Excuses

Foolish the farmer who, having dug into his pocket to buy a horse, leaves the beast munching in his stable and trudges to town afoot.

Some such homily was intended by the Department of the Interior, whose Bureau of Education last week announced a waste of 250 millions in country schools of the U. S. The attendance of 72,120 children in 70 counties of 10 states was examined. 141.7 days in the 365 was the average total attendance. Half the children had attended school less than seven and a half months, a fourth less than five months, over an eighth less than three months. In schools having nine-month terms, the average attendance was 70%, compared with 60% in seven-month terms. Pupils who had less than 130 days of schooling fell a year and a half behind grade in reading and spelling ability.

What excuses for thus leaving the educational horse to eat his head off, and the upkeep of the school-barn to run along without return? The Bureau of Education found out: "The erroneous attitude of parents in considering it less serious for the younger than for the older children to miss school. . . . Trivial excuses such as 'went to town,' 'ran an errand,' 'got up late,' 'had shoes repaired.'"

Having made its discovery, the Bureau lapsed into silence again, with perfunctory repetition of the classic hortative: "Closer co-operation between the teacher and parent. . . ."