Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1906-01-26
NO DANGER OF CROwDING THE
SCHOOLS
Communicated

enOrs recent message, anent his pO-
sition on the necessity OF compulsory
feature i'm our public school law: The
cost of such "A system, to our minds, is
one OF the greatest objections that can
be raised According TO the recent
completed school census OF the State
there are 226, 125 boys and girls be-
tween the ages OF fourteen and twenty.
and out Of this number there are only
10000 attending the schools. The per
cent OF attendance below the age OF
fourteen about the same" as result.
with scarcely adequate facilities for
the accommodation 81 those that are
now attending, the cost OF this largely
increased number would be more than
the State could afford to devote To
schools at the present Time.
IL is a title saying, Mr.. Editor, that
figures wont lie. Much, however.
as we have cause 10 know, depends
upon the bent OF the individual who
arranges them and the source from
which these figures spring, l. e., the
authority fixing their number, value
etc. Assuming the figures as above
quoted To be AT least approximately
cOOrcct, let us see how they will work
ont from what we believe 10 be prop
er view point, viz: The Constitutional
one. ] quote from memory the sub
stance: THE Legislature shall have
power 10 enact n Compulsory Law,
that shall put" what children? Why
those only between eight and twelve
years into the schools. Under the
present organic law. beyond this per
missive feature, the Legislature cannot
go, and it is to be observed that even
these permissivc figures cut out all
children under eight (seven being the
legal age) and all between the age of
twelve To fourteen. As per statement
quoted, ouly those between eight and
twelve years can be affected by com
pulsory feature under our prcsen Con
stitution. Thus 1t will be readily seen
that the main feature in the criticisms
above alluded TO and reiterated bv
much Of the state press and many in
dividuals are, to say the least, mislead-
ing.
In communication To- the News on
Feb. 9th, 1905, signed A. j. T.. we
gave more in detail facts CLEANED from
! observation, long experience and n
County superintendent Office, what
will, we believe, Ice n safe answer 10 all
who fear 20 crowd present accomoda-
tons, or finances OF the state 10y enact
ing compulsory Clause" properly
guarded. for our primary schools, put
ting, thereby into the primary schools
public and private through proper
provisions and arrangement as To the
latter. all who are most i'm need. who
by actual obervation. especially
through the rural districts of the
State, make up from seventv-five To
ninety per cent of abentccs under the
voluntary attendance system as now
in vogue. Opportunity is, Mr. Editor.
coming 10 these children, thousands OF
whom have and are still being made
| the helpless victims Of careless. reck-
less penurious or worthless parents
and guardians, who persistently keep
them out OF the schools, often through
purely selfish motives, thereby defeat
ing she state in the discharge Of her
most sacred, if not the primary duty
she owes 10 her citizenship. When we
reflect that an aggregation of men and
women go To make up state, OF what
momentous Importance then that these
men aud women shall be educated. and
TO this end how absolutely does the
history Of our efforts along this line
for more than thirty years, prove the
sheer necessity for the Intervention of
the state III self defense through the
application of the principal of sound
logic, in the operation OF her system of
education, put them IN the school. then
educate. A. j. II.
Tazewell, Va, Jan. 18th, 1906.