Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-11-20

see are making as rapid, if not more
rapid, advancement than those of any
other State. The people are taking a
fairly good interest in educational mat
tiers, but still the records show that the
number of illiterate persons in Tennes-
see, according to her population, exceeds
that Of many of her sister States, AS
Southerners and Tennesseans are we
willing to have our State permanently
in the 'flliterate" column How long
are we willing to allow some young
Tennesseans to grow up in ignorance,
without knowing "a from the gable
end of house. and bring shame upon
themselves and disgrace upon the State2
Mr.. w P Conner offers some good
suggestions in his recent article. The
law which he suggests, it seems to me,
is rather strict and beg to suggest
few changes. think law embracing
! the following would prove satisfactory.
That all parents be required to keep in
school six months out of each term,
their children from Z to IL years OF age,
and at least four months out of each
term, their children from II to 16 years
of age. The children to attend at least
four days out of each week. That the
County make arrangements for the ed
ucation of any children whose parents
are financially unable to keep them in
school, or for some reason or other de-
pendant uponthem for support. That
at the expense of the County, comfort
able boarding and lodging places be
1 provided for the children between the
ages of 7~and II year, who reside at a
greater distance than two miles from
a school house. That violation of the
law be punishable by a fine imposed
upon the parents or guardians of the
, children, not to exceed five dollars for
each offence.
That in case of sickness, or very in
f clement weather, when it is next to
Q impossible for the children to attend
: said parents or guardians to be exempt
3 from fine. The preserving Of the child's
J health is, in my estimation, just as i'm.
portant as the educating of his mind
and il is both cruel and inhuman tC
: force him to walk mile or more tt
t school in bad weather, at the expense
of his health Furthermore, / do moi
believe in compelling any one to SEND
. their children to a school where the
o teacher has not full legal certificate
r A teacher with complimentary" Ger.
4 tiicate is nine times out of ten incom.
8 petent to teach school, aud no child
: should 5e forced to attend such schoo
g Every child in this land is entitled tt
i receive at least common school educa
e tion and no parent or guardian has 1
e right to deprive the child of that privi-
: lege. A child, if kept in school from
f the age of seven until he is sixteen year
d old, will, under ordinary circumstances
|. acquire fair knowledge of the element
!. ary branches, thereby fitting or prepar
5 ing him for the duties and responsible
it ties of everyday life. Some people de
r clare that it is not necessary for a pei
n son to be educated in order to do farm
IS work and common labor, but is there
e successful and prosperous farmer in Al
J. this land who agrees with them in thei
is belief Some people seem to be of sue
: a selfish nature as to think that becaus
/ they were denied the privilege of a
education when young, their childrer
). (COnlinned in Fifth Column)