The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-27

pilsory school attendance law, as
sumo that their own communities do
not stand In especial need of the law
and take the position that there is no
use In making the effort TO have the
law put into operation i'm the districts
that have adequate school facilities.
This Is a mistaken view TO take OF this
important matter; there Is not town,
city or rural school district in the
State In which the percentage of IL
hteracy Is not too high. The towns,
cities and rural school districts that
have the best schools and best edu-
cational facilities are the ones that
should take the lead In enforcing the
school attendance law. A school CEN
sus will prove conclusively, we feel
sure. that there are In every town
many children OF school age who are
growing up in ignorance through the
indifference and neglect OF their par
ents. There is no valid excuse for
this state Of affairs and The law enact
ed by the legislature Is the remedy.
Wherever the facilities are adequate
all children OF school age should be
required to attend school regularly.
IL Is In such communities that the
fight against ignorance and indiffer-
ence Is TO be made and won before
the backward section can be reclaim
ed. III these communities do not take
the lead In the work OF wiping out
iinteracy and prove that compulsory
school attendance can be enforced ana
that the results are beneficial, IL Is
useless to hope for the adoption of the
system In sections where there Is now
so little interest in education that
there are few schools and a high per-
centage OF illiteracy. When compu,-
sorry school attendance shall have
been successfully and effectively en-
forced In one or more districts in every
county for n period sufficiently long
for the beneficial results to show for
themselves the foundation will have
education law.
There Is a joker In the compulsory
school attendance law. according 10
Mr.. III. Il. Ravenel. n member of the
spartanburg bar. One section OF the
law provides that the elections TO put
the law into effect shall be held on
the second Tuesday in June. 1915,
and on the second Tuesday in June of
succeeding years. while another sec
tion makes the law effective July 1st,
1915. As Mr.. Ravenel interprets the
law no election to put the provisions
OF the law into effect can be held
legally until the second Tuesday OF
June 1916. His construction OF the
law may be correct. but IL is a ques-
tion for tho lawyers and the court TO
decide. IL is possible to hold the
view that the elections may be held
on the second Tuesday in June. 1915.
In anticipation of the law going into
effect July LIST. since the law directs
that the elections be held on that
particular date.
The article that made Milwaukee
famous Is up against prohibition in it's
own state.
Fifty-seven thousand women voters
OF Chicago cast their ballots for the
wide open town candidate for may
or and he won the nomination. His
opponent received only thirty-six thou
sand women votes. suffragist ex-
planation OF this outcome would be
interesting.
Lord Kitchener announced months
ago that the war would really begin
May 1st when the English army
would be ready. But since Germany
has thrown "a Gordon OF submarines
around England how is Lord Kitch-
ener to move his great army across
the channel into France? II Ger
many can maintain the blockade Eng
land may yet be starved out and
France ovcrrun. The end Of the war
H. by no means In sight.
South Carolina In addition To the
financial troubles resulting from the
war has prohibition campaign and
election 10 face this year The legis-
lOture could have saved us the
nuisance OF an unnecessary campaign
the result of which is a forgone con
clusio',. by enactlng n Statewide law
which the members OF the logisla