Smyrna times., 1921-09-21
STATE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
PUTS ISSUE UP TO PARENTS
NO ATTENDANCE OFFICERS
TO BRING IN STRAGGLERS
School Attendance For September
Shows a Gratifying Enrolment
Issue is Now a Challenge to Public


Shows a Gratifying Enrolment
Issue is Now a Challenge to Public
Most of the schools of the State
system have opened and have enrolled
a gratifying number of pupils. The
high schools especially are running
with larger enrollments than were
predicted. The trustees of the schools
which have not yet found qualified
teachers are working diligently in an
attempt either to find a teacher who
Is acceptable or to have someone quail
IIied by examination. This applies, of
course, only to a few of the rnraI
schools. Now that the schools are IN
full swing with large, and possibly
record breaking enrolment, the cues
tlon OF attendance is suggested. The
action of the last General Assembly in
abohshlng the position of attendance
of1cer puts the issue squarelv up 40
the communities and parents. Will
the attendance of the schools for the
coming year, when there is no atten-
dance officer clothed with the authority
OF law, be equal to last years atten-
dance, when a stringent compulsory
clause was in force? This constitutes
direct challenge to the people of the
State. How will you answer it?
Everybody knows that attendance is
necessary to school progress. With
out being there, how can a child bene-
mt by the work of the school? Last
year, the amount of the pupils
throughout the State totalled nearly
$40. One third of the pupils time
was lost. One third of the school
funds spent were practically wasted
because of the pupils failure to accent
their opportunity. In September, 1920,
the attendance averages for the three
counties were:
New Castle County ......34.1
Kent County ................. "a. 1
Sussex County .6O.6
These average percentages were
made with the assistance of attend
ance officers backed by law. 1t is ur
to the parents of the State to prove
that the judgment of the Legislature
in abOlishing attendance officers wa;
good in making the attendance fol
this month next year and so on fol
the rest of the year.
Through the assistance of the Della
ware School Auxiliary Association
which recognizes the Importance O
this phase of work, the states is t,
have the services of four visitin,
teachers, who will assist local board
of trustees and teachers, parents an,
children in securing full cooperation
between the school and the communit
and will help as much as possible i
keeping up attendance. They are
do whatever social service work j
needed in connection with the school
to assist in organizing Parent Teach
ers Associations; to help improve cor
ditions; to aid teachers in any way re
quested, if possible; and to be read
to answer any call for their service
from local boards on the particula
needs of their schools, and interprt
with them the statistics availabl
which apply to then districts. The
have, however, no legal authority r,
garding attendance, such as the a
tendance officers had last year. The
work is to help the school understar
the home and to help the home unde
stand the school and through this mi
tual understanding to make these tv
forces work together for the benefit
the child Two of the four visitir
teachers have already been selecte
The State is fortunate in being alb
to secure Miss Ruth L. Jones, forme
" of the New Castle Department
Education, and Miss Edith Waller fl
Kent County. The other two will
added as soon as satisfactory specia
lists are available for the work.
But the solution to the problem
attendance for the present year Ii
with the parents of the children
school age for the challenge of como
tions is theirs. Will the children a
tend as we'll as last year and the ye'
before? Parents you are asked
help answer this question right and Il
State Department will try to help
every way possible.