Year: 1873

The members Of the State Legislature while OF


tn ir visit to Wilmington last week, took great IL


teoest in visiting our public schools and in wit


,ssing the exercises ofthe pupils. Their expires


siOns Of approval and qualification aflerward wert


open and frequent.


There is a geuer.l desire throughout .he Sat,


10 improve the present schools and educate


more thoroughly the youth Of both sexes. This


is matter of great consequences; one of neces-


sity unless the people willing that their child


rCn shall be behind the age, and suffer- as ali who


now neglect education must do, in after years


Our schools in Wilmington have grown up


gradually and have been more than quarter ~


century in arriving al their present high and


gratifying condition. In that time they have


cost great deal of money But they have been


worth four-fold their cost, considered in n money


valuation ; as it costs now four times as much to


educate the same number Of scholars at private


schools.


There is a great and growing desire to improve
the education in the school districts in Kent and
Sussex as well as New Castle This can only be
done by the expend ture of more money 1t is
impossible to have good schools without paying
for them. But investments in schools in the end
bring the most profitable and satisfactory dyi-
dends


Our present school laws permit the people in
every school district 20 tax themselves as highly
as Ney see proper for school purposes The
want seeG>s 'c oc in the people and not with the
law. Whert the people vote 10 raise by tax only
two or three hundred dollars every year for
school purposes they cannot expect To have very |
good schools. That will not support good |
school, even when the State contribution is added
By the employment Of a competent female teach !
er, three hundred dollars may be made 10 keep |
fclool Of p 10 50 pupils open about eight !
m )nths in the year. But this is not all that is |
necessary. To have good schools they mus, he |
kept open the whole year round, aud the school |
house should never be closed except during yaca-
ton, il teacher can be had.


Six hunderd dollars judciously used would |
probably keep open school offfypupfs during |
the year round; and this much should be voted /
Those who want good schools will have TO tax
themselves or their desires will not be met. They
have ine matter in theirown hands now. sbuuld
any other system be. adopted in lieu Of the one
we have there will be no escape from the tax for
school purposes. The money will have to be
raised of the people before it is expended
'S"f e'N PSOl'iV VI e'tCh IlSltlct TAX themselves
'na expend for themselves or their schools all the
AK 'tat they pay. II the law is changed the
sch Is would likely be graded in some way.
l. ie high schools would be located in the
oAA-; or would require larger expenditures. and
hose living in the vicinity would receive tbe
greatest advantage.


What il most neediul in our State is that n
'pirit favorable 10 education be cultivated More
enthusiasm in the cause Of education should be
weakened in every district and the people induced
o vote enough tax, and pay it, to keep teacher
md good school open the whole year. The conn
ry youth arc not given a fair cLauce They are
great many cases, only permitted TO 90 TO
chOol In the fall and winter and very frequently
ose ground by their absence in the summer - il
hey are thus tardy in learning, until Overgrown
oys, and feeling Of backwardness aud sepsi a
iveness causes frequently an abandonment of
chool altogether matter OF choice, while the f.
'arent is influenced TO let the child take This "
oursc from The fact thai he is useful o., the farm
men our country boys allowed 20 grow up }
Tithout as much learning as is necessary and Of
IN with comparatively none at all


There is no district in the State that is not able
} keep male or female teacher all the year /
'und, if the people would tax themselves; and
ley wiz never have good or even medium
hOols, until they meet this expense