The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-12-14
COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTEND
ANCE.
first Year In State-Report OF
Attendance Officer For Cecil
County.

County.
The State Board of Education has
ssued its report on "One Year Of
Compulsory School Attendance in
Maryland, 1916-17." The report
states: Z
Every child is entitled to COM
non school education.
1t is unfair to tax man to
EDUCATE his neighbor's child and then
| permit the neighbor to keep that
hid out of school.
The Attendance Law held in
9chool all last year $500 children
7ho, but for the Law, would have
cen absent.
Our schools cost annually $40 per
hild in attendance.
And these $500 children got
100000 worth of schooling.
1t cost only $4,000 to hold them
I school.
Was this good business for the
tate?
1t was. It paid 500 per cent.
Miss Lidie Reynolds, Attendance
officer for Cecil county, makes the
ollowing report
CECIL COUNTY.
Practically all the children in this
,ounty, ten years of age and over,
Nave attended school at some time.
The great trouble here has been in
Irregular attendance and withdrawal
rom school at an early age.
'lnow of but six above ten years OF
nge who were brought into school
his year for the first time.
Two IL years; one IA years; three
IS years.
Attending 100 days---12 yrs, 1854:
1S yrs, 276; IA. yrs, 1873; Is yrs,
lS; 16 yrs, 30; II yrs, 48.
Less than 100 days-12 yrs, 1870;
13 yrs, 2O3; IA yrs, 11S; 15 yrs.
50; 16 yrs, SIS; II yrs, 80.
No arrests were made.
About 400 garments, including
shoes and rubbers, have been dis
sributed throughout the county by
hree branches of the Need1ework
Guild of America. These societies
have responded literally in every
7ase of poverty reported to me. The,
Board of Health has also been help
full in the unsanitary cases. have
had no cases of poor health among
the very poor children.
In cases where children were ir-
regular in attendance, I visited the
parents and talked with them, and
in nearly every case found them
reasonable in their views, and ap-
parently anxious to have their child
rem educated. va
Poverty is the chief diffculty
which 1 have met this year; the
scarcity of labor has made it neces-
sary to keep children out of school
10 help at home. The long distance
that great many of the country
children have to walk in order to
attend school is an important factor
in irregular attendance in this
county.
My work this year has consisted
ct visiting the parents, talking with
hem, and trying to get them to see
the necessity of having their children
educated. A great many people
who had felt the law unjust before
talking to me, could see the good
fter having the law explained to
them. With the foundation that
has been laid this year. 1 can see no
reason why the attendance should
not keep on increasing each year.
think the age limit of seventeen
is little high. A child who has at
tended school regularly up to
thirteen years of age, and then at
tends 100 days for two more years.
and has not completed the seventh,
grade. will, in all probability, never
compete it. 1t seems to me child
Of this kind would be better to have
regular employment.
About seventy-six full days in the
field.
All the remainder of the school
year, including Saturdays, and two
weeks after school closed were spent
in the Office.
About 400 visits to parents and
guardians. have also interviewed
great many people at the Office and
by telephone. and have written
many letters in explanation of differ
cnt points of the law.
LIDIE D. REYNOLDS,
Attendance Officer, Cecil County.