Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-23
THE RURAL
SCHOOL Term

Before the rural schools can come into
possession Of the things due them there
must be an aroused public sentiment as
to their needs. Previous talks have
served to show how to increase the
rural school term by better average
daily attendance on the part Of rural
pupils. It has been pointed out that
the average daily attendance OF all pu-
pills enrolled in the rural schools Of the
United States is only SIS per cent Of
the enrolment. If it were possible to
take into consideration the large number
Of rural pupils who are not enrolled but
who should be enrolled by a proper en-
forcement Of a reasonable compulsory
attendance law the average daily attend
ance in the rural schools for the country
at large would be less than 60 per cent.
In support of this declaration the fol-
lowing is quoted from the Annual Re-
port of the State Superintendent Of
Schools Of Georgia for the school year
ended December 81, 1915. Pleading for
a reasonable enforcement Of a reasona-
bly, compulsory attendance law, the Su-
perfnt endent Declares:
There are some men who are so
HcdH ny lure lAdI lucy IAuSI Uo lolCcO
before they will give their children edu-
cational opportunities for school train
ing. The figures show that 169.630 chill
dren of school age in this State did not
attend school day last year. Many of
these have never been enrolled during
any previous year. Without the strong
arm of the law they will grow up in ig-
norance just as thousands before them
have done
If we go one step further in our rea-
soning and take into consideration the
millions Of rural children in short-term
schools Of three to four months in
length, it is evident that the average
daily attendance Of millions of pupile in
the rural schools for the nation at large
is not so per cent Of what it should be
when measured by the attendance of
pupils in city schools with a nine
months term. In other words, the short
term and the poor attendance in the
rural schools are depriving millions of
country boys and girls of over half their
birthright in matters Of free school priv
iieges as compared with city boys and
girls. We are glad city children have
the good school privileges that are
theirs. We wish the city schools were
better. But with the help Of the press
we are determined to expose this unjust,
unreasonable, and un-American discrim.
ination against country boys and girls.
Equality before the law and equal ed
vocational opportunity have not yet been
provided for the farm boy and farm girl.
But, strange as it may seem. sparsely
settled rural communities often fight
against the things which are for their
own good. A striking statement Of this
phase Of the rural problem is found in
Extension Bureau Circular, No. 2, Of the
University Of North Carolina, July, 1916
In this issue Professor e. c. Branson
declares:
Everywhere in thinly settled country
regions We find people here and there
who are suspicious. secretive. apathetic,
and unapproachable; who live in the
eighteenth century and preserve the
language. manners, and customs of a
past long dead elsewhere. who prefer
their primitive ancient ways, who are
shettoed in the midst Of present day CIV
ilization, to borrow a phrase from Pres
ident Frost. They are the crablike souls
described by Victor Hugo in Les Mis-.
CRADLES who before advancing light
steadily retreat into tho fringe Of dark
ness. People like these abound in Gin
ton and Franklin counties New York;
where an eighth Of the native white vo-
ters are illiterate. in Aroostook county
(Maine) where nearly a fifth Of the ma
tive white voters can not read their
ballots or write their names; in Wind
ham county (Connecticut) where a sew
enth Of the voters are illiterate. Wind
ham. by the way, lies midway between
tho academic efulgence Of Yale on the
one hand and Of Harvard on the other.
You can find within the sound Of COL
lege bells anywhere what we found the
other day in a field survey that took US
Into every homo in a mid-state county
in North Carolina-a family Of whites,
all illiterates. half the children dead in
infancy. and never a doctor in the house
in the whole history Of the family"
IAN tho ages Of race history ana ev-
cry level Of civilization can be found in
any county or community. even in our
crowded centers Of wealth and culture.
We need not hunt for eighteenth CEN
fury survivals in mountain coves alone. I"
And yet the only remedy for such con-
ditions 10 tho education Of these poo
pies. Lot there be light. L McBrien,
U. 8. Bureau Of Education.