Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-09-07
SCHOOL ABSENTEE|SM
Teachers, Trustees And Partons of
County Public Schools Meet
To Discuss Non-Atten-
dance Of Pupils
Mr.. MEL WINS ADDRESS
Lack Of School Attendance A Hind
rance To Training And
Discipline

l
A meeting of teachers and patrons
was held last night in the Assembly
Hall of the High School. The pro
gram consisted of music and lectures.
DR.. Garner called the meeting to order
and made some very pertinent re-
marks on the necessity of having all
pupils of school age attend the schools
regularly. He introduced Mr.. Field
meyer, president of the Board of
School Trustees as chairman of the
meeting. Miss Redmond gave vocal
and Misses Armstrong and Robinson
an instrumental solo.
Several patriotic songs, America, >"
Maryland, My Maryland, and
There are Many Flags" were sung
by the audience. Mr.. Melvin spoke
on the great cost of education to the
I taxpayers and brought out the fact
that by the large per cent of non-at-
tendance the State was not getting
what it paid for He urged teachers
and parents to exert themselves in
every way to get and keep these child
rem in our schools. His address was
as follows:
LaOleS ana GenJIemen:
With the opening of another school
year, am convinced that the most
important subject which can engage
the attention and call for the example
| and effort of parents, teachers and
trustees of our public school in Anna
polls is that of an intelligent and con-
| scientious endeavor to secure a full
| attendance of the children of the
| city upon the opening day, next Mon
day, in the elementary and grammar
| grades. Then we should bend our
thoughts and energies toward main
tanning throughout the school year, as
far as may be practicable, their regu-
| lar daily presence in the classes.
| Next to non-attendance, irregular at
tendance is an evil whcih every friend
of school children and of public educa-
tion must sincerely deplore and seek
| to remedy.
| Doubtless, the real gravity of this
matter has not been forcibly brought
| to the notice of some of you. Those
parents who take a proper interest in
the welfare and training of their own
| children and keep them in the schools
are frequently so engrossed in order
ing the ways of their own household
that they do not look at the question
in its larger aspect. But they should
do so; for the growth and development
of the public school system is some
thing in which, even above other
agencies of government and of So
Getty, it is imperative that all should
share. If our public school educa-
tion means anything to the nation, it
means that its benefits are for every
child, no matter what his social condi-
tion or environment may be. The
State has no more important work
than to provide for its future by train
ing its children for the noblest citi-
zenship."
In the matter of school attendance,
it seems to me that Annapolis is a
fair sample of other cities and towns.
1t may be safely estimated that 20
per cent. of our children are to be
counted as depriving themselves, or
being deprived, of the opportunities
or acquiring common-school educa-
tion, an asset that in future years
would be of inestimable advantage
not only to themselvs, but to the COM
munity in which they may live. The
school population of Maryland-t
is, the number of children between
FIVE and eigteen years of age-is prob
ably now 375, 200, with not over 250,.
600 enrolled on the registers of the
public schools. There is no doubt
that at least 20 per cent. and perhaps
greater figure, of Maryland children
who ought to be in attendance upor
the public schools, are receiving nc
benefit from them. The latest avail
able statistics on this point, compiled
about three years ago, indicated thai
at that time out of every hundred
children enrolled in the State schoo
system only were in regular atten
dance.
''Is it not serious thing to our com
munity that 20 per cent. of our child
rem of school age, who ought to be il
our schools here in Annapolis, are los
ing time and instruction which, in tn
: great majority of instances, they vii
: never be able to recover or to receive
! Surely this is grave situation, an
) one which should appeal to all of u.s.
"As school officials, we cannot but b
keenly cognizant of the expenditur
of money, time and energy to no pun
] pose so far as this startling propol
' tion of the boys and girls of Annapc
: lis are concerned. We must provid
school equipment and teaching fore
: adequate to the needs of our whcl
: school population, and the taxpayer
e cheerfully and uncomplainingly COZ
t tribute the heavy sums necessary I
sustain educational facilities CONNER
surate with the demands that may /
made. Certainly those charged wit
d the management and operation of tf
r schools, the trustees and teachers. ia
in their duty when they do not exc
a themselves with singleness Of purpo:
e and clear appreciation of their r.
sponsibilities, to bring into the schoo
/ every child of school age. and NAL
a sure of their receiving the trainir
and instruction that are to make the