Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1905-03-03
The Compulsory School Law

The Compulsory School Law
One OF the chief objections, THAT of
the danger Of overcrowding tho schools
and straining the finances. aud one
which is most often urged against the
adoption Of compulsory feature in our
school law, and one In which at first
blush, there seems to be some force
and IL is possible that such may be the
case IN some of cur larger cities and
owns-has little or no application or
force, in the Rural District of the Stnts.
1he writer, for reasons heretofore ur-
ged, took somewhat active interest
through the Committee of Education
of the late Constitutional Convention.
aud otherwise, in an effort 10 secure i'm
tue Organic Law, IA compulsory feature
properly guarded, qualified constitu-
tional provision, that would put all the
children of the state from seven Co four
teen years OF age Into the schools, cover
ing entirely as II was our purpose To do
fully, that period OF childhood through
} which the adyocat,s oi "Child Labor
Bills" would, after taking these chill
dren from honest Legitimate labor, turn
them into idleneSs With all OF its inc, /
table train oi evils. and thus while lift
ing from their young lives the burden
OF premature toll. compensate. first the
parent, second the child, aud last, hut
not least, and perhaps most important
OF all, the state, by elevating for citizen
ship by educating tho embryo citizen TO
IA higher standard OF intelligence, NOR.
ality and usefulness, which should be-
the tircless, ceaseless, aim of the state,
and her uoblest and most important
work.
Now ns TO the objection, "Thnt TO put
by compulsory law, all the children
into the schools would crowd present
school room accommodation. Let us
see, our contention for this feature mover
contemplated putting the whole school
population OF the state, into the schools
at one nnd tho same time. Our advocacy
has always been for II compulsory law,
properly guarded. One OF the proyis-
ions oi such law should guard the ex-
ecution and enforcement of the law, by
apply yiDg il TO all children between Ger
tain ages. In order To obviate the
necessity for "Chld Labor Legislat ion, -
which however guarded must bring
hardship To- many widowed mother
through its enforcement. we have AL
> ways advocaied that from seven to
fourteen years as the safest period for
the operation of thiscompulsory feature.
IL will he observed that our present
Q Constitution prov ides for the enactment
OF & compulsory feature TINT will effect
[ only such children as are from eight to
\ twelve years of age. The enforcement OF
this clause 10y the Legislature, of course,
would lesson TO considerable ex tent,
any threatened crowding OF present
I. school loom space. Now then, as from
eight to twelve years are all the children
that can be- reached under the present
provision ON the subject, let us see how
it would work should this permissive
feature become operative through an
act of state Legislature. Now in order
to do this clearly and intelligently, sup
pose we take IA concrete case, a county
admittedly above the average IN wealth
and intelligence, with equipment OF
average grade, one whose officers and
teachers will be found aboye the gener-
al average in energy and intelligence,
and wIthal, a county which ranks AZ
one of the chief white counties OF tho
state. We shall not here now attempt
10 give exact details, but such approx
mate data, figures aud facts, as ar,
closely related to existing condition
such as "a fair and impartial examiDa-
ton cannot fail to convince the seeker
after truth. Let us first, briefly notice
facts and conditions under the present
law, particularly with reference to at
tendance and school room accommoda-
tions. There is in this county about III
schools, eight only, 10 reported al
(space) foil, and only 25 that enrollmenti
would fill, total actual enrolment il
these schools IS about 53 per cent Of th'
school populatio" OF the county, aver
age attendance of enrolment 81 pc
cent, of absentees for the state at large
Here we have practical illustration O
the operation of the system as it nov
stands, showing ample accommodated
for all children from seven to fourteen
years Of age, whom we proposed to pu
into the schools through well regulat
ed compulsory organic law. OF course
ts,ara xuo.-ld n here end thcre ainOla ax
ceptions AZ TO space. So much for tn
law az it now stands. and such pract
cally the result, with compulsory fea
| ture from sew n TO fourteen years G
: age.