The Harrison times., 1915-11-06
|. AN EDUCATIONAL SURVEY.
Some Fundamental Problems.

u NV GOSSH lONHG OO
Some Fundamental Problems.
Notwithstanding the commendabic
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, it is alarming to those OF us
who have children to educate. IL 1t Is
true we should face the situation
squarely. Evasion and explanation
will not mend it, While we are de,
nying or apoligizing fifty thousand OF
our children are every year passinE
beyond the school age without the op.
portun,ties offered to children IN
other states.
The Rural SchooIs.-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 hsd any edu.
cation beyond the common school
branches and no professional train.
ing whatever; considerably less than
One-half Of the 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 pes child is exDend.
ed for maintenance 1t is painful to
contrast these conditions with those
in Illinois, for instance, in which the
annual expenditure per pupil is twen.
ty-three dollars, or with Washington
in which it is thirty,two dollars. In
both Of these states the school term f.
one hundred and seventy days, prac
tically all OF the teachers have mad
some professional training, and under
compulsory attendance laws all chill
dren under sixteen years are in school
Special Districts.-ln the villages
and larger towns conditions are soma
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 Surroundina
states. In many districts the free
term OF from three to five
months has been followed by o
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
Teachers.-The chief factor in the
efficiency of the schools is the teacher
He must have not only native ability
but training as well.
School Laws.-The inefiicency ol
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 this
State Aid case our public school sys
TEN is about to break down under the
demands made upon it by the condl
tions of modern life.
Remedies. - These unsatisfactory
conditions deserve the attention OF ali
thoughtful people. They affect every
home and every child in the state, es
Decially those In the rural districts
We need new system with new set
Of school laws, beginning with the
constitution so far as it concerns edu
cation. Among the changes needed to
modernize the system are the lv.low
ing:
!. The passage at the next general
election OF the constitutional amend.
meut permitting local districts to vote
q maximum school tax Of twelve mills
2. A constitutional amendment
making the county the principal school
unit
3, A 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 oi
industrial courses,
7. An awakening to the fact that
half the children OF the state are al