by the evaluators are
now under way, other items re-
main to be done. The annual
report shows that during the
year of progress the following
items requested by the Middle
State Evaluators are either &C.
complished or we'll under way
two additional years of Agricul'
ture added, all teachers in Busi'
ness Education Department full
ly certified, improvement of typ
ing-bookkeeping rooms, addition
of electric typewriters and Other
business machines, more EN-
phasis on speech and writing ir
English courses, relocation anc
improvement of nurses quarters
renovation of Home Economics
facilities, new Industrial Arts
building with enlarged facilities
more frequent band and chorus
rehearsalS, more adequate
gymnasium with facilities fol
boys and girls to participate 81
multaneously, better Science ia
cilities (only partly accomplish
ed), Library freed of study hal
use, and provision made for pro
fessional rebinding of books
The Middle States Association
of Schools and Colleges is tht
accrediting association for thu
schools and colleges in this area
Smyrna High School has beer
accredited since 1928. Most o
the building facilities presently
under construction are a direc
result of the recommendation
of this committee.
Promotion Cited
The annual report also sum
married. the testing program il
effect in the elementary ant
high schools, the use and facil
tiles of the high school library
the statistics on non-promotiol
(showing that 90 per cent of al
elementary pupils were promot
ed in the 1957-58 school year.
the nurses report detailing i'll
ness and accidents in the dis
trict, the sports program within
the school, and a report on
study of arithmetic test result
in the Smyrna Elementar,
School. The arithmetic report