es provided for
older girls as will make them and their parents see the value of
securing the advantages of the training provided.

EDUCATION AT THE TIME OF LEAVING SCHOOL

About 3,700 boys and an approximately equal number of girls drop out
of the public schools each year. Most of the boys and a considerable
number of the girls enter wage-earning at once. Their educational
equipment at the time of leaving school is indicated in Table 6.

TABLE 6.--EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT OF THE CHILDREN WHO DROP OUT OF THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS EACH YEAR, AS INDICATED BY THE GRADES FROM WHICH THEY
LEAVE

--------------+---------------------
Grade | Number leaving
--------------+---------------------
4 | 70
5 | 440
6 | 960
7 | 1260
8 | 1630
|
I | 890
II | 590
III | 150
IV | 1410
--------------+---------------------
Total | 7400
--------------+---------------------

Slightly less than one-fifth finish the high school course. Nearly
three-fifths drop out before entering the high school, and
approximately three-eighths before reaching the eighth grade.

Under the present compulsory attendance law a boy who enters school at
the age of six and afterwards advances at the rate of one grade per
year until the end of the compulsory attendance period should cover
nine grades--eight in the elementary school and one in high school--by
the time he is 15 years old. In actual fact, however, only about
two-fifths get any high school training. Nearly all of the rest take
the eight to nine years' attendance required by law to complete eight,
seven, six, or even a smaller number of grades.

It is from this body of pupils that most of the wage-earners are
recruited. In the course of the survey several investigations were
made for the purpose of finding out what educational preparation
workers in various industries had received. One of the most extensive
of these was conducted in connection with the study of the printing
industry. Educationally the printing trades rank higher than most
other factory occupations, yet the average journeyman printer
possesses less than a complete elementary education. Composing-room
employees, such as compositors, linotypers, stonemen, proof-readers,
etc., undoubtedly stand at the head of the sk