The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-17

in rural school administration. From
this poor attendance have ensued many
serious evils, such as: high rural Hit
eracy rural-to-urban migration, loss
of rural national leadership, and the
evils of rural child labor, which are
shown largely in the small number OF
boys who complete the eighth grade
Rural illiteracy Is twice as high as
the urban. We're the rural school
nearly as efficient as the city school
the conditions ought to be reversed
For it is in the urban centers that the
majority of our migrants locate, and
it is there that the struggle for bread
is much greater. This matter of illit
eracy is a most serious one, for upon
the degree of literacy of people de-
pend the extent and perpetuity of Its
free institutions. The urban migration
of country people Is also a serious
matter, for it means congested urban
centers and in the end national decay
and dishonor In the matter Of the
loss of rural national lead
ership, grave problem pre-
sents itself. In the past
twenty years the open country has
lost its place in furnishing its quota OF
country.bred men for national leader
ship, for in this time it has furnished
less than ten per cent of this leader
ship when it should have furnished at
least forty.five per cent. For instance
during this period not single Unit
ed States president has been country
bred, that is, a farmers boy; and in
fifteen agricultural states where TWEEN.
ty-6ve leading university presidents
were selected only three were coun.
try.bred. If this continues, it can
spell only disaster; for it means the
beginning of a caste system, the rul-
ed and the ruling classes. The specific
remedy for this condition is less farm
work and more schooling for the
country boy.
The evils of child labor are the most
serious and far-reaching. Rural child
labor means at maturity bodies Of low
working power and minds poorly
trained. 1t means loss of rural ma
tional leadership, a low plane of cit
izenship, and many kindred evils. It
strikes largely and most savagely at
the country boy as is shown in the
smaller number and per cent who
complete the eighth grade; though
when man-grown he is the one who
must make the first and always the
largest contribution toward the sup
port of the family, church, school, and
state. Thus it strikes at the very
heart of the nation.
The causes Of this poor attendance
as related to rural child labor are due
mainly to the practice of petty poll
tics and mercenary greed. Back Of
both, however, is lust for money, Is
subscription to and belief in the ig.
noble sentiment that money makes the
man. A nine month term with per
cent of attendance and eighth grade
completion of ninety costs more mon
ey than does a term Of seven months
with a per cent of attendance Of
sixty and an eighth grade completion
of fifteen per cent for boys. This
means that that kind of politician who
is by turns a political jacksnipe and a
political pirate would of necessity "a
vor the latter condition; for he thrives
upon cheap money and much ignor.
ance of his fellow man, that Is, upon
the evil results of child labor on farm
or in factory.
AS political iacksnipe he is small
and light and fits here and there ut.
tering his querlous little plant: "The
schools are good enough, they cost
money enough" while he is responsi.
BILE for the expenditure Of much money
in political ways. He talks much Of
two or three country boys who have
made good" as he calls it; but he
does not know or care that though
these succeeded many thousands,
having failed to complete the sixth
grade, are today only unskilled la.
borers cursing the country and the
men that made it. Or possibly when
brought to task for his part in this
nefarious business, he shouts, Wasn't
I once country boy, and amt now
a legislature (not legislator), while
half of them educated city boys amt
nobody" AS a political pirate, rob.
bling children of their rights, he is the
more dangerous character of the two.
Sometimes masquerading as an educa-
tor he derides and belittles such evi.
dences Of scholarship as diplomas or
degrees. Possibly as county super
infon6ont no iS MT ovon a normal