Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-07-03
TO The Public School Teachers
of Tennessee.

TO your attention the matter Of enroll
ment and attendance In our public
schools, and 10 ask that you make
special effort to secure a larger enroll
ment and attendance during the coming
year than ever before.
The scholastic population of the
State is shout 756, 600 the enrolment
is $50, 900, 20 per cent Of the popula-
tion; the average attendance Is 100000
which is IS per cent Of the enrolment,
aud 40 per cent Of the scholastic popu
lation. II is fair 10 state, however, that
these figures are misleading, and con
illusions sometimes drawn from them
are erroneous The scholastic pupulA.
tion includes all persons between the
ages Of six and twenty.one A very
large proportion of enrolment is In the
elementary schools, necessarily so, for
high school opportunities are furnished
in only forty-one counties of the State;
and it is not reasonable to expect many
pupils above 10 or 10 in the elementary,
or above Is or l9 in the high schools.
Besides, several of the larger cities Of
the State place the lower limit of school
age at seven, 80 that 3 considerable
number of the local school population
is cut off in that way.
The situation, then, is net As bad as
it seems, but it is bad enough. There
is no reason why there should not be
enrolled at least SO or SO per cent of
the available school children-from 7
to Is: and then if we could get from SO
to SO per cent of the enrolment in at
tendance instead of 6S per cent we will
be nearer the ideal condition This
will never be brought about, perhaps,
with our present type of school and
present regulations as to attendance.
If we can establish a good system Of
consolidated schools with attractive
buildings and grounds, aud revise our
course of study in such a way as to re-
late the school intimately to the life of
the people, and at the same time
can secure the passage Of compulsory
attendance law; that is, if we can at
tract and draw pupils on the one hand
and uce cOmpulsiOn on those who will
give no heed to gentle persuasion on
the other, we may expect this ideal
condition.
But we cannot afford to wait for this
improved condition, and as teachers
and school officials we can by proper
effort do a great deal towards increasing
the enrolment and attendance during
the coming year. If public school
teachers used half the effort 20 secure
pupils as private school teachers, the
schools would be filled to overlooking,
We have not thought i. necessary to do
so, we have not considered it our duty,
The notion has prevailed that the
school is fOr those who attend, that we
have performed our contract when we
have cOnscientiOusly taught those who
come for instruction. Bnt this Is by
no means the whole duty of the teach
er; different conception of the school
now prevails. From the university to
the primary school there is u growing
tendency to go after the people ON The
part of the university to carry instruct
tion to them; in the lower grades to gC
out into the highways and hedges anc
compel them to come in,
Here, then, is my appeal to the teach
r ers of Tennessee, Go after the boy
and girls who look to your school 10
instruction, make arrangements to ar.
rive in your community week or tel
, days before the opening of school, hav
a conference with some of the leadin
: patrons and school officials, plan q cam
!, psign to reach the Indifferent parent
and pupils, md out if possible all th
II children who ought to to come to you
O school and do not be content until yo
have enrolled them or made an homes
. effort so to do.
If know you receive no princely salar
. and render large service for what yo
are paid, and, dislike to add to you
II burdens; but if you accept the job
all let me urge you to do your who
duty and give the educational advantaI
ID es which your school affords TO evel
Is boy and girl in your school communit,
Very truly yours,
. ] w, BRIsTER,