Extension of School Year, Compulsory Attendance, Lay Foundation for Progress, May 21, 1919

From the Raleigh News and Observer, as reprinted on the editorial page of the Wilson Daily Times, May 21, 1919

Laying the Foundations

The tremendous effect of the forward looking legislation enacted by the last session of the General Assembly is being more and more realized. The provision for a full six-months’ school in every district in the State and the compulsory attendance act spell 25 years of ordinary progress as we have heretofore been accustomed to measure progress in North Carolina.

Not only are the schools to be run but the law-makers went further and made wise provision for seeing that the children attend. The new compulsory law requires children from 8 to 14 years of age to be in school for the full term. Also in the person of the County Superintendent of Public Welfare, required by law in every county, an official is provided whose duty is to see that the law is carried out and that the attendance of the children is secured. As an example of the way the new law is being received the act of the officials of Columbus County may be cited. The Whiteville New-Reporter says:

“The Board of Education and Board of County Commissioners held a joint meeting on May 5^th, and together agreed to employ a County Superintendent of Public Welfare, at a salary of $1,500 a year. The two Boards agreed to furnish said County Superintendent of Public Welfare with a Ford roadster, and to pay all expenses for the up-keep of said car. The County Superintendent of Public Welfare is to act as probation officer to the county juvenile court. In this capacity he must be in touch with all the neglected, dependent, or delinquent children, and under the direction of the court investigate their surroundings and seek means of protecting them in their own homes or on probation, or of getting them into suitable homes or institutions. He is also to act as chief school attendance officer of the county, to whom will be reported by the school officials all children in their respective districts who are not attending school as provided by law. In all these relations he is the next friends of the child and must work always in his behalf. He must find out why parents are not sending their children to school and seek to remedy the cause.