Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-10
ND RURAL sCHOOL TERM.


A MOTHER interesting talk the rural school
n term has been given by j. L. McBrien. School Tx
tension Agent Of the United States Bureau Of Educa
ton As rural school attendance is one OF the most
important educational questions that now confronts
Delawareans, what Mr. McBrien says should be OF
peculiar local interest
lie asserts that school attendance is OF first consid-
Grafton in discussion Of the rural school term Ac-
cordrg to the State Superintendent OF Public Instruc
ton Of Louisiana. r. II. Harris a rural school term
OF six months, with average daily attendance OF
100 per cent is longer and better and a cheaper
school term than a nine-months' with an average
attendance Of only Sc 2S per cent United States
Commissioner of Education agrees with the premise
laid down by Superintendent Harris. Every agency
should be used TO improve rural school attendance
fore taxpayers are asked TO bear the burden Of in
creased taxation for longer school term wherever
poor attendance is tolerated. Georgia is the latest
state TO enact a compulsory school attendance law.
Such act passed by the Georgia Legislature
and approved by Governor Harris August 10. 1916
The main features of this law thus reviewed in
editorial in the Atlanta Journal
Judged by its positive virtues rather than by mega
tive limitations, the compulsory school attendance
measure passed at the recent session of the Legsla
ture is prasewOrthy and serviceable law It's terms
are not as iar-reaching and stringent those pre-
scflped IN parts or New England and the West-and
wisely for If reforms OF this character are TO be
permanent they must be temperate and gradual
The provides in substance that children be-
tween the ages of eight and fourteen shall attend
school for not less than four months year Excep-
tons to this requirement apply 10 those children who
have completed the fourth grade OF the grammar (ee
mentary) school. those whose parents guardians
i'm restitution those whose services are needed in
farm emergencies. and those who mentally or ply
sioally incapable Volators of the law subject TO
adequate penalties.
The deporabe results OF wants Of a compulsory
school attendance law in Georgia are strilngiy evil
dent in the large number OF pupils who quit school
between the second and the seventh grades the white
schools There were 5S.24S pupils who entered the
second grade for the year ending December 81, 1876
only POSTS entered the seventh grade for that year
which shows that 1850 pupils quit school between
these two grades other words Georgia is not Civ
ing over half her white pupils seventh grade educa-
ton
The public school course of Georgia covers eleven
years with the exception OF a few Of its progressive
cities which have recently added the twelfth grade
According to the Annual School Report for the white
schools of Georgia for the year ending December 81
1915 there were 2O45 pupils who entered the eleventh
grade; this shows that only pupil in every TWEEN
ty-'eight OF those who entered the second grade
tered the eleventh grade.
In Illinois, with Statewide compulsory attendance
law. for the school year ending June 90 1915 there
127,629 enrolled in the second grade and 1903.
347 pupils enrolled in the seventh grade which
shows that Illinois is giving so per cent OF her
children a seventh grade education. For this same
year in Illinois there 1872 pupils enrolled in
the eleventh grade which shows that one in every
pupils enrolled in the second grade enters the
eleventh grade. Il is expected however, that Georgia
will make signal progress in her public school at
tendance under her compulsory attendance law,
and that within the next decade public sentiment in
that State VIII demand still better law. The Atlanta
Journal in the editorial already quoted pgys tribute
! to the agencies that have worked for many years in
make it possible for Georgia this first
step toward better school attendance, follows:
Many persons and many agencies have worked faith.
fully, through years OF difficulty and disappointment
for this benehcent legislation The Georgia Teach
Association the forces of Organized labor noahl,
clubs progressive trade bodies notably the Atlanta
Chamber OF Commerce, ana constructive newgpaDers-
these and diver others have given the OF COM
pulsory school attendance unstinted support Partic
ularly earnest and effective, however. has been the
service Of the State Superintendent Of Education Pro
fessor NJ. l.. Britain, who has labored with a zeal
that comes from heart-deep conviction and with an
insight which experience alone supply.
1t is clearly evident that there is plenty of room
| for improvement in the public school attendance OF
both Illinois and Georgia An aroused public sentf
ment in behalf OF a better school attendance will dc
more for its improvement than all the laws that car
be written. upon the statute books. The publ,
press is the agency through which to arouse public
sentiment until it will lonser tolerate the present
poor attendance at public schools throughout tn,
nation.
Those in Delaware who at present deplore conditions
existing in many of rural school districts de
vote much Of their time to arousng public sentiment
in favor OF an efficient school term no matter whether
that term be long short AS is pointed out above
a short term that is marked by full attendance ant
educational efficiency Is infinitely preferable a lone
that is marked by lax attendance and educationa
| ne1icency