Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-04-07
Compulsory Education in the
Southern States


South Carolina, in a bulletin just is
sued by the United Statese Bureau of
Education. After pointing out that
SIX states still without compulsory
law-South Carolina, Georgia, Flor
Ga, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas,
and the four states with npulsory
laws that apply only partially-Mary-
lend, Virginia, Arkansas and Louisi-
ana-are all Southern States, MI
Hand presents statistics showing that
although illiteracy has been reduced
rapidly in these states within the asc
two decades, they still have the high
est percentage of illiteracy among the
white population.
The figures can have but one mean.
ing" declares Mr., Hand. They show
that compulsory education reduces H..
iliteracy.
The opponents of compulsory edu.
cation insist that the people will sell
tFeir children to school without be-
| ing obliged to do so, if only they az
shown their duty and their Obligation
to their children. These opponents de-
clare that the younger generation of
white children are already in school.
Neither contention is true. In 1910
the - Southern States had 1869 ma
tive white children between the ages
of s and IA not in school.
who are these illiterate white CHI
dren, and why are they not in schoo.:.
Some of them are the sons and daugh
ters OF parents themselves ignoran;
ard unable to appreciate or to under
stand what an education means to their
children and to the State. Some ar.
the children Of sordid fathers and
mothers who are more than willing
to make wage earners and breadwia-
ners of their untaught offspring at the
expense of their future manhood AMI
womanhood Many are at work on
the farm, sacrificed to the monotonous
round of planting crops, cultivatins
crops, harvesting crops, aud again
painting crops, Some are at work i'll
the stores and shops or engaged IS
messenger boys, all at small wage.
Many are employed in the ne. ve-dul!.
ing and blood-sapping environment Of
the mills, receiving good wages as
children in exchange for yigor Of body
and training of mind as men and We
men; while thousands of others a {
AOe'AlAhS TIC 0IISSlS anu COuuII%
lanes, the training ground for idlers.
Migrants, and enemies to law, order
and decency.
When the State has provided schools
for all its children, it has performed
only a portion Of its duty. If a uni
yersal school tax is justifable on the
sround that popular education is
necessity compulsory attendance by
the State is also justifable. The State
has no right to levy and collect taxes
for a specific purpose and then pc nit
that purpose to be defeated at the
hand Of Indifferent or selfish parents
objection is often made that com
pulsory attendance would work hard
ships in the homes of the poor Is it
not fact that the poor child is the
very one who most needs the aid Of
the State to bring him into possession
OF his own? He it is who must soon
face the complexities of moCern life
and the insistent demands OF citizen.
ship with none of the advantages cor.
non to birth Or wealth. The poor
child is the very one whom The stare
ought to help, because he himself s
helpless.
"The argument against compulsory
attendance on account of the neg, o
has been worn threadbare; surely TIE
time has come to drop it. Some phas-
ej OF it are pathetic. Is it wise or sX-
pedient to permit thousands of white
boys and girls to grow up in ignorance
lest in forcing them into school tue
-