The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-01-14

LudC LuS WdJOl1ty VI OoA WV
tors advocate the system Of COM
pulsory education.
The objector to compulsory educa-
ton will urge that every parent mas
the right to determine what education
shall be given his own child and that
the State has no right to interfere IN
the affairs Of the family. When
contagious disease inyades the State
no question of this kind is raised, but
the State takes measures to stamp
out the disease and asks not for per-
mission to establish quarantine
against the spread Of the malady. The
two cases are similar. ignorance IS
the worst of diseases and the State
has the right to require that the
children shall be brought up in SUCH
way as to make the best possible
citizens. It is also urged that the
cost will be too great. The State is
now spending more than a million
dollars on the education of its chill
dren> and the proper position IS that
every child Of school age should reap
its share. But the greatest objection
which is urged to compulsory educa-
ton in the South is the ever-present
negro, and the fear that if he is edu-
Gated he cannot be controlled. The
fallscy of this argument is patent to
every thoughtful man. It is a fact
known and recognized that in this
State at present, in proportion to the
population Of each, there are a great
many moro negro children than
whites receiving the education pro-
vided. The negro is here to stay, and
to educate him rightly will but teach
him his position and be Of beneht to
him and to us. To leave him without
an education is but to make him a
tool in the hands Of the designing
and a. curse to society. It is but sui
cidal not to require the white children
Of the State to attend the common
schools for fear the negro children
will receive the same advantages:
This argument means that we should
let the white children grow up IN
ignorance in order that the negro
may not learn. .-.. .... E..
In this age there are many prop
lens which confront us and must be
solved. Education is the solution: We
must educate. not one here and there,
but every child in the State. a
A compulsory law at the beginning
would probably have to encounter
difficulties in it's enforcement, but the
time is ripe for something to be done,
As every one must admit when he
considers the percentage OF enrol
ment to the children OF school age'
especially in the rural districts.
8 All the principal countries of Eu-
rope, in fact all the principal civilized
countries throughout the world, and
two-thirds of the States and Terri
tories Of our own country, have
adopted some system Of compulsory
education. In many Of the other states
it is being agitated and urged.
According to the Census of 1890 the
percentage of whites in South Caro-
lima over twenty-one years of age VINO
could neither read nor write was
1855; OF negroes 65.23. In 1900 the
Census figures show the percentage OF
whites 1875, and Of negroes 54.I.
These figures need no comment. The
percentage of illiteracy among the
whites has decreased in ten years 8
per cent, the negroes 1888 per cent.
The following data, showing the
States Of the United States that have
compulsory education laws and pc
tween what ages, has been obtained
from the school laws Of various States
and Territories, and from letters from
their various governors and superln-
tendents of education:
Length Of Compulsory Attendance.
Illinois-16 weeks, II oonsecu-
tive. ..... ..,..S....7 to Il
California-two thirds term, " 49,.
weeks consecutive =. :. ..S to II
Colorado weeks, s. eonsecu-
tive. -. ;. IS to IA
Connecticut-full term. :. n to IS
Idaho-12 weeks, s consecu-
Indiana-12 consecutive weeks 8 to IA
Kentucky-S consecutive weeks Z to IA
Maine-16 consecutive weeks Z to Il
Massachusetts-50 consecutive
Mie5igan-1s e6Insi 6 &; consecutive weeks to IS
ohio-16 to 20, consecutive
weeks. g to IA
Montana-12 weeks. s consecu-
tive. :. IS to IA
Neyada-16 weeks, 5 consecu-
tive. :. :. 10 II
New Hampshire-full term s to IA
New Jersey-2c weeks, 8 consech- (
tive. -. TO u
New Mexico-12 weeks. ;. IS to 16
New York-full term. -. ..'S to 16
North Dakota-12 weeks, 6 con-
secutiYe.. -. :. 8 to IA
Oregon-12 weeks, s consecu-
tive. u II
Pennsylyania-full term. :. 8 to Is
Wyoming. ;. -. :. 10 10
.Arizona-12 weeks, 6 eonsecu-
tive. :. =. ..S TO Il
South Dakota-12 weeks, 8 con-
Z SecdUFe.. - W II
Washington-12 weeks. :. ..S to 15
West Virginia-16 weeks. :. s to IA
Wisconsin-12 weeks. -. Z to 13
Vermont-28 weeks. :. ..8 to Is
Nebraska-two-thirds term II to IA
Minnesota-full term. :. - 8 to 16
Kansas-12 weeks, 6 consecu-
tive. -. ..S 10 II
Rhode Island-12 weeks, 6 con-
secutTe.. ~ 10 10
Utah-16 weeks, 10 consecu-