Smyrna Times

STATE SCHOOL REPORT YEAR

Dr. Holloway Shows $5,591,915 Outlaid and 44,888 Pupils BUILDINGS TOTAL 233

Delaware schools had a total enrollment of 44,888 during the fiscal year ended last June 30 during which the State spent $5,591,915.48 on education, according to the annual report of the Department of Public Instruction, released last week by Dr. H. V. Holloway, State Superintendent. The cost of educating each student during the year, based on total current expenditures, was $102.60. It cost 56 cents a day for each student. Since 1930, there has been an increase in our enrollment from 42,098 to 44,888, an increase of 6.6 per cent. It is important to note, however, that the enrollment in grades 1-6 began to decrease in the school year 1931-32, and has continued from a 6 per cent decrease through .8 per cent, 1.4 per cent, 2.2 per cent to 2.5 per cent for 1935-36. Dr. Holloway makes these three recommendations provided funds permit: That the remaining half of the salary cut of 1933-35 be restored, that it be made possible to restore salary increments for a successful teaching experience, and that provision be made for a teacher retirement fund to which the State and the teachers shall contribute equally. He reported a continued tendency of parents to take their children out of one-room schools and send them to graded schools. At another place in the report Dr. Holloway said: "Outside of Wilmington there are approximately 2,000 pupils in Delaware who are yet housed in old, unsatisfactory, or overcrowded classrooms, which indicates an additional need of approximately seventy classrooms." Among major features of the Delaware school system in the fiscal year are listed: Delaware provided 233 buildings for school purposes during the school year 1935-36. Of these, 109 were one-room schools and 24 were two-room schools. Twenty-nine buildings were used partially or wholly for high school purposes. Eighty-one buildings were given over to the education of Negro children. During the school year 1935-36 there were 14 one-room schools less than in 1934-35, or 184 less than in 1920-21 and 245 less than in 1900-01. All the schools of the State were open an average of 182 days during the year. The average for the State board unit was 181 days, for the special districts 183 and for Wilmington 185 days. Transportation at public expense was provided for 10,430 pupils during the year. Of these, 8,901 were transported by contract and 1,529 by private conveyance. The children were transported an average of 146 days at a total cost of $295,093.84. The average cost per child per year was $28.29 and per day 19.3 cents. The number of pupils transported this year was 480 less than last year. The total cost decreased $6,460.75. The 312-page annual report is profusely illustrated with photographs of buildings and other equipment. It is thoroughly indexed and contains scores of charts, tables, and inserted sheets giving breakdowns of the major data in minute detail.