anages the schools of the whole township. The district system has
outlived its usefulness. It maintains more schools than are warranted by
the small number of pupils. Many of these could be abandoned in favor of
better schools in neighboring districts, to which the children could be
sent. It often secures for its trustee a man of limited education and
narrow views, who conducts the school on the cheapest plan possible,
while the larger territory of the township furnishes better material
from which to choose; it limits its educational plan to the most
elementary course, whereas the "township system" contemplates a central
high school open to all children of the township. The "township system"
also admits of the employment of a special school inspector or
superintendent if desired. In some instances, two or more townships
unite in the employment of such a superintendent.

=School Attendance.=--The school age commences at from four to six and
extends to from eighteen to twenty-one, varying greatly in the
different states. The United States Commissioner's Report now covers the
period of from five to eighteen. On this basis he reports that 71.54 per
cent of the children who are of school age are enrolled in the schools,
while the average attendance is about 69 per cent of the enrollment.
This is a very low percentage as compared with that in Germany, France,
and England. The longer period covered by us (five to eighteen) thus
acts unfavorably. The natural period of the child's life to be devoted
to education is from six to fourteen.

School attendance in the United States is by no means so regular as it
should be, even during the period (six to fourteen). To remedy this,
compulsory education laws have been passed in most states. They cover
periods varying from eight consecutive weeks and a total of twenty weeks
during the year, to the full school year. These laws are generally a
dead letter, partly because of their own weakness, and partly because of
the indifference of the people. Compulsory attendance to be effective
must cover the whole school year, and must carry a sufficient penalty
for non-enforcement.

=The Schools.=--The schools of the United States may be classified as
follows: 1, the _elementary school_ having an eight years' course which
should be completed at fourteen; 2, the _secondary school_ with a four
years' course that fits for college or its equivalent training; 3, the
_undergraduate school_ or college w