The Washington herald., 1907-06-18


many Parents and Masters are too indUl-
gent and negligent Of their duty in That
kind" begins the preamble 10 a Connec-
ticut resolution of 1647, providing for a
form Of compulsory education in the col
ony This is the keynote 10 our present
pepr.ae attitude toward education. All
that the carry Virginia and New England
people had between themselves and the
savagery Of the unknown New World
was education; they clung to it tenacious
". and we are still following their eX-
ample
The early Puritan settlers raised little
objection TO laws that made education
compulsory in New England. They had
come from a few years residence in 4
country where the zeal OF the Reforma-
ton was palpitating in the air, where
Luther and Calvin had taught the peo-
PIE the need of enlightenment and they
were eager for knowledge that would
make them independent and self-relaEt
When a Commonwealth pays for the edu-
cation Of its children, II argues that It
has the right to make them take ad-
vantage Of these opportunities whether
they and their parents want 1t or not
II is political expedlency, for the States
know that their strength and safety lie
in an educated citlzenry.
Sixteen States now require, without
reservation. that the children Of school
age within heir limits attend school for
the full term. however long It IS, There
Is a fine for evasion OF this law. Nine
teen other States have laws compelling
school attendance for certain specified
periods that need not cover the entire
term. In some eases the child labor laws
act as indirect compulsory education
laws. for they enjoin mill men in some
States from employing children who have
not had a certain amount OF schooling.
or require them TO allow a certain amount
Of schooling during the year. Massa-
chusetts dates her compulsory education
laws from 1912. though the factories gave
her trouble over their enforcement when
the embargo act Of 1913 increased the
manufacturing interests of New England
In some Southern States Il is not yet
possible 20 enact compulsory education
laws that require long or consecutive
periods of attendance. for some sections
have schools that are open during only
three or four months a year. Poverty
has been found a great barrier in the
way Of the law, and parental prejudice
against State interference in family mat
teTs a still greater one. Through the
children Of kindergaTtens and primary
schools the parents are beginning 10 be
awakened. and the barrier will grow less
with the years. Two or three States
have made provision for clothes. as well
as books, for poor children, and in sew
erai large cities the school boards are
trying 20 devise means to furnish break
fasts and luncheOns 60 all who are in
sufficiently nouHshed. One year Brook
lyn discovered that Of her 6324 truants.
23n had been kept away by their par
ents. 1850 by Illness, and 45S by dire pow
erty.
In 1880 Massachusetts enacted :he first
truancy law. It provided for the arrest
and punishment OF any child between the
ages Of seven and sixteen who was found
lodging school duties. The law did not
touch the parent. and the offending child
was sent % a reform school or house OF
correction. Later State laws hold the
parent responsible for the nonattend-
ance OF the child. Believing that So
ciety IS merely an extension Of the fam
fly. and exists for the mutual good Of al
people concerned. the State has come in
many instances TO stand in the place OF
the parent IN matters where protection
Get.
wants is needed.
Until few years ago. when a child
refused 20 study or lacked interest in his
work he was generally classed as stupid
or lazy or disobedient. Generally he was
punished Thousands Of children have
been cruelty misjudged I'm this way. Mod
ern methods OF inquiry into cases of this
kind include physicians TO aid the teach
er. and in almost every instance it has
been found that the child was suffering
from some physical defect. such as bad
eyes. throat trouble, bad teeth. and lung
spinal or nervous troubles. Boston, in
1894 provided for a regular corps Of
medical attendants to visit her schools
and keep supervision over the health OF
the children New York CITY now en-
ploys a staff Of $50 physicians for the
public schools. In one year these found
over 10 per cent Of the children suffering
from unSuspected diseases TO such an
extent that they had 10 be removed for
treatment Chicago maintains a regular
hospital schools for such cases. Thu,
taTdily is the nation beginning TO give
its children fair play
IL L -
or are mentally very dull are unable tc
cope with the normal child in daily study
Seeing this, progressive cities are pro.
viding separate schools for them where
the work IS made simple and soothing
for overstrained nerves, where especial
classes are arranged for the slow-mind.
ed. and where exercises under trained
experts are doing wonders toward cor
recting physical infrmities and deformi-
ties
For nearly sixty centuries the people
Of the world have looked upon a criminal
as one who should be punished. tortured
and shut away from the sight OF his
felloW-man. In the newer light OF to-day
a criminal Is regarded as a diseased per
son. and IN most cases, IL Is known that
his disease IS durable II taken IN hand
early enough. The science Of penology
is developing this fact. and modern penal
institutions are teaching the men and
women within their walls dozens OF
trades and callings. by which they car
make a living when they are free again
But better than this IS the work Of the
schools Of to-day. They are Offering the
proverbial ounce Of prevention that viii
obvIate the need Of the pound of cure
They are educating the child whether he
wants it or not offering a good elemen.
tary training, and often a useful trade
that VIII turn his thoughts toward thing:
other than crime
Truant officers seek out the hoy who is
trying to play the old game of hockey
and If he persists in playing It. take him
more firmly in hand and place him in a
truant school. where he is taught tbs