Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-02-15
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90 THEY TEND TO PRoLoEG THE
PERIOD or sTUDYl
Discussion OF the Causes which IEi-
pei Pupils or Advanced Classes to
H.. ave Scbooi-Boston's Success In
Educating children.

Leave Scbooi-Boston's Success In
Educating children.
The school board of western city
having started an investigation into
the causes why children In advanced
class ses leave school, the subject has
aroused some IA cusSiOn. The conseu-
sus Of statistics goes To show that with
the fifth grammar class there is great
dropping oil until in the high school
but a mere fraction of the original at
ten lance answers the roll, says the
Atlanta Constitution. This fact is as
true of Atlanta as of other cities. with
the difference that attendance in the
girls high school largely exceeds that
in The boys high school.
7 he city superintendent of st. Louis
gives. among other reasons for nOnat-
tendance the fact that the older pupils
are backward in their studies. the rea-
son for which may br sickness or slow
ness or lack of interest Certainly the
older pupils, the retarded pupils, the
discontinued pupils. do not withdraw
on account of poverty | suspect the
excuse of poverty is often made Gov
er for criminal neglect on the part of
parent or a feeling of discomfort on the
part of child"
Upon which statement The Republic
of st. Louis has this to say:
T'is inquiry into tho question Of school ct.
ten, and analysis Of the causes OF Withdrawals
iOni valuable contribution to educational ne.
scar Il, The degree OF culture and education in
community depends not on the accomplishment Of
SIM le individuals. but the status of the people
as whole The longer the children Of CEN.
nunitv 'au be kept at school the higher will be
the educational development Of the community.
The statistics " Boston show amply that thl:
City has made progress in solving the problem Cf
keeping children at school. Even municipal Off
cials share in the good work by enaoting aud en-
for, ing truancy laws. Such laws II enforced. in
cliu. to prevent a child from falling behind other
children of his age because OF absence aud thus
remove the principal cause OF Withdrawals.
The lack ot free books IS also adyerted to as
cau e Of Withdrawals in St Louis after the fourth
gratie. Boston supplies free books in all its
gra les Chicago supplies them in none. St
Louis plan Of supplying them up to the fourth
grade aud not thereafter gives parents an i'm
preston that the end OF the fourth grade is pre-
kNUtNl 10 Nt lht llfiliA oi tAutdAlNH l'l q NNlh
ngmans child. This causes sudden slump ia
attendance with the beginning Of the fifth grade,
1t is doubtful. therefore. whether free books IN
the lower grades. where the cost Of books is
trifing, are much better than no free books II
all. ST. Louis should supply free books in all the
grades Above the fourth grades pupils have at
tained some knowledge Of the proper and
handling of books. and the books would last lon
ger.
While there is some force in what Is
said by both these eminent authorities
we cannot help the conviction that both
miss the main fact in their zeal for the
accomplishment of an impossible CON
dltion. While free education should be
provided for all it should not be for
gotten that all are not equally qualified
10 take il in The majority of men
must necessarily live in the more hum.
bic walks of life aud have no need of n
college course. even were 1t open to
them. Rut n small proportion of the
human race is possessed of constantly
developing talent, hence the classes
become smaller as they treat of more
advanced topics The idea of taking
around with uniform wrench until
each one can be presented with an
Identical y. Il. degree is preposterous
and only finds lodgment in excited
brains. 1t Is the duty of the state 10
offer the opportunity to all of its chill
dren for the development of the best
that there Is in them: it Is eXpedient
that all should understand the elemen-
tary principles necessary for the or,lina-
ry business in which they may become
engaged: it is good business sense and
money well invested to have as large
class as possible go through to the
end. This opportunity provided. each
child must then find its own level.
Another reason for the diminution of
school attendance in the higher
branches is the necessity Of making
living and the desire to accept good
opportunity in business. The boy of
T.. already able To read and write,
must begin contribution TO the family
support; the sophomore in college has
in sight a business opportunity-a bet
ter one, possibly, than he might find
later on. fhe conflict is between pru-
dence and ambition. Thus in Atlanta.
where all boys may work, the falling
ont from schoc, ranks Is continuous
until the boys high school is reached.
and the graduating class varies be-
tween II and % and where but few
girls work their high school is crowded
and there is graduating class of 60.
With equal inducements for the girls to
work, their graduating class would be
about equal to that of the boys.
Let Us push education, spread its op-
portunities before all the people and
give every boy and Girl chance but
at the same time avoid the enthusiasm
that proceeds from visionary hopes.~