The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-08-04
WHY CHILDREN
QUIT SCHOOL
$50, 600 FINISH EDUCATION
UPON COMPLETION OF
EIGHTH GRADE.
DR.. Gulick Says that the Method
of Our Schools Are Rad
ically Wrong.

IlySuelle, NuSSel sage FOunQa-
ton.
Last une, an army OF 250,-
600 boys and girls, about four
teen and half years old, march
ed from the city public school
OF America, proudly bearing the
evidence of having completed
successfully the eight years OF
study.
During that month and the
months preceding, there dropped
from the ranks another army cd
graduation. The large fraction
OF this 100000 educational fail
ures had completed only six OF
the eight years in the course OF
study.
This is our great educational
problem.
How then can we save this
army of 100000? | use the word
save" deliberately, because a
large fraction OF those 100000
children drop out of school be-
cause they have failed. They
are Inundated, their confidence
in their own ability IS destroyed
and the soul destroying convic-
ton is ground into them that
they are ''faihrreS :"
In most OF the state the law
requires six years or less Oh
school attendance. and yet the
elementary course in most OF the
American states involves eight
grades with year apiece. Sc
we have a SIX year law with IN
eight year school.
Sixteen per cent of all who
drop out do so because of i'll
health and those who have ply
steal defects, such as poor
hearing, poor seeing, adenoids or
decayed teeth, 60 through school
nine per cent more slowly than
children who are non SO handi-
capped.
Three children out OF four at
tend school regularly, that is,
more than tllree-fourths of the
time. One child ont of four at
tends school irregularly, that rs
less than three-fourths of the
school year. lTHhere are at
present many children who do
not go to school simply because
the city has no knowledge OF
their eNistance. Many children
stay away from school for a
month or SO after school has be-
gun. Prompt following up OF
these cases in communities where
it has been tried always results
in establishing the habit OF reg
ular attendance.
At present our courses OF
study are not fitted to the abili-
ties OF the average pupil. but to
those OF the unusually bright enc.
In an investigation made in New
York city it was found that for
every child making rapid pro-
gress through, the grades there
were eight making slow progress.
| know one teacher who for
years has failed over half OF
each successive class by so-called
'high-standards." That woman
is responsible for the termina-
ton OF the school career of hum
dreds OF boys and girls who aver
age up we'll both in effort and
mental power.
The trouble is with the STAN
dard. A man teaching boys to
Jump, who should put stick at
such a height that a considerable
number failed and stopped trying
would not be regarded as main
tanning high standards. II is
his business to teach boys to
jump, not to discourage them so
that they will leave the field.
The army of failures, who each
year leave our city schools, hav-
ing failed OF graduation. may be
largely recruited into the army
OF success by four measures
l. Having genuine eight
year compulsory school law for
eight-year school.
2. Having medical inspection
of school children with adequate
"follow-up' work by school
nurses or teachers.
3. A complete school census
and an adequate administration
of attendance officers.
1. The course of study and
school machinery must be so
adapted TO the average that as
many will go faster as go slower
than the mass.
These measures stop the block
ing in THE lower grades, raise
health and efficiency standards,
and tend to establish the habit
of success rather than the habit
OF failure. This is OF greater
than anything in the
course OF study.
1t sends the children out into
the world with hope rather than
with encouragement.