Pocahontas star herald., 1915-12-03
I. AN EDUCATIONAL SURVEY.
Some Fundamental Problems


Notwithstanding the commendahle
growth in our public schools in the
past six years a recent survey OF the
schools in all states made by the Sage
Foundation shows that In the basis Of
efficiency the schools OF Arkansas
rank forty-third. This means that so
far as educational opportunities are
concerned there are forty-two better
states in which TO rear children. This
information Is humiliating TO our state
pride, Il Is alarming to those OF us
who have children TO educate. II fitis
true we should face the situation
squarely. Evasion and explanation
will not mend H. While we are de.
nying or apoligizing fifty thousand OF
our children are every year passiu,;
beyond the school age without the op.
portunities offered TO children in
other states.
The Rural sehools.-These schools
are kept open less than six months OF
the year. some OF them for one month
only; they are in charge OF teachers
who are paid less per year than is
earned by unskilled laborers. less than
one-sixth Of them having had any edu.
cation beyond the common school
branches and no professional train.
ing whatever; considerably less than
onehalf OF tho children OF school age
are in daily attendance; that Is. there
is no day when half the children of our
state are in school. and less than six
dollars per annum per chile Is expend-
ed for maintenance. II is painful TO
contrast these conditions with those
in Illinois, for instance. in which the
annual expenditure per pupil is TWEEN.
ty-three dollars, or with Washington
I'm which II is thirty.tHo dollars. IN
both of these states the school term Is
one hundred and seventy days, prac.
;ically all Of the teachers have ha6
some professional training, and under
compulsory attendance laws all chill.
dren under sixteen years are In school.
Special Districts.-In the villages
and larger towns conditions are some
what better The school term is
longer teachers are better paid and
therefore better trained. and the per.
centage Of daily attendance is higher.
But even here, except in a few places,
the schools are far below the stand.
ards in similar places in surrounding
states. In many districts the free
term OF from three to FIVE
months has been followed by
private term, and in some cases there
has been no free term at all. payment
for tuition having been required OF all
high school pupils and occasionally
from all pupils.
Teaehers.-The chief factor in the
efficiency Of the schools is the teacher.
lie must have not only native ability,
but training as well.
School Lsws.-The inefIiciency Of
our schools is not due primarily to
lack Of funds. The source OF the
trouble lies in our antiquated school
laws. Under these and the recent de.
cision OF the Supreme Court in the
State Aid case our public school syg.
TEN is about to break down under the
demands made upon ii by the condi.
tions of modern life.
Remedies These unsatisfactory
conditions deserve the attention of all
thoughtful people. They affect evcry
home and every child in the state, es.
| pecially those In the rural districts.
| We need a new system with new SGT
OF school laws, beginning with the
constitution so far as IT concerns edu.
cation. Among the changes needed TO
! modeTnize the system are the follow.
| ing:
1. The passage at the next general
election Of the constitutional amend.
ment permitting local districts to vote
q maximum school tax Of twelve mills.
2. A constitutional amendment
making the county the principal school
unit.
8, county board Of education
with authority to manage the schools
Of the county
A. A county superintendent in each
county appointed by the county board
! Of education.
s. A county high school In each
county Of the state under the manage
ment of the county board of education.
G. The adaptation of the common
school course Of study to the needs Of
the children by the introduction Of
Industrial courses.
Z. An awakening to the fact that
half the children Of the state are al
ways out of school; eventually they
will all vote.-B. w. Torreyson, Little
Rock, Arkansas.