with 78.2'^/^ of the enrollment in regular attendance. Olney and Rock- 

 N-ille were second and third respectively, with 78.1% and 73.3%. The 

 poorest average attendance was shown by the Barnesville District, 

 with 52%, of its enrollment in regular attendance. Potomac was a 

 close second, with 53%. Evidently it would seem that the attendance 

 at the schools is very closely related to the question of transportation 

 facilities and roads. Throughout the county it holds true that in those 

 districts accessable to trolley lines and railroads or equijjped with good 

 roads, the average attendance is high. In those districts having poor 

 roads and no other transportation facilities available for school pur- 

 poses, the average attendance is low. For the entire county the average 

 distance from the school to the home of the pupil is about 1.2 miles, 

 but for those pupils living in the open country the average distance is 

 greater, for at least an appreciable number travel three miles or more 

 from their homes to the school. As we have said, there is only one 

 school in the county that provides transportation for its pupils to the 

 school. The State Legislature has just passed a "compulsory educa- 

 tion" law which it is hoped will make for a higher proportion of the school 

 population enrolled and in regular attendance. 



In 1911 all of the schools of the county graduated 09 pui)ils, 28 boys 

 and 46 girls. Of this number it is reported that 14 boys and 19 girls 

 went to higher schools. How little these schools have been attempting 

 to do for the pupils enrolled in them, over and above the routine teaching 

 of the prescribed lessons, may in part be gathered from the fact that there 

 were last year in existence, only 13 student organizations of any sort 

 in all the schools of the county; of this number 8 were literary and debat- 

 ing societies; 2 were athletic associations and 1 was a boys' brigade. 

 The total membership of the 13 societies was about 250. 



In 1911 the first step was taken toward a larger service to the boys 

 in the schools when a Corn-growing contest was initiated by the president 

 of the Board of School Commissioners. This contest was a success in 

 a small way, but not much interest was manifested in it. This year 

 it is being repeated under the auspices of the Agricultural High School 

 at Sandy Spring and will be made a permanent feature. A number of 

 prizes ranging from $5.00 to $50 are offered and the contest is open to 

 all boys from ten to eighteen years of age. Each boy must j^lant 

 one acre of corn, doing all the work himself e.xcept the plowing. The 

 basis used in the awarding of prizes is 40% for the greatest yield per 

 acre; 40% for the best showing of profit on the investment and 20% 

 for the best written account giving the histor>^ of the crop. The boys 

 are required to render an exact account of all the time spent in doing 

 the work and of their expenditure for seed, fertilizer, etc. The contest 

 this year has been well advertised and great interest is being shown. 



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