The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-11
DEMAND LAWS TO
PROTECT CHILDREN
Continued on Second Page.)

FROl ~
Continued on
people have became more or less in
4 different to their illiteratc condition.
1 Illteracy perpetuates Itself, and the
i State Is deprived of the best service of
4 many of It's citizens. Compulsory at
4 tendance laws must be enforced just
4 no law viii enforce itself. and the
argument that we cannot enforce an
I attendance law is to contend that the
/ mojority of us are neither law abid-
[ ing or able to become SO.
i "A good many people argue that en-
4 forced attendance works hardship in
the homes OF the poor. but the fact Is
! that the poor child Is the one who
stands in the greatest need OF protec-
ton at the hands of the State. If the
State has a duty TO perform in main
Il tanning the schools, and in seeing that
the children get the benefit OF them. 1t
II has yet another important function to
i, perfornl-the maintenance OF the right
| kind of schools. IT is an important
duty of the State TO provide the right
kind of schools and the right kind of
education for its citizens. Compulsory
| educa tion is not monarchical, but thor
oughly republican, 1t breaks down
caste, and destroys artificial distinc-
tons"
i Negroes and Education.
i Professor Hand deplored the percent
age of illiteracy In North Carolina, his
/ native State. South Carolina makes
la better showing" he said. and can
Il account for this only on the ground
/ that the carolinians fought SO long
Il over the right to claim the birthplace
4 OF Andrew Jackson that one State sim
il ply got ahead Of the other in educa-
ton.
/ II want to say that the State has a
I right to send the children to school. 1t
4 has no right, however, to levy taxes
for special school purposes and then
permit selfish parents to defeat IT. 10
u tell us that compulsory education laws
i cannot be inforced or that negroes Will
i derive the greatest benefit Is ridiculous.
Il The law cannot be enforced until
4 an honest effort has been made. The
4 school teacher has been put in a class
/ with the policeman. Each performs
il a service greater. than their salary.
i fsnorance is the greatest burden. that
has afflicted the whites in forty years.
II we will let the women decide TINS
Il question by their votes, and abide by
1.-THE result, illiteracy will disappear
I: Child Labor In Cotton Mills.
IN
4 Citizenship" Dr.. McKelway said that
i the home, the school and the church
a were the three influences at work for
i the Young. but that child labor was
u the enemy OF all. "The child IN the
Ia boz market depresses wages, he saia,
80 the child standard The system
perpetutes itself.
"The manufacturers OF tennessee anu -
4 South Carolina have been most earnest
II, -
4 riages by law, apparently talllng 70
Il recognize that child labor itself Is the
a root Of the evil that must first be cut"
He defended the people OF the South
against the charge that the rural popu-
.tlation had to go into the cotton mills
4 to escape poverty and thereby oetter
their cond ition He said that the good
i angel Of America was the primary
i school teacher.
i He denied that the children had to
be centralized in mill villages TO oe
educated. But what boots It TO bu ~ .
schools and employ teachers II the
Z demand for labor in the mills emptles
the schools OF the children" he asked
awe have had the benevolence of the
mills in the matter of building schools
! and paving the salaries of teachers
pretty widely advertised. There is IN
This regard no left-hand ignorance OF
right hand charity.
ut is hardly too much to say that
in these industrial States the prob!eM
J of white illiteracy might be solved II
! 1--WE could compel tho children OF the
factories to attend school
DR.. McKelway entered protes'
] against the introduction Of the halt
time system OF education-half of the
; day in the school and the other nan
in the mll--a division. of daylign1
with al, work and no play, He held
, to the doctrine that the child has an
{ inalienable right to play. ne neileveg
, that the church. like the school, nao
!, |little chance of reaching the Worklls
. child. Or. McKelway said that IN MIS-,
sissinn, the industrial depression had
, been charged to the agitation agains
child labor--a5 SANDER spread with the
!, hone of forcing the Legislature 70
'ilmodify it's child labor laws. Ills Gee
laration OF dependence by the cnl'dreN
Of America was novel and convincing
Children In Factories.
II Miss Gordon, factory inspector Of
, New orleans, charged the public schoo
system with the fact OF the exlstahc'
OF child labor. She said that the pre-
sent system does not keep the chlld
; interest In school. TOO many scnoo
: rooms are overcrowded, and then ~
. ADEQUATE provision is made for the p [.l!,
: fully large number of children VIM
: arc defective and cannot keep up Will
= their classes
:. IAN alarming number OF our child
!, rem" said Miss Gordon, fare defectiy'
! In sight8or hearing, or, what Is more
. prevalent, suffer from tho dehilitatint
Q effect of adenod growths. which sal
/, the strength and ability Of the child