Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-01-27
COMMUNICATED.

Mr.. Editor-It would seem as if nc
one is willing to make an effort to have
our School Law revised or amended,
though the faults and deficiencies of the
law must be apparent 10 all. Some
things under the law are too well pro-
vided for, and some not provided for at
all; and an instance of this is the matter
of irregular and non attendance of chill
dren; another is the trouble OF getting
books from the parents for the children.
There are other Deficiencies Of the law
of which mention could be made, but
those already named are considered as
the greatest drawbacks TO the successful
operations of the schools.
Gov Robinson in his message to the
New York Legislature said, in refer
euce to free schools: The only grounds
upon which citizens who have no chill
dren of their own can be compelled TO
pay taxes FOL the education OF the chill
dren of others is that it is necessary for
the safety of the whole people under
our form of government. 1t seems
therefore To- be the duty OF State to
see 10 it. that each and every citizen, so
far as practicable, is so educated as TO
enable him" &c Now though these
remarks were not applied direct to the
matter Of attendance, yet it embraces II,
for if the State does not see to it that
each and every child attends some
school at least tour months iii the year,
great injustice is done large portion
of tax payers Oar school law is pecu-
liarly loose In respect TO attendance.
Parents are lett to exercise their own
pleasure in regard to sending their chill
dren TO school, ;hey send Them if it suits
them, If not they keep their children at
home, aud thus deprive them of the ed
ucation tue law (aul tax payers) pro
vides for them. | do not think it
would be at all injurious to the Repub
lican spirit of orr government If West
Virginia could have a compulsory law,
such as some nine or ten Of the States
have at the present time, aud which has
proved satisfactory TO the people OF
those States. The cost of educating
the youth of West Virginia is consider
able, but the bill is cheertully paid by
tax payers aud, as we have already A.
gued, they are done an injustice if a
better attendance is not secured
A few figures taken from Gov. ia
cobs' last message, may possibly be of
interest here. In 1876 there were in
this State lS4, 900 children of the prop
er age to attend school out ofthis
number only l23,000 were enrolled, and
oy regular attendance this is reduced to
10000 i'll regular daily attendance. 1t
is therefore safe to say that after deduc-
ting for those in attendance at other
schools, that there are near $4,000 chill
dren that received no education at all.
Aud although greater number were
enrolled, and greater number of
schools were ir operation during the
past Year than in 1875, yet the regular
daily attendance was 1000 less i'll &c
than in rs, which fact is ertainly no
advancement in this respect.
Cannot we then have law to rene
dy this matter of attendance | think
the permauency of the Free School Sys-
TEN depends upon it. Much might be
argued in favor of compulsory law,
but as my remarks are already too
lengthy l will close by saying that if
we can't have compulsory law, let us
have some kind of an amendment that
will secure larger and more regular
attendance in our schools.
PED A. GOGUE.