New Britain herald., 1925-10-10

strate the various intrcacies of the art to the young girl at the very threshold of her life Is evil dently responsible for the large num- her of girls who today leave school without tho attainment of a gram mar school education, judging from a survey Of the whereabouts of 80 girls who did not return to their studies at the Elihu Burritt Junior High school last month, by Avis NJ. Kemp, director of attendance in the local schools.
 Of the so in question, tho director pointed out in a report submitted to tho school board at its meeting yesterday, SS. or nearly half, are doing housework, 24 at home and nine away from home. Other lead ing occupations chosen by these girls are factory and store work, each branch calling Ave. Three others at- tend business school and two are at work in tobacco fields. The remain ing are listed as miscellaneous.
 The directors report reads as fol- lows:
 "There goes the school cop greeted the ears of the attendance worker as she turned from Main street into NJ street on June morning in 1925. I suppose that shall always be cop or truant of- flcer, she sighed. When three-q ters of my work Is trying to be a friend and teacher, why does the public insist and delight in the use of that term? After all. what's in name?' she unused as she climbed three flights of sairs at number IS and knocked at the rear right hand door.
 Mrs. J. wiped the tears from her eyes with the corner of her apron as she sat at the kitchen la ble opposite the visitor. She did wish to teh someone about L., but she dreaded to go to the principal because she said, I never had any education, I do not know where to go.' One pictures her struggling into her best clothes and timidly enter l ing the strange corridors of the school. Here she sits at ease in her kitchen dress and unfolds her wor- ries abont L.. The visitor called to investigate the cause of an ab- sence. She found problems of hna1th StfIa T ,rty ies, and an adverse financial condi- tion, prohibiting the carrying out of the health recommendations made by the school,
 Each home call is an adventure The home lies at the end of the trail. and until that Is reached the school problem often cannot be un, derstood or solved.
 'lt is with the whole child that the attendance worker deals - his physical, mental. moral and spirit. ual sides; with the setting in whicf he livcs-his family and his com
 munity--and with all of tho agen,
 cies that minister to these various
 needs.
 There was no dinner eaten a
 our house on Tuesday, continued
 Mrs. J-. Even her father criet
 when he learned that she could no
 graduate. She was the first one ii
 the family to go through the nintl grade, and we had counted on he getting a diploma When the fact
 were made known to the school { complete survey of Il-'s worl
 was made and it was found that b,
 making up a few points that wer
 lacking she could receive her di
 ploma. Suppose no home call ha'
 been made!
 The room of signs might fitting ly be applied to the office of the at
 tendance department during Sep ; tember, for many tale of woe wa
 unfolded within its walls. It is tn
 threshold between an old order an,
 a now; between school and employ ment, A few step over 1t hesitat tnCly, fearfully. regretfully; bu most of them go forth all too eager ly,> recklessly, eNpectantly, neve , casting a backward glance at tn school. days which are forfeited '. Some are detained only by the force
 full hand of authority.
 T have a swell job, said Clara
 What is it" asked the worker ! Housework, was the reply. HoN l long have you been working there
 Just yesterday, said Clara. Besides
 1 don't like this new system. I hay to study too hard.
 Next came Pauline; stolid, anx
 ious Pauline, who weeps into he
 handkerchief. She cannot return t
 school for there are two younge
 children at home and no mother {
 cook the dinner and to wasf
 Scarcely had she left when a fathe
 camo with similar story-thre motherless children, the oldest a gil of 15,
 There was Rose with the wistf, | brown eyes who loves school. Sr 7, had been promoted to the hint ', grade. Reluctantly she listened n her fathers instructions to apply f, Q her working papers. A call at Il ~ factory won her fathers consent ~ let her remain in school if bool : could be provided. He was not indi torent, for he had the same wistf
 eyes IS Rose had.
 .. "It was like a refreshing brce = when James smiled in at the doc |, way. He attended the non-Engli, m speaking class last year until oblig, sc 10 go to work. During tEe mig I, hours while he worked as bcll bt
 in Hartford, he cherished the hoI =, for further education. He stopped o our door 10 tell us that his hope W o about to bo realized, for the next d II he waste enter the American Inte
 national college where he could wo ., and study at the same time. ~, Mary came; well developed, m ~, turc, woman grown, Is years old
 a fifth grade I nm thc birpast erl