106 The Transformation of the Rural School 



country districts can easily provide for eight months. 

 The farmer should not concern himself about a small 

 additional tax, but should have in mind rather the 

 larger additional gain to the well-being of the young 

 in the community. If the local tax be not sufficient 

 for supporting a longer term and a better school, 

 then seek to have laws authorizing the distribution 

 of state aid to the weaker districts. This law has 

 been actually passed in a number of the common- 

 wealths. The act in the usual case provides a general 

 school fund out of which the deficit for the smaller 

 rural districts may be made up. 



COMPULSOEY ATTENDANCE LAWS NEEDED 



The far-seeing country dweller will be glad to join 

 in a movement in behalf of compulsory attendance at 

 the public schools. Already a number of states have 

 enacted fairly good laws on this subject, but some 

 of them allow "loopholes" providing for the too 

 easy avoidance of their requirements. Perhaps the 

 best and most effective type of law of this class is 

 that which requires the child under fourteen years of 

 age to attend the entire term of the public schools, 

 allowing for his absence only in case of sickness or in 

 cases where it is shown upon investigation and be- 

 yond question that he is the main support and bread- 

 winner of a family. 



In connection with the legal requirements for com- 

 pulsory attendance, there must, of course, be provi- 



