The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-01-01
FOR BETTER
ATTENDANCE
Supt. Bebermeyer Wants Parents
and School Officers to
Get Pupils Out.
COST COUNTY $4,000 LAST YEAR

Supt. Bebermeyer wants school
officers in this county to turn over a
new leaf in regard to getting out a
full attendance in each district of
every person entitled to the benefits
of our free school. In circular
addressed to them, issued this week,
he says:
II take occasion at this time to
call your attention to few facts
that should come to your knowledge
in order that you may the better
perform the duties of school trus-
tee. In the first place it may be of
interest to know that the school
population of Redwood county has
not been increasing. The total en-
rollment in all schools for the year
1905 was 5214, for 1906, 52O6 and
for 1907, 5185. Thus you see there
has been a decrease tor several sue
cessive years. We naturally ask
what is the cause of that? Is it that
the population of the county has
been decreasing or have children of
school age been kept out of school
for work? An investigation to find
out the real cause is in place.
Another fact is that every year
large number of pupils have attend
ed less than 40 days and consequent
ly the state apportionment for those
pupils has been lost to the district.
The number of pupils not receiving
apportionment for several years has
been as follows: 1904, 854; 1905,
GIT; 1906. 662; 1907, 701. Thus you
see that for several years that num-
Der has been increasing. The finan-
cial loss to Redwood county from
this source amounted to about
$4,000 the past year. We will admit
that because of changes and adverse
circumstances, it will never be pos
sible to receive the apportionment
for all pupils. Nevertheless, we feel
safe to say that at least $4,000 of this
loss might have been saved if proper
attention had been given to this
matter by parents and others con-
cerned.
However, it is not the financial
loss we deplore so much as the loss
incurred to the individual child who
has been deprived of an education.
For a child to have attended merely
40 or at best go days during the
year, is indeed a poor record to say
the least. The state law requires
that all children between s and
16 years must be kept in school the
entire time, unless some satisfactory
excuse can be given why such child
should be excused from such attend
ance.
THUS you will agree with me
that it is opportune at this time that
we view this condition from every
aspect and that we proceed to Crap
pie with the problem. While it is
our purpose to have this years rec
ord excel all previous ones. we do
not take this matter up simply be-
cause we want the county to make
splendid record, but rather because
we school officials consider it our
bounden duty and because we recog-
nize our obligation toward the neg
lected child.
Therefore / advise that the
school board make an investigation
to find OUT if there are any children
of school age residing in the district
who do not attend school. If there
are such, the parent or guardian
should be seen and informed that
he must, send such child to school,
unless an excuse, such as stipulated
by law, can be given. If such par
ent or guardian does not heed such
warning, the director or chairman
of the board should proceed to take
legal steps to have such guardian or
parent prosecuted.
"The experience in several dis
tricts this year has shown that a