Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-07-04
TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
TEACHERS OF TENNESSEE

desire in this special way to brin.
to your attention the matter of enroll
ment and attendance in our publ,
schools, ana to ask that YOU make spec
ial effort to secure a larger enrolment
and attendance during the coming
year than ever before.
The scholastic population of the
State is about 756, 600; the enrolment
is $50, 900, ~ per cent. of the popula,
ton; the average attendance is $50, 00C
which is GS per cent. of the enroll,
ment, and 40 per cent. of the scholas.
tic population. 1t is fair to state,
however, that these figures are mis-
leading, and conclusions sometimes
drawn from them are erroneous. The
scholastic population includes all per
sons between the ages of six and TWEEN
ty-one. A very large proportion of
the enrolment is in the elementary
schools, necessarily so, for high school
opportunities are furnished in only
forty-One counties of the State; and il
is not reasonable to expect many pu-
pills above 10 or 16 in the elementary,
or above IS or 10 in the high schools
Besides, several of the larger cities of
the State place the lower limit Of
school age at seven, so that a consid-
cradle number of the local school pop
ulation is cut off in that way.
The situation, then, is not as bad as
it seems, but it is bad enough. There
is no reason why there should not be
enrolled at least SO or 98 per cent. of
the available school children-frOm Z
to 10; and then if we could get from
95 to SO per cent. of the enrolment in
attendance instead of 6S per cent. we
will be nearer the ideal condition.
This will never be brought about, per-
haps, with our present type of school
and present regulations as to attend
ance If we can establish a good sys-
tenn of consolidated schools with at
tractive buildings and grounds, and
revise u course of study in such a
way as to relate the school intimately
to the life of the people, and at the
same time can secure the passage of
a compulsory attendance law; that is,
if we can attract and draw pupils on
the one hand and use compulsion on
those who will give no heed to gentle
persuasion on the other, we may ex-
pect this ideal condition.
But we cannot afford to wait for this
improved condition, and as teachers
and school officials W. can by proper
effort do a great deal towards increas-
ing the enrolment and attendance
during the coming year, If public
school teachers used half the effort to
secure pupils as private school teach
ers, the schools would be filled to ov-
We have not thought it
to do so, we have not con-
sidered it our duty. The notion has
prevailed that the school is for those
who attend, that we have performed
our contract when we have conscien-
taught those who come for in
But this is by NO means the
duty of the teacher: a different
conception of the school now prevails.
From the university to the primary
there is a growing tendency to
go after the people on the part of the
university to carry instruction to
them; in the lower grades to go out
into TIE highways and hedges and
them to come in.
Here, then, is my appeal to the
of Tennessee. Go after the
boys and girls who look to your school
or instruction, make arrangements to
III Jou1 oIhoo
week or ten days before the opening of
have a conference with some
Of the leading patrons and school Off
;ials.. plan a campaign to reach the
parents and pupils, find out
t possible all the children who ought
o come to your school and do not be
until you have enrolled them
II made an honest effort to DO so.
l know you receive no princely sala-
y and render large service for what
are paid, and 1 dislike to add to
our burdens, but if you accept the
OBJ at all let me urge you to do your
,hole duty and give the educational
which your school affords
0 every boy and girl in your school
Very truly yours,
J. W. BRISTER,
State Superintendent.