Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-28
SCHOOL FAILURE
TO HOLD PUPILS
w. II. Elson Comments on
Waste in Public Education
at st. Louis Meeting.
HALF STOP AT FIFTH GRADE
One-fourth of Elementary Students
Retarded Several Years, With
Great Losses.

Sa. Louis, Feb. 2S.-The failure Of
the school to hold its pupils is one
OF the great sources of educational
waste in this country, in the opin-
len of w. H. Elson, superintendent of
schools in Cleveland, Ohio, as ex-
pressed in an address here today be-
fcre the department of superinten-
dence of the National Educational
association. He was speaking on
Waste and Efficiency in School Stud
ies." In typical city it was found,
he said, that "only one child in two
ever advanced in the elementary
school beyond the fifth grade" Vo-
cational high schools, he declared,
have marked influence intending to
keep children longer at school.
RETARDED ONE TO FOUR YEARS.
Records in typical city show, he
added, that, exclusive of all special
schools, one-fourth of all elementary
pupils were retarded one to four
years; and that the losses from school
by Withdrawals are affected by retar-
dation.
"Of all the money spent in Amer
lean cities for public education" he
said, "one-tenth to one-eighth is
spent in taking children over the
work a second time, an enormous
loss considered from any point OF
view. The thoughtful study of edu-
cational waste cannot fail to reach
the conclusion that the school is ad-
dressing itself to a stronger group
and setting it's standards of attain
ment beyond the range of the aver.
age children. Methods and stan.
dards of promotion should be made
more flexible.
STANDARDIZED SUBJECTS.
"There is urgent need for stan
dardizing subjects, departments and
schools. A study of educationa
waste forces the conclusion that IL
the collection and use of data tt
I guide in measuring the efficiency o.
the school and in determining admin
J istrative action, mere beginning hai
been made; that If the efficiency o
the schools Is to be definitely meas
ured careful record Of school losse
must be kept, to the end that stud.
courses and promotion schemes ma.
be adapted to the abilities, needs ant
interests of all the children and tn,
school itself be enabled thereby t,
check it's own waste"
RURAL SCHOOL LAGGARD.
The rural school is the one lag
gard in the educational procession
declares the report of the COMMITTEE
on rural school education presente,
today. E. T. Fairchild, state super
intendent of public instruction Il
Kansas, is chairman Of the commit
tee. I'm spite of the marvellous de
velopment in enrolment, in kind an
character of teaching force, in ex
cellence of buildings, in equipmen
and diversity of courses in town an
city schools, in normal schools, col
leges and universities. the repor
says, "the rural school remains tn
most backward of all educationa
agencies. OF the 100000 rura
school children less than 25 per cen
complete the work of the grades. TIL
teaching force is immature and lack
I proper training. Terms are to
, short. School buildings are poor, III
| sanitary and ill-equipped. The SUI
ervision is inadequate. The stron
virile rural school of a generatio
ago has gone; and in it's place is
primary school weak in numbers an
lacking in efficiency.
MUST HAVE AID.
"The country school needs assis
: ance. If these schools are to be be
: tered there must be a NATIONWIDE
? campaign of publicity. Public after
: tion must be challenged and the RI
: raj communities must be aroused [
: the necessity of better school priv
leges for the children.
Authority and money must b
, given to the federal bureau of edl
cation that it may undertake a can
q paign for the reorganization of Il
. rural school"