South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-01-27
Back to the School, Slogan
for Demobilized Children,
Now That Crisis is Past

who leave school before they are IS
years old are steadily employed. 1t
I Is estimated that in ordinary times
| scarcely half Of the children be-
! tween Il and 10 years old who are
not in school are at work at any
given time. There are not enough
I Jobs 10 70 around. The children
who do find employment. moreover.
! do not as a rule make steady work
ers They are too restless and ire
/ sponsibIe-toO childish. Many OF
/ them do not stay in a place long
| enough to acquire any training. IL
any were offered. They shift on the
I slightest pretext from one job 20 an
other, often with long periods OF
! idleness between times. IL Is from
\ their ranks that the great army of
unemployed and unemployable that
menaces our Industrial peace IS
/ largely recruited"
The department OF attendance is
doing all in its power to better labor
| conditions for children who must
work. They hav succeeded in es-
/ tablishing continuation schools in a
number Of industrial concerns. These
schools are designed so that the chill
/ dren may attend them a certain
number of hours during each day
TO study a subject which will ma
terially aid them They endeavo=
70 place children in positions which
have a future and supervise them in
| every way possible. But without
the cooperation of employers their
work is futile, and it is through the
publicity given the problem on SUCH
occasions as Child Labor day that
they hope TO bring TO the employer
the fact that the school attendance
department, with his cooperation,
can work TO the common good of
the employer as well as the child
employe.
The department is also cooperat-
ing with the educational committee
of the county council Of defense in
the Back-to-school drive, the slogan
of which is, The school is your
training camp. Don't be a deserter."
Letters have been sent out from that
office TO the parents of all children
between the ages of IA and 10 years
who are not In school. and in the
event that responses are not re-
ceived from all of them members
OF the educational committee will
visit the homes and use every avail
able means to see that the children
are returned to school.
Scholarship Plan.
During the coming week the COM
mittee will present TO the larger
mems clubs Of the city and other or
CARNATIONS the possibility of school
scholarships for children. A plan
has been developed in a number OF
cities whereby a certain sum OF
money is given to the child at the
end of each week or month to take
the place, in part at least, of the
money he would earn if he were
awarded on the same basis as those
: for college students. namely the rec
, ignition OF unusual merit. 1t has
Z been found that $12O will keep a
, child in school for one year and the
committee hopes that a number OF
clubs, or individuals, will see the
! worth whileness of the project and
establish such scholarships The
actual cost, $120, is a small amount
I in comparison with the value of az
! educated man or woman to the com
r munity and nation.
: In connection with the Back to-
r school drive. which is practically
I the last problem to be undertake.
! by the children's bureau during the
year April 6. 1913 TO April 6, 1919
e which has been termed the "Chii
e dren's Year" many communities are
endeavOring TO secure visiting teach
ers. They act as links between the
T child and school. They study the
S surrounding of the youngster who j.
{ backward in his classes, but who /.
= not subnOrmal. Of the one who f
1 restless and uninterested becaus,
school seems very far away fror.
life outside its walls Of the retarded
- child who is undernourished ant
! seems TO have reached the limit Of
r. his development, OF the child who /.
I trying TO do both home and schoo
r work. and the child with home con.
s ditions so adverse that special care
{ and guidance are needed.
, Gets i'm Touch With Parents.
S First OF all the teacher goes e
e. see the child's parents and estab
% fishes friendly relations with them
Then she finds out something Of tn,
q family environment and attitude to
a ward school: how the youngstei
81 spends his leisure hours and how tn,
o. school links up with his tastes anS
r interests. When the cause of IN,
{ child's trouble is discovered sh,
e makes tentative plan Of readiust
o. ment. Sometimes this plan include
o. enlsting the assistance OF a play
$ ground director a big brother, H.
e brarian. or club leader a publ,
e health nurse. or a tutor; sometimes
K il simply means transferring tn,
o child from one class room 10 an
10 other.
e Il got teachers enough now.
g don't want none 10 come VISITING
me" said one truculent small DO,
n who had just heard that VISITING
@ teacher was 20 be added 10 tn
h school staff. That was two month
s. ago. The same small boy mon
r lately was heard TO say: The visit
" ing teacher, she comes TO my nous
Z all the time. She finds me goo,