Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-12
NIGHT SCHOOL
URGED FOR CITY
Hundreds of Young Wage.
Farmers Who Would Take
Advantage.
PUBLIC SYSTEM BRANCH
To Be Maintained by Funds Raised
Through Taxation-Hayden
In Favor.

those whose circumstances compel
them to become wage eaTners before
they have acquired even a grade school
training has been urged frequently in
Rock Island through various organize
tions.
Superintendent Hayden seys that he
has no doubt that there is a field for
1.-The work of night school IN this city,
and that there are many who, II such
an institution were to be organized,
would be glad to avail themselves of
the opportunity to add to their educa-
tional equipment in this way. Some
years ago a night school was organ
lied with volunteer instructors and
over zoo students enrolled and main
tanned an active interest Il the work
that was then offered.
The most appropriate relation for
such a school to sustain would be in
connection with the public schools Of
the city.
Many Cities Have Them.
Night schools are maintained in
many of the larger cities Of the state
as a regular department of the public
school work. In Chicago. thousands
of persons engaged In labor through
the day are enrolled IN the night school
/ classes and do effective work, thereby
adding to their own attainment and
raising very effectively the standard
of education and culture OF the com
munity. These schools are maintained
at public expense just as are the pub
| lie schools.
'The question of financial support
of night school classes is of course
an important one" Mr. Hayden said.
Probably here in Rock Island the
most feasible plan would be to charge
modest tuition rate sufficient to cover
the cost of instruction or possibly the
entire maintenance OF the schools.
1t would be quite consistent with the
present day attitude in many commun-
tiles in the state. The question of in
struction and of meeting the expense
of maintaining evening classes would
need to be carefully considered. I'm
doubtedIy competent instructors could
/ be secured, and moderate tuition
rate could be required from those at
! tending the school suffi cient to cover
the cost Of instruction and other main
tenance charges.
| Winter Season Favorable Time.
'In the most successful evening
| schools of which I have knowledge
the work offered is along both practi-
cal elementary lines and more ad-
vanced or cultural work. Probably
the greater demand would be for work
in the common English branches and
manual and Industrial work; and this
field of instruction should be empha-
sized. But both lines of work con-
tribut to the educational uplift in the
community and are worthy of encour-
| agement. AS the winter season is the
most favorable time for work of this
| kind, it would probably not be practt
cable to carry on such school this
| season. But If there seems to be
! demand for night school classes next
fall, the plan would certainly merit
careful consideration and probably a
thorough trial. I feel certain That the
school authorities OF the city would DE
glad to cooperate in any plan that con-
templates an advancement of the edu-
cational results In the community"
Humane Officers Observations.
George Gilman, officer of the Rock
Island County Humane society, who
has been interested in night school
work in other cities, said Of the dis
cussion for the establishment of such
school in this city:
ct am Ii, little over says Johnny
Jones, and don't have to go to school
no more L am a. says Johnny Jones,
20 years after, and wish could go to
school, To the verify of the first quo
tation the truant officer will readily
testify, and to the second, the police
matron, probation and humane officers
are ready to swear. Johnny, the boy,
at ID, says the law allows him to stay
out of and away from school, and the
same John, the man, at "a, feels the
need of and wishes he could go to
school. Between these two ages lies
a great moral lesson, deep sociolog-
ical problem When Johnny has reach
ed the age when the law could no more
force him into school, he became a
cash boy, delivery boy, or a messen-
ger boy He worked 8 out of The "a
hours in week days, had 10 hours ev-
cry day and "a every Sunday to him
self. Finding he had plenty of leisure
at his disposal, he, at that early age,
began to learn how to kill his time Che
had so much of IT.. He did it in
thousand and more ways: at the street
corners, on door steps. in Railways, in
the parks, under the shade of the old
apple tree, ON the river bank, and on
picnic grounds. and at many more
places, especially devised for the kill |
ing OF surplus time. OF which the boys
have an abundance. At maturity, he
reached the high position of driving |
for an express company. which position |
he holds today. At the age Of "a John |
Jones is the father of three fine chill |
dren. His girl of 8 is in the fifth |
grade at school and she wants papa to |
tell the name of the fifth president of /
the United States. and papa finds that
hfu hoe fofIod him IIfo b<,--