ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PREPARED BY ZENOS E. SCOTT Assistant Commissioner in charge of Elementary Education I respectfully submit the following report for the school year 1917-18. It is a It is a pleasure to acknowledge the cooperation of the members of the Department, county superintendents, supervisors and teachers of the State. This cooperation has been very stimulating and helpful at all times. ENROLLMENT, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS-1913 TO 1918 INCLUSIVE Kindergarten Percentage of Incr. or Decr. 1918 over 1913 Incr. Decr. 18.5 1912-13 1913-14 1914-15 1915-16 1916-17 1917-18 33,626 34,217 35,741 37,784 36,694 39.858 238,642 246,154 251,675 256,602 259,187 267,746 Grammar grades.. 128,775 136,914 148,472 157,718 161,892 167,529 Primary grades. Rural, one room.. 11 30 26,836 25,463 24,872 23.668 21.494 20,015 Total enrollment in elementary Rural, two room.. schools, excluding kindergarten 14.5 409,491 424,411 439,914 453,622 457,780 469,252 Total enrollment.. 443,117 458,628 475,655 491,406 494,474 509,110 14.8 Average daily attendance 378,017 382,218 409.417 421,884 427,874 423,750 12 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CERTAIN ENROLLMENT FACTORS The above table, showing the enrollment in the divisions of the elementary schools from 1913 to 1918 inclusive, should be studied, first, to note the general increase or decrease in each division; second, to note the relative number of pupils in each division in terms of the total enrollment. General increase or decrease in divisions. The table indicates the general increase during a six year period in the number of children attending elementary schools in New Jersey. In the kindergarten division, for example, the increase in round numbers is 6,000; in grades one to four inclusive, approximately 28,000; in grades five to eight inclusive, approximately 39,000. The significance of these figures is better shown in terms of percentage. The increase from 1913 to 1918 in the kindergarten is 18.5 per cent; the increase from 1913 to 1918 in grades one to four is II per cent; the increase from 1913 to 1918 in grades five to eight is 30 per cent. It is encouraging to note that in the grammar grades is the greatest increase in enrollment. This proves the holding power of the elementary schools. There is another phase of this table that is worth studying. In 1913 over 26,000 pupils were enrolled in one room country schools, while in 1918 approximately 20,000 were enrolled in one room country schools, a decrease of 25 per cent. In 1913 over 15,000 children were enrolled in two room country schools, while in 1918 approximately 14.000 children were so enrolled, a decrease of 8 per cent. These decreases in enrollment in country schools do not mean that there are fewer children in the country than in 1913, nor do they mean that the compulsory attendance law has been less efficiently enforced. On the other hand, however, they do definitely show that country people are seeing the importance of the consolidation of schools. In many instances, in many locations of the State, schools are being consolidated to the great benefit of the country boys and girls. The second hopeful inference to be drawn from these decreases is that many of the boys and girls in the grammar grades have gone to town and city schools for the work of the upper grades. As a rule, in these town and city schools the children of these upper grammar grades are better provided for than they were in country schools. This type of consolidation also means greater educational advantages. The grammar grade pupils who are transported to town schools make more rapid progress. The primary children who remain in the one and two room schools can be taken care of to much greater advantage. Relative number of pupils in each division. As shown in this table, the total enrollment in 1913 in the elementary schools, excluding the kindergarten, was 409,491. Of this number, 368,417 were in graded schools, 41,074 in rural schools. In terms of total enrollment 58 per cent of these pupils were enrolled in grades one to four inclusive, 31 per cent were enrolled in grades five to eight, and 10 per cent were enrolled in rural schools. In 1918 the total enrollment in elementary schools, exclusive of the kindergarten, was 469,252. Of this number 435.375 were in graded schools, 33.977 in rural schools. In terms of total enrollment 57 per cent of these pupils were enrolled in grades one to four inclusive, 36 per cent were enrolled in grades five to eight inclusive, and 7 per cent were enrolled in rural schools. On the whole, this shows too large an enrollment in grades one to four in contrast with the number enrolled in grades five to eight inclusive. If our schools are to perform their true function a much larger percentage of children proportionately should be enrolled in the grammar grades. Therefore a very important problem before the State of New Jersey is to provide ways by which boys and girls may remain in school long enough to finish the elementary course. The present compulsory attendance law of New Jersey was passed in 1911. It is very evident that by 1913 the effects of this compulsory law were showing. It is also evident that the increased enforcement of this law has been in progress since that time, since the enrollment in the grammar grades has increased more, proportionately, than in any other division during the six year period. |