The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-31
Need Compulsory Education.


Editor Nrginian: /
Sir-=On January 10 there MAS a +
very strong editorial in the Evening
Journal regarding Statewide Com /
puIsorv Education" suggesting that .
Mr. BiRford would present plea (
before the members of the General
Assembly to have law enacted
10 that effect. My interest being
aroused ! wrote reply, hoping to
have my views printed along that
line. a few days later the article +
was commented on in another edi- /
torial but the letter did not appear
So ] am writing another article ask ,
ing YOU to please give same a little
space in your valuable paper.
The Journal set forth tremendous
calamities" which would sc sure to
happen If this should become az law
and suggested that Mr.. Binford was
only sentimental and knew not the
effects this Statewide compulsory law
would have on the mountain coun-
ties ! thought one who lives among
them knows something Of its needs.
Inadequate seats and homes? Let
me say right here no one who has the
welfare of the rising generation at
heart could possibly oppose the bill
was born and bred. reared and ed
uCatcd at the foothills of the Blue
t(luRe hDuilldlnS. IN vi ttilt NOAiltE,
which county ranks very high in
illiteracy. | have been a teacher in
these mountains more than quarter
Of century, consequently have had
ample opportunity to see -he great
need of Statewide puisory edu-
cational law enacted and I do hope
the gentlemen who are entrusted to
represent us in the present Legisla-
ture will see our need as We see it.
"A compulsory educational law"
does not affect the man VINO has his
children at school regularly. for they
have their children in school any
way. but the poor neglected children
! would receive the benefit.
The Journal says no seats and
! houses for them Not SO IN Greene.
J Plenty of schools. vacant seats, and
/ teachers. but the great trouble is 10
get regular attendance. especially in
the mountain schools.
t | have known schools already whose
! enrolment was from forty to fifty
with an average of ten or fifteen.
also know Of families living in sight
Of school houses with six or seven
children Of school age whose children
have never seen the inside Of a
school room, Some one will say
poverty" Not so; I have in mind
some mon whose belongings are in
! the thousands who have never sent
their children to school II is simply
neglect of duty, These parents think
Il have gotten along without educa-
ton, let my children do likewise -
Then where they are enrolled the
! attendance is so irregular the chill
drCU get only a Smattering knowI-
edge of books. Whereas. If we had
a drastic Compulsory educatiouat$
law the money expended would be OF
some consequence Innumerable ex-
: eHses are Matched up by both parents
and pupils. ] sometimes ask chill
dreu why they are not at school
They reply. Just didn't want to go"
or Il am not going to STAY penned
up in house when I can be out play
ing, ASK some parents why their
children are not in school. Reply.
II tried my best to get 90 and so
TO go today, but | couldn't get him
to go" Some say the have to keep
them to work, Give us Statewide
compulsory attendance or impose a
fine strong enough and this. in my
estimation. will open these parents
eyes to see their neglect as nothing
else can. They will realZ" their re-
Sponslhility, have more res RANT and
control of their children: conse-
quently better citizenship. Chill
dren who do not attend school have
not the self-control and consequently
our prisons are filled with criminals.
Are not the ma iOrity Of the prison
inmates uliterates' These neglected
children could be made useful Cit-
zens IL we could once arouse the
parents interest TO keep them in
school. While they are free to stay
ut home if they so desire II Is some
times hard 10 get enough children
in these mountain schools to keep
the schools going during the fall
months No child can get an educa-
ton by attending school six or eight
weeks year. The schools are In
reach of every family know of In
Greene Mission schools have been
established with a view to getting
better attendance. These, too, have
not been successful. They make the
schools as attractive ar ii is possible;
short hours of study, fewer lessons
and music. But when II comes to
the point that these NEGLECTED home
training) pupils need correction.
Nothing affords these youngsters
sweeter revenge than I'd stay away
from school, especially If they think
II Inconvenience the teacher any l
had occasion not long since TO keep
In at recess a, spoiled pupil, small
! boy. Some one was teasing him
about II. He said. If she fools with
me I'll stop school. am getting
tired coming. any how"
! I am glad to say that in every
school I know of there are always a
, few pupils whose parents see the
, benefit of an education and these
pupils are bright and shining lights
in their communities. Why not have
every one that way"
The colored race has always been
held up as an excuse to down COM
pulsory education. Here in Greene
J the colored race does not need this
law nearly so much as the white
race The negroes will send their
, children miles to have them in school.
! know of no families living as far
as three miles from some school. and
those living farthest away are some
times the most prompt in attendance.
! So let us have Statewide compul-
sorry attendance by all means as the
present local option law Is SO loose 1t
i Is practically of not mrcfr value.
A few years back there was vote
/ taken in the county OF Rockingham
as to compulsory attendance. | have
! been informed that there were only