The Washington times., 1906-02-09
For the Untaught Children.

Tor the sUntaugnt children.
Il is hard TO understand how any
one can dispute the need OF sending
all the children of school age in the
Capital to school until they have OBJ
tanned the education offered by our
graded schools, Similarly, it is hard
10 understand how any citizen who
has ever walked through our alleys
can doubt the existence of thousands
of such children. Yet these are the
only premises required to sustain the
movement of the Civic Center and
the Public Education Association in
behalf of a compulsory education
law.
How many of our children are out
of school is hard to ascertain, The
police census indicated there were
only about 700. The Civic Center,
in a report drawn with manifest care,
gives the number as 5000. Casual
observation would support the latter
estimate but for the fact that one
child in the streets in school hours,
is more conspicuous than 100 In
school. Any definite calculation
from the census returns and the
school enrolment is confused by the
utter impossibility of determining
the number of children sent to pri-
vate schools or given some sort OF
instruction at home
But the number is undoubtedly too
large. And 1t is certain TO continue
10 be too large until it is lessened
by law The chairman of the public
school committee of the Civic Center
and the superintendent Of schools
concur in the estimate that perhaps
1900 children might be found who
are rot physically unable 10 attend
school, or TOD pdlr, or given instTuc-
tiCn elsewhere. If those two earnest
students of the situation are not al
together wrong, it IS most important
the law should reach out for the pro-
lection Of those ehildren with the
least possible delay.
In Congress the attitude seems 70
be one of dollars and cents. If {
compulsory education law does not
mean a great number of new schoo
buildings, the law can be had. Tha
disposition OF the matter may be tht
Ebroadest disregard of its just claim
on Congress. But it is the disposi
stion on which Congressman seem tC
have determined and the sensible
thing is to meet it and not stand still
TO cry out against it.
The only way [ meet it is to show
if that be possible, that provision
can be made for these 1000 children
without any great number of new
school buildings. To that end, tn,
chairman of the Civic Center's com
mittee has made a general statemen
which is decidedly impressive. It is
first. that these 1900 children woulC
be gathered into me schools gradu
ally. not all on one day, and that
therefore, the authorities would havt
time TO accommodate their equipmen
to the new demand upon It; second
that these children world go largel!
TO the lowest grades, where they
could be accommodated, if necessary
by halliday sessions, and where half
day sessions would be of the Ieas
harm; third, that he number of half
day sessions in the lowest grades
could be limited and the need fol
them in the higher grades obviateC
altogether by increasing the mum
Der of pupils in each class. which /.
now about forty -wo, and notably
low compared with lie school organf
Zation OF other cities.
No one thinks for a moment tht
situation produced by such actor
would be ideal. On the contrary, i
would be very far from II. The only
ideal situation is whole days IN
struction at an individual desk 70
each pupil in a class of about thirt,
with a competent teacher. under com
petent supervision, in a practical ant
progressive system. But some half
day sessions, with divided desks, an
class rooms filled to the door, ar
vastly better than leaving 5000 chill
dren altogether untaught.
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