Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-05-31


Aside from sickness, the causes that
intefere with attendance at school are
u)bad weather;(9) distance Of the pupil
from the school; 60 farm work and
household duties; "a dissatisfaction
with the school; % parental indifter-
anse to the value Of an education
Many persons imagine thSt II one
! school shows a higher percentage OF
attendance than another 1t must be be-
cause 1t is better school. 1t 10 true
higher percentage shows that there
IL no dissatisfaction with the school,
but a low percentage may result from
other csuses than inefficient school
management.
We see from the table that the at
tendance in the white schools outside
of Lexington Is 60 per cent OF the
enrolment, while in Lexington it Is
nearly % higher. A large part OF this
difference is undoubtedly due to the
superior efficiency Of instruction; and
this superiority is obtained as the re-
suit OF four facts ID the school is
graded; (2) the term is eight months;
(s) the teachers are not changed every
year;(4) they are required to hold first
class cert acates with a possible e1'
ception in favor of teacher who shows
remarkable tact and skill In the
MANAGEMENT of the younger children)
The question arises II these charac-
teristic features OF the town schooi
were done away with-if the seven
schools now under one roof and one
management were scattered through
the town, and run as the district
schools are, what would be the result
az seen In the average attendance 2
Probably the percentage In that case
would be what it now is in the Central
district, 7l.3; and the difference te-
tween this and the rural percentage
represents the disadvantages under
which the county schools labor, due
TO distance Of the pupils from the
school and the necessity Of farm work.
IIf. then, we add 11.3 to the present
precantage OF attendance in ach rural
district, the figures will represent what
the percentage Of attendance ought to
be IL the rural schools are taught as
efficiently as the town schools. This
would give US for the white schools in
Buffalo district ali average attendance
of TAR per cent Of the enrolment; In
Kerrs Creek, "A per cent; In South
River. 70 per cent; in Walkers Creek,
71.2 per cent; in Natural Bridge, o4.S
per cent.
The difference between Natural
Bridge and the other districts cannot
be due to inferior struction, for that
district has always paid good salaries,
and should presumably have good
teachers. In that district each school
draws it's scholars from an area
measured by radius OF two miles.
in the other school districts the
radius is less. we have an explanation
Of the greater regularity with which
the scholars attend. 1t Is noticeable
that in five out the seven Districts
the cclored schools have more
} regular attendance than the white
schools. 1t cannot be supposed
that they are better taught thar
the white schools. The fact Is the
negro population Of Rockbridge Ii
: concentrated about certain points, and
the schools located at these points
have a sufficiently large school popu
lation to whom the school is essilS
accessible. 1t may be, too, that the
parents of colored children are mor'
easily pleased with school-less IL
r clined to "kick" than are the patrons
\ OF white schools.
The kicking" by white parents il
sometimes unreasonable. but gen
. orally there is a proper ground ofcom
I plant. That the people are dissatis
: fed with the schools as they are Is
i very. hopeful sign Of progress.
GEORGE DARIBN.