The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1957-02-19
Only IS Per Cent
Starters Graduate
At High Schools


As narents we'll know, the more
schooling that children are able to
have, the better their future pros
poets.
This is confirmed in studies by
the U. S Bureau of the Census,
u'hich show conc)usivelv that the
higher the education, the higher the
income earned over a lifetime. re-
ports the Institute of Life Insurance.
Americans have a deep respect
for knowledge, and this is reflected
in firm tradition that families do
their utmost to keep children in
school as long as possible. even if
it means personal sacrifice
Practical parents, who look years
ahead into the future. know that it
us possible to send children through
college and professional schools,
even on a modest income. Their
secret" is to embark on a long
~anee financial program while their
children are young. making use of
systematic saving and of additional
life insurance earmarked for edu-
cation In this way funds for college
or other higher education will be
available, come what may.
IS Per Cent Graduate
Nevertheless, a considerable num-
Der of teenagers do not even com
plete high school. let alone college.
The u S. Office of Education says
that only SIS per cent of students
who enter high school stay to gradu-
ate
"One Of the most alarming as
pects of the whole problem is the
fact that the number of dropouts
IS expected to increase in the next
few years. says the Office of Edu-
cation. Although the high schools I
are increasing their holding power /
they are not increasing it as fast /
as the Bureau Of the Census says /
the high Sabotage population will .
be growing in the next 10 years . 4
Why do pupils drop out Of school? .
When this question was put to /
high school principals in one large
Eastern state, they came up with .
a dozen or more reasons. Some
Youngsters dropped out because they
simply could not cope with the work.
the principals said. In the case of
others, the principals frankly adj
nlitted that the schools share a
Of responsibility for drop
cuts
Many Of the dropouts were bluntly
to parental attitudes.
Other reasons *ited by the prinQ-
pals show some home response
bility celia maladjustment, ="
excessive a b S en- c e. broken
homes. falling behind in studies
Also blamed were lure Of Job
and need to earn money Here
1gain parents can be influential in
keeping their children in school.
AS the U. S Labor Department S
Bureau of Labor Standards points
out, Youth unemployment is
large and serious problem even in
times Of high level employment for
adults. 1t becomes still more acute \
and invidious when unemployment
spreads among older workers. .
Way to Delinquency?
Leaving school early may also
pave the way to delinquency, in the
opinion Of some observers. Says the
Bureau Of Labor Standards When
young persons in this age group
want Jobs, or are unable to find or
keep the right kind Of work after a
easonable period Of searching, the
resulting lack of activity, the frus-
ration and encouragement have
serious and lasting effects on their
development as workers and as indi-
3iduals."
For many parents, the problem Of
4 teenager 'lured by a job on who
needs to earn money has been
answered by encouraging their
youngsters to seek part-time work.
provided of course that ii does not
interfere with studies. Time and
again this approach has been sue
cessful Over the last decade as
MANY as One-fifth of Youngsters of