The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-04-29
A VIGOROUS PLEA FOR
COMPULS'Y EDUCATION
Prof. VIM. II. Hand Issued Bulletin
Setting Forth Strong Reasons.


ern states is made by William H..
Hand, state high school inspector for
South Carolina, in a bulletin just is
sued by the United States bureau Of
education. After pointing out that the
six states, still without compulsory
laws-South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, and
the four states with compulsory laws
that apply only partially-NIaryland
Virginia, Arkansas and Louisiana
are all Southern states Hand pre-
sents statistics showing that although
illiteracy has been reduced rapidly
in these states within the last two de-
Goes, they still have the highest per-
ccntage OF illiteracy among the white
population.
"Thc opponents Of compulsory cdu-
cation insist that the people will send
their children TO school without be-
ing obliged TO do SO, If only they arc
shown their duty and their obligation
TO the children. These opponents de-
clare that the younger generations
OF white children are already in school
and neither contention is true. In
1910 the II southern states had 7SS.G99
native white children between the age
Iof and II not in school.
"Who are these illiteratc white chill
drcn, and why arc they not i'm school?
Some of them are the sons and daugh-
ters OF parents themselves ignorant,
and unable to appreciate or to under
stand what an education means to
their children and to their state
Some arc the children OF sordid moth
crs and fathers who arc more than
willing to make wage carncrs and
bread winners Of their untaught off
| spring at tho expense OF their future
manhood and womanhood Many arc
at work on the farms, sacrificed to the
monotinouS rounds Of planting corn,
cultivating crops, harvesting crops,
and again planting crops. Some are
at work in the stores or shops or are
cngagcd as messenger boys, all at Il
small wage. Many arc employed in
the ncrvc-dulling and blood sapping
environment of the mills. receiving
good wages as children in exchange
for the vigor OF manhood and training
Of mind as men and women; while
thousands OF others are roaming tho
streets and country lanes, the training
grounds for idlcrs, vagarants and en-
emieS OF the law, order and dcccncy
when the state has provided
school for all its children, it has per-
formed only portion OF its duty. If
a universal school tax is iuStifiablc on
the ground that popular education is
not necessity, compulsory attend
ance by the state is also iustifiablc.
The state has no right to levy and
collect taxes for a specific purpose
to be defeated at the hands of indif-
fcrcnt or selfish parents.
objection is often made, that com
pulsory education would work hard
ships in the homes OF the poor. Is it
not fact that the child OF the poor
home is the very one who needs most
to aid of the state to bring the COM
pleXities OF modern life and the in
sstcnt demands Of citizenship with
none Of the advantages common to
birth or wealth. The poor child is
the very one whom the state ought to
help, because he himself is helpless.
The argument against compulsory
attendance on account OF the negro has
been worn thrcadbare; surely the time
has come to drop 1t. Some phases Of
it are pathetic. Is it wise or cxpc-
dient to permit thousands Of white
boys to grow up In ignorance lest in
forcing them into school the aspira-
tiOns Of the negro child should be
awakened? Shall the white man re-
main ignorant in order to encourage
or compel the negro to remain igno-
rant Is it better for both white and
black to remain ignorant than be-
come intelligent?
81 yield to no one in the pride over
what has been accomplished educa-
tionally in the past 10 years. We
have planned better schools, inspired
the taxpayers to vote taxes for schools
and encouraged the people to build
modern schools, to lengthen their
school terms, to employ better teach
crs, and to pay them bctteg salaries,
and fo ,ooko tboir coboolo thoir nri1o