Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

pause even to think of the effect the move
will have on their children's educationo
1t is more than time for every parent to
convert himself or herself into highly eff
fective compulsory attendance officer; for
children must be made to 60 to school.
Even in those cities which have laws for
compulsory education the laws do not en-
force themselves. Parents need to learn that
by indulging their children and permitting
them to remain away from school on slight
and frivolous pretexts they are doing their
offspring a positive injury, and sometimes
an irremediable tragedy. They jeopardize
the child's standing in school and endanger
his progress in life. We should remember
every day that for the great masses of the
people-for whom our public school system
has been built up-present neglect cannot
be atoned for in the future. Taking care to
preserve the childs health, we must crowd
all we can into the years before the four
tenth or fifteenth birthday, and we must
create public sentiment that will look upon
indifference and neglect in this matter as a
positive crime against children.
While as a matter Of fact, few parents are
so situated that they are compelled to call
on their children to earn wages before the
fourteenth year, it is true that after the four
tenth year children frequently have to 60
W WOIk. Ills DelllS lile CASE, IL ID Clcdl tlldt
for large part of Our population the ques-
ton of how much schooling they will receive
is answered by the consideration of how
much they can obtain before they reach the
age of fourteen. Measured in time, this de-
ponds on the age when they enter school;
measured in progress, it depends upon the
regularity of advance from grade to grade.
Of those who leave at fourteen years OF age,
only those who enter at six and advance
regularly in accordance with the school plan
can hope to finish the elementary school.
The promotion of boy or girl to the next
higher grade should not be merely cause
for pride on the part of the father and
mother; but it should arouse their thank
fulness that another step has been taken in
assuring to the child its obtaining the full
benefits of the school system. as there any
thing startling, asks one writer, "in the fact
that nine-year children are found in the
first grades of our schools?" Nothing start
ling in truth, but fact profoundly regret
able, since. even with perfect record. these
children can advance only part of the way
mapped out for them in what remains of the
years of school attendance.
Can Make Up; but Doesn't
PUT is there no opportunity to make up?
- If child enters school later than six
and tails to hn1Sh the eighth grade by the
time he reaches his fourteenth birthday, or
if at some point he fails and his fourteenth
birthday finds him behind, may he not stay
in school until its work is completed? AS
suredly he may; but as matter of fact he
does not. Exceptions may occur; but the
broad fact remains that the ma jority of chill
dren leave school after fourteen, and it is
precisely those farthest behind in their work
who form the largest contingent of those
who drop out.
1t is a peculiar fact that the less fitted a
child is mentally to cope with the world, the
more anxious he is to get out into it and do
something. And it is regretable fact that
there are too many parents who consent to
the child's seeking and getting employment
without even complete knowledge of the
elementary things of learning.
Then, too, the child who drops out for
two or three months loses not only these
months, but generally the school unit-term
or year as the case may be-of which it is a
part. Let such absences be repeated two or
three times in the course of his school life,
and his fourteenth birthday finds him hope
lessly behind his grades.
1t does not require the wisdom of Solomon
to figure out how vast an injury will be done
to the children if there is a constant