Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-12
Commencement Essays
and Debates

Nearly every day 1 receive letter OF
two from young people requesting my as
sistance in either writing essays TOT Iheni
or giving suggestions, etc.
II always pains me to refuse these ap-
peals but when one is disabled Dy over
work or inflamed eyes, the re1usal De
comes imperative for have but Mite
leisure and that must be spent on tne
lounge to protect my Strength 10 uo
necessary work, day by day.
When l am heavily taxed Gas some
times happens) then 1 pass sleepless
night For example, l never lost con-
seriousness last night until the CLOCK
struak 8; because 1 had a more strenu-
Gus day than usual, and the old provero
says: 'If you burn the candle at oo'h
ends, it won't last long.
If your teacher or your Sunday school
keacher cannot give you suggestions
then apply to your congressman or Leg
isIator for information. They have an
abundance of national literature to DIS
tribute and ii costs them nothing TO SEM
them. This is especially true In debates
on public questions. A.
have repeated inquiries as 10 Ii'e
argument pro and con for coInpulsoIy
education l can answer in rev Worus'
and one reply can thus reach some Queens
| who are intedrested .,
| Nc have already COlHpuASoAJ
The state has authority to take part OF
every taxpayer's income TO educate
| these who have no property or VINO 90
NOT care to educate their own CHI
dren. .. ~,
Having drawn out this tax money oy
force then there should be enough au
thority to compel such parents 10 seho
their children to school, otherwise tne
| money has been wasted ana the sIat
desire to give an education 10 poor ci.N-
6ren as we'll as to rich children Is de-
| feated by the parents orguarola.s VI -. -
very needy children. If the state COM
I nels the forcing of this school money
| from the taxpayers. then it is very PLAIN
+tot there should be compulsion IN re-
gard to attendance .,ov,
| 7 was raised in ante-bellum times wn ',I
NV father paid tuition, and naturaiiy
dasired 10, get his moneys worth for MS
outlay. He knew all about the teachei
and kept me in line to do my outy'
1 can remember several school year'
when did not lose a day In atteh-
Sanca n 7 should miss a day then
7 event foot" in my class and that
was a serious business to me-because
INV parents were as anxious that
should keep ahead (or nearly as
EspeciaIly in spelling did strive to
hold my own in the Glass; anu nov,
when I am nearly rs years DID, 1lno
q need for good spelling every day OF
my life. 1 liked the thoroughness Oh
those ante-bellum schools-and 1t was
parents and guardians felt In ootn the
school and the teacher. which made them
| so effective as school
| It is an Indifferent parent, indeed,
who will not send his child to scooi'
when it costs him no money TO 90 So
/, but there are, am well assured IN
| different parents who cared nothing Tor
their own advancement in books and
who care less than nothing for their
| childrens advancement. SUCH people
| should be forced to do their duty anu
/ that is what is meant by compulsory
education. If we must have compulsory
taxation. then to meet 1t we must have
| compulsory attendance. One demands or
| excites the other. One needs the other
| for a successful working. One must be
matched with the other. am not par
tial to paternalism in government. When