THE ELON COL LEGE WEEKLY.
November 30, 1910.
THE ELON COLLEiJE UEEKLV.
Published every Wedaesday during the
College year by
The Weekly Publishing Company.
W. P. Lawrence, Editor.
E. T. Hines, R. A. Campbell, Affie Griffin,
Associate Editors.
W. C. Wicker, Circulation Manager.
T. C. Amick, Business Manager.
CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT.
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second-class matter.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1910.
RESOLVED, THAT THE NEXT LEG
ISLATURE SHOULD PASS A
COMPULSORY EDUCATION
AL LAW FOR NORTH
CAROLINA.
The above query was debated by the
Freshman English class «3f upwards of
forty young men and women Nov. 30th,
wlule studying Argumentation in a
course of rhetoric and composition. The
speeches were required to be brief—two
minutes The six given below were de
livered as printed here with the exception
of those by Messrs. Holland and McCau
ley of which a two-minute extract from
each was given.
Argument for the affirmative, that, since
the State has an educational qualifica
tion for the ballot franchise, then the
same State should require, by law, at
tendance in the schools.
By Miss Verna Garrett'.
In cousiderin^ all questions which our
State has to deal with, we should ever
keep in mind the welfare of our State
and its people. There has been a law en
acted in North Carolina which disfran
chises all who cannot read and write.
Thus we have a law which deprives a
man of his citizenship, but' we have no
law that tends to qualify him for citizen
ship. Then is it right for the State to
say what qualifications a citizeu must
have and at the same time have no law
compelling her children to prepare them
selves and qualify themsehes for citizen
ship ? It’s like killing a dog and then
whipping him because he hied. Every
child in North Carolina is entitled to a
ciimmon-school education and that child
who is deprived of his share of the school
ing offered by the State, is deprived of a
part of his natural rights. Some parents
are even so cruel as to make their little
children work to support the family
while they (the parents) loaf about the
streets; others are so negligent as to al
low their children to idle on the streets,
smoke cigarettes, curse, and prepare
themselves for the county workhouse, the
State }>enitentiary, or the electric chair.
rather than to send them to the public
schools, and prepare them for future use
fulness. Such cases as these are remedied
by a compidsory school law.
Doubtless my opponents will say that
some poor widow depends upon her chil
dren's work for a livini?, but I can say
in reply, that “a way is always provid
ed,” and, further, I can say, that the
poor man without education is in a poor
position to b.'tter his condition. So why
not let North Carolina’s next legislature
pass a law that will make it a man’s duty
as a citizen to prepare his children to be
a blessing to themselves and to their
State? We need better and more thoi^
ough education of the masses than we
now have, such as has been obtained by
other States through a compulsory educa
tional law. It is up to you, my oppon
ents, to show why it will not do the same
thing for North Carolina.
An argument for the negative in which
the rapid strides the State is making
in general intelligence and the heavy
expense of a ocmpulsory attendance law,
are urgied as reasons against a compul
sory education.
By Mr. I. J. Kellum.
In discussing the question of the en
actment of a compulsory school attend
ance law, by the legistlature, we natu
rally ask. Would such a law help condi
tions in North Carolina? Let us see.
About fifty per cent, of all children dis
like school. Why is it that fifty per cent,
of the children dislike school, while the
other fifty j>er cent, like it? Children
differ from each other in their make-up.
What will appeal to one child will not
ap]>eal to another. Some children delight
in books, while others ha^e no desire for
them whatever. Our common-school cur
riculum, as now constituted, apj>eals only
to that class of children who take a de
light in books. It is for this reason that
so many children do not like school.
Which, then, is the proper course for
the State to pursue in this matter; enact
a compulsory attendance law, compelling
all children to go to school and force on
them something for which they have no
desire, or revise our couise of study so
that it will appeal to children of all class
es and aptitudes?
Let us suppose, for a moment, that the
enactment of such a law is just. The ex
pense of instituting such a system of ed
ucation is so great that the public has
not yet been able to make provisions for
it. In 1907 in New York City, which
claims to have the best educational sys
tem in the world, with a compulsory at
tendance law in force, 12,000 children
were denied school privileges for lack of
suitable accommodations. What is the
advantage of a compulsory attendance law
in that city?
Could North Carolina at the present
time, with our people already overbur
dened with taxes, safely undergo the vast
mass of debt that would be heaped upon
her by the instituting such a system of
schools? There is in our State a school
population of more than 700,000. We have
a school enrollment of about .'lOO.OOO and
a yearly school expenditure of more than
.$3,000,000. AVith the enrollment of this
law accommodations would have to be
made for the 200,000 children not in
school, thus raising our school expendi-
tuie to the $5,000,000 mark. This would
place a yearly school tax of more than
$2.50 on every man, woman, and child
in North Carolina.
After all, is there not a better way to
do away with non-attendance than the
passage of this law? The latest report
of the Supt. of Public Instruction shows
that in those districts having modern up-
to-date school houses, longer terms, and
better teachers non-attendance has ma
terially decreased.
It seems to me that the advancement
North Carolina has made along education
al lines during the past ten years should
be progressive enough for the most pro
gressive. In 1905 she ranked as number
42 in the scale of illiteracy. Today she
ranks high in the column of intelligence.
Why not progress as we have been pro
gressing rather than jump to a new and
more bmdensome method in the State’s
educational system, a method that is op
posed to the free, conser\-ative, and dem
ocratic spirit of our people?
A compulsory attendance law cannot be
enfoiced in North Carolina because pub
lic sentiment is not in sympathy with such
a law. A North Carolinian detests com
pulsion in anything. Non-attendance can
not be overcome by the enactment of such
a law. But on the other hand, may be
materially decreased, as shown by the
Supt’s report, if the State will contiue
to spend its money in the impiovement
and betterment of school conditions all
over the State.
An argument for the affirmative in which
the evils of child labor in factories are
cited as a cause in favor of compulsory
education.
By Miss Mabel Pritchette.
I come before you to debate the solemn
question that the next legislature of
North Carolina should pass a compulsory
educational law. We all know that there
is indeed a great need for compulsoiy
education as many parents are unwilling
to secure educational advantages for their
children. For this reason the power of
the State should procuie to neglected chil-
dr n the rights of unprotected childhood.
However, the principal cause of the cam
paign for child protection, through edu
cation, should be to keep children from
labor under the factory system and wage
system. These systems have been the
cause of the destruction of many chil
dren’s physical, moral and intellectual
well-bein". This form of labor takes chil
dren from their homes the entire day
and robs them of the happiness of child
hood.
Compulsory attendance at school is not
merely for the purpose of education, but
to preserve a more favorable environment
during childhood.
Honorable judges, I think you will agree
with me when you think for a moment
of the many children who spend their
time in idleness on the streets studying
in the school of crime because of lack of
proper educational laws.
My opponents may say that a widow
is not able to keep her children in school
as she needs them to earn wages for
their scanty living, but we know that
there is always.a way provided for the
jioor in compulsory educational laws. If
the many children that are now living
in ignorance, only had the advantage
of a good education, they might become
the leading men of the nation. Take, for
example, Henry Clay or Benjamin Frank
lin, who were once poor boys, and by
means of an education though largely ob
tained by private study they became lead
ing men of the nation.
Honorable judges, I am sure you will
agree with me when I say this State of
ours is a gieat one, but it would be still
greater if we had compulsory education.
I think the Legislature will see the need
of compulsory education and will soon
pass a law to that effect.
In which an argument for the negative is
made on the score of personal liberty.
By Miss Grace Rollings.
I maintain that the theory of compulso-
i-y education is inconsistent with the
American social and political institutions,
that it teaches a violation of the rights
of personal liberty, that it denies freedom
and justice and that its teaching would
tend to turn our American Democracy
into a desjxitism. North Carolina cannot
now accommodate her total school popu
lation, and if education was made com
pulsory the effort to accommodate all
children of school age, which the act
would necessitate, would involve an in
crease in taxation which the tax payers
could not, and would not, bear.
It would prejudice them against the
State’s school system and consequently
it would be a hindrance rather than a
help to the cause of education.
In some rural districts it is impossible
for small children to attend school. Where
there is but little school tax collected, and
hence very few school facilities can be
supplied, under a compulsory system of
education, the children would be forced
off to some distant school in all kinds
of weather thereby endangering their
health.
By compelling all childnen of school
age to attend school v/e would deprive
them of the advantages of parental train
ing at home. Under the compulsory sys
tem, the parent is compelled to send his
children to school where the child comes
in contact with all kinds of children, and,
as a result, often rude and disobedient.
Under our present school system the par
ents can use heir own choice as to wheth
er they will send their children to the
schools. They can also remove them from
school when conditions render it advisa
ble.
In large cities compulsory education
laws could not be carried out because the
public has not provided sufficient accom
modation for the schooling of all chil-
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