Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-01-24
Watson chllds read the following OF
the same subject.
Watson Ch,ld's papey

Whenever any scheme is brought
forward which seems likely to require
money at the hands of the taxpayer,
or if he is required to designate by
his vote whether he he is In favor Of
such measure, he is pretty sure to
be on hand at the proper time and
place to cast his vote as his personal
interests may dictate. But with our
common school it seems somewhat
different. We pay our taxes usually
without much complaint for we know
the money must come anyway, then
give the subject no further thought,
but leave the results with the teacher
and two or three school officers, not
even thinking of the amount Of this
expenditure or whether our children
are getting q full share of the same.
Therefore think it may not be out of
place to go back to the early days of
our system and note the wonderful
growth and development of our COM.
mon schools. Beginning with 1848,
two years after Iowa had been admit
ted as state, we find there were 1O5
ungraded schools and 1874 teachers en-
ployed. l01 of these were men and
80 women. The number of pupils was
7OT. The men were paid $15.73 and
the women $3.50 per month. Ten
years later there were 2800 teachers
employed and sc, 574 pupils enrolled.
In 1868, 10,969 teachers were en-
ployed and 279, O07 pupils enrolled,
with an average attendance Of 100, 773,
showing lis, 234 as absent. For fear
these ten-year numbers may seem
dry, we will pass on from 1868 to 1898
and note what a change thirty years
has brought about.
We are now employing 1855 male
and %, 800 female teachers, or total
force of Is. 694 teachers, at an aggre-
gate cost of $5, 315, 1917 in wages.
Then there are what are termed con-
tingent expenses, fuel, repairs and
minor items, which foot up to 81, 108. :
423. But we are not quite through
with the expenses. There are the sec
retaries' and treasurers' salaries and
other matters which will swell the an
nual cost of our schools to between
eight and nine million dollars. We're
this vast sum all in silver dollars and
laid in straight line SO that their
edges would touch, they would reach
nearly across the state from north to
south. Is not this vast expenditure of
money sufficient to arouse our inter-
est and set US to studying the subject
to see whether our youth are getting
the benefit they should? First notice
the enrolment of 548, 1894 pupils and
the average daily attendance of &c.,
S75. This shows us that ITS. O07 pupils
whose names are on the teachers reg
lister are absent every day. This is a
serious hindrance to the advancement
Of our schools. The cost of maintain
ing the school is just the same as
though they were present. Tho loss to
the pupil is far more than the money
outlay. Some one may say that I am
dealing with large numbers. Very
we'll, / ask you to notice few points
relative to our county. Compare the
average daily attendance with the
number enrolled in a few Townships:
Adams, 100 enrolled, average attend
ance rs, or 63.3 per cent; Delaware,
lib enrolled, average attendance 50, or
72.5 per cent; Hazel Green, 1913 en-
rolled, average attendance 1854, or &c
per cent; Oneida, CT per cent. The
county as whole will show about 70
per cent average attendance.
This non-attendance of nearly one
third of our school population is one
of the worst stumbling blocks with
which our teachers meet and one over
which they have little or no control.
The fault lies with the patronslof ithe
school. Quite too often some trifing