The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-11-25
1sfIr,C,at:on 81 4rkanaas.

sas ghty or ninety years ago. IS
shown BY Stephen b Weeks IN a
bulletin. History Of Public school
Education n Arkansas Just -ssEed
by. the United States Bureau of Ed
ucation. The boys IN these early
schools were taught the Clements OF
agriculture, the girls needlevork
and domestic science, and all were
instructed IN habits Of industry
neatness and order. At least one
school was almost self-supporti
As early as 1910, Governor Yell SEM
"a message TO the Assembly contain
ing recommendation for agr.cul-
turaI and mechanical training that
mark him as pioneer in this sig
inincant phase of modern education.
DR.. week straces in an interest
ing and scholarly way education in
Arkansas from the earliest days %
private academies and denomination
al undertakings, on through the
blghting period of the Civil war
and reconstruction. down into the
active present. with its remarkable
record OF educat 'ona1 progress IN
the face OF, great 4imculties.4-z
SCHOOLS of the. ante be!Ium days IL
I AK ansas were, not free" in our
lsense,.sinee the .poor~w were to be ed
lucatedr not Forthe protection OF the
state. but as charity. The ideal at
frst vas of a school rendered free
.ay endowment rather than sup
ported by pubic tsxation. Educa-
ton. like religion, was left to per-
soaal inclination. The population
was small, indifferent to culture. bent
ION the conquest of nature, and very
widely scattered. 1T is not sur
Iprfsing. then" says DR.. Weeks,
that no general system OF eduea-
ton was developing during this
period
What progress did take place was
soon halted by the Civil war. Dur
ing the war education received scant
attention. The reconstruction peri
cd, likewise, was necessarily
period of adjustment rather than OF
achievement. but during this epoch
certain important principles were
definitely adopted: Public taxation
for the support of the schools; es-
adjustment of the position of SUI
perintendent Of public instruction as
a separate state Office: the eduea-
ton OF the whole people. both black
and white; and the ultimate ideaA
of compulsory education.
With the restoration Of home rule
in 1917 and the Incorporation of the
public school system unequivocally
into the constitution Of that year.
the permanently of public educa-
ton was assured. Since that time 1t
NAV fairly be said that the school
system has been administered in the
interests of all the people under
policy more or less uniform.
The slow but steady improvement
in educational conditions in Arkan-
sas reached a climax IN 1909, waen
The assembly passed two compulsory
attendance laws. and two acts OF
agriculture education, one requiring
the teaching of elementary agricui-i
ture and horticulture in the sehooIs'
the other appropriatingg $l6V,-
900 for spec al schools to teach asri-
culture. horticulture and textile (
v,.nnfac9uring. The legislature OF
,q11 passed no less than thirteen
educational acts. covering eonsoi-I
da,ion o. rural schools, eompulsory
attendance. the creation OF high
schools and the establishment OF a
state board of education.
In summarizing the purposes ana
aspirat .ons of Arkansas in educ2-l
ticn. DR.. Weeks says: The people
Of Arkansas have been thoroughly
honest with themselves: they are
nor in the habit of claiming that
tbc,~ system is better than it IS or
bo,tsr Than that of other states
tbe5 have boldly and honestly
soueht to know the true situation
rceard:ess OF their relative rank
Their educational leaders have rec
opn;zed Their shortcomings, their
blu.ders, their failures. their injus-
tices to themselves. and with steadi-
ness of sometimes exceed
inplv slow. It is true, but none the
less sure-they have sought to
amend the errors of earlier days ana
TO lay broad and deep the founda-
tions of a school system that shah
grow and develop with the increas-
ing strength and power OF the
state"