, which is largely populated by Germans:

An investigation showed that hundreds of children of school age
were either not attending school at all or were lamentably
irregular in their attendance, for no legal or otherwise good
excuse. In order to set an example, several cases were prosecuted,
and this seemed to have a good moral effect all over the county.

[Illustration: IMMEDIATE RETURNS FROM CHILD LABOR DO NOT MAKE UP FOR
LOSS OF SCHOOLING]

Ransom County:

About half our county is consolidated. I find that we have 1,750
pupils enrolled in our graded and consolidated schools, the average
daily attendance of which is 75.4 per cent. There are only 993
pupils enrolled in the one-room schools, and their per cent of
attendance is 59.4 per cent.

In South Dakota the actual attendance of those enrolled in the country
schools is less than 60 per cent.[48] From Campbell County it was
reported as follows:

Most of our people are German-Russians and do not favor long terms
of school, as they want the labor of their children. For this
reason it is hard, even impossible, to secure regular attendance.
Their schools must not begin earlier than October, and close by
April 1st.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction of Nebraska reports for 1916 as
follows:

The average daily attendance, based on enrollment, is a fraction of
72 per cent. The loss is mostly to the rural children. Country
people find it somewhat easier to provide employment for their
children than do the people of our towns and cities, consequently
the attendance in our city schools is larger and more regular, and
a much larger percentage enroll.

In California the compulsory-school-attendance law is rigidly enforced,
except in the case of floating families. In this connection the
Commissioner of Public Education made the following explanation to the
writer: The California industries are mostly seasonal, which means that
the vast majority of labor forces are seasonal and floating. During the
seasons of fruit and hop-picking, cannery and lumber operations, large
numbers of laborers' families move from place to place. To keep track of
their children and to compel their school attendance is almost beyond
the power of the present school authorities, especially as they are now
organized.

The state school-attendance laws vary greatly, and one finds still m