The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-05-07
COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE UPON THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

We have long thought that there ough
to be law compelling Indifferent parent,
10 send their children to school at leas
twenty weeks in they Since we have
become moro intimately acquainted with
the workings Of the free schools our
opinion has been confirmed. Strange as
1t may seem to the cultivated or partially
cultivated intellect, it Is nevertheless true
that some people don't ,oant their children,
educated. This world is made up of all
sorts of people. On the one hand, W.
hear man abusing the free school sys.
TEN, while on the other, one admires the
system per sc and spegks hopefully of its
future developments. Ono pays twenty
dollars school tax and will not send hib
children to tho public school, while his
neighbor who paid fifty cents sends six
children five months, and grumbles be.
cause the school doesn't last twice as
long. When the free school closes, no
stops his whole tribe. If you mention
the importance of supplementing the
teachers salary and continuing the
school ten months, you touch very ten.
der place in his heart (his pocket, and
with ashrug Of the shoulders that means
great deal, he says: 81 pay my taxes
and that is NIL III do" Poor fellow he
paid fifty cents tax and sent six children
during the whole public school term, and
is ready to cuss if he imagines his ina
liehable rights are tampered with In any
way whatever. But this is not the class
that we are after now. Not few chill.
dren in Anderson County are barred the
privilege Of attending school, not by any
natural barrier, but by an unnatural in.
difference or dogged carelessness on the
part of the parent. The State proposes
to give all her children the rudimenh of
an education. Anything that is worth
undertaking is worth doing we'll. Since
she has undertaken to do this, it ought
to be done efiectually, in spite Of the in.
difference or positive opposition Of
paTents. In other words, school attend.
ance ought to be compulsory. Let our
State follow the example Of New Jersey.
Her law requires all children hstween
five and twelve years of age to attend
school at least twenty weeks during the
year. Were that the law with US, VIZ
confident the average school attenda :,
in Anderson County would be much
larger. Ono would be surprised to know
how many children are out of school
during the session, and surprised at the
irregular attendance of those who pre-.
tend to 60. The teacher has no way of
forcing attendance. Neither the School
Commissioner nor the Trustees can cor.
rect the evil. The Legislature can do it.
Let such steps be taken as are absolutely
necessary. The school officers will see
that the law is enforced. No child can
make much progress If allowed to 60 to
school one day and stay at home the
next. Parents ought to know this. The
State knows it and ought to take steps to
correct tt. We have thought that much
OF the poor work attributed to the public
school system is attributable to irregular
attendance. We have noticed that in
some schools the teacher has to teach a
new school nearly every day. : In such
cases, the State is encouraging foolish.
ness and sanctioning farce. The School
Commissioner is tied, the Trustees are
tied, the teacher is TIED, and the patrons
are at liberty to send or MOI send just as
1t suits their convenience or is agreeable
to their peculiar whims. Such state of
thinpa ouoht mt IN ha toleratad