Milford chronicle., 1909-02-19
OF DELAWARE
COMPULSORY SCHOOL LAW

The following paper was read by
County Superintendent of Schools
A. K Spaid at the last meeting OF
the State Board Of Education.
showing the benefits ofthe compul-
sory school law:
In order to show that the Com
pulsory School law has been a great
benefit to the schools in New Cas-
tie county during its first year of
trial I have, in the following, COM
pared the school year ending with
June, 1907, or the year preceding
the first year Of the Compulsory
School act.
Number of white children enrolled d in 1908 a5j
Number Of colored children enrolled In 1905 /, ,i29
Total number Of children enrolled in 1903 8 6.3s4
Number Of white children enrolled IN 1907 4, ST
Number OF cOlOred children enrolled in 1907 ,2iO
Total number enrolled In l9O7............... g. M
From these figures it will be seen
that the total increase in enroll
ment for 1908 over 1907 was POI.
OF this number Is were white and
189 were colored. The gain was
1.6 per cent for white children and
15.2 per cent for colored children.
The whole number of days attend
ed by white children IN 1908 was $50 2s9
The whole number OF days in 1907 505,476.5
62,s2l.5 days
or a gain OF 1919 per cent IN one year.
The whole number OF days attend
ed by colOred children in 1905. ..-.lO4, ,iSO
The whole number Ofdays attended
by cOlOred children 10 l907......... BOP
24lS days
Or a gain OF 39 is per cent in one year
The average number OF days each white
child attended school in 1905 Was..........l1i29
The average number Of days each white
child attended In l907..-..... %
IIO6
This shows a gain Of GIo6 days
.or each white child or over two
weeks, or 1917 per cent
The average number OF days for each col
Ored child was in II
rhe average number Of days for each colored
child was in
i26I
This is a gain of nearly 2I per
,ent or 1915 days for each colored |
,hild.
DR. N. c. Shaeffer, the welli
Known superintendent of public in
of Pennsylvania, says a |
,oy's time in school is worth $40
day for every day he attends
chOol This comes about of fcOurse
Il his increasing capacity when he
rows to manhood. If this state
nent is correct the following must J
,e true There was a clear gain
f over II days for every child in
chool last year, and at $40 a day
he increase in earning power would /.
e SIIo per pupil. AT this rate
he 2,478 white boys in school last
ear by gaining II days in school
yer the previous year increased .
heir power to earn money in the
1ture to the extent Of S2735So.
hould this rule hold good for all
he pupils in school last year their
otential power for earning money
'as increased to over 500, 600, to
ly nothing of the incalculable
alue in the State in increased in
diligence in citizenship.
Yet much remains to be accom-
lished. We are just beginning to
nprove. Every white school was
session on an average of G7S IS
avs, or nearly nine months. AS
lie children were present only
I 5. 20 days on an average it will
2 seen that for o. 40 days on an
verage all the white schools were
pen, and teachers paid without
ny pupils attending. That is, the
was not perfect by SO
9r cent.
Every colored school was in ses-
on on an average of I46. 9 days,
( about a week over seven months.
5 the pupils of these schools were
resent only TAI days on an aver