Show 1 ployed When they do find jobs— generally in bottom-run- f drudgery— they are usually the first to be laid off during recessions In the face of sueh handicaps why is there such a great dropout rate in our schools? Various recent studies have demonstrated that lack of intelligence to do the work is only a partial factor The real tragedy is that a majority of these youngsters are capable of average or better success in school Sometimes the student and his parents believe that the "school of hard knocks" teaches more than ftia flHtnmni mrtA miiir namta tfctnlr "good money' can be earned immediately A dropout who comes from a family crippled by divorce or separation has probably missed the encouragement of devoted parents If a boy has been labeled "slow" at school a job— no matter how lowly — will seem to buy importance give him a badge of manhood Primarily 'he may lack motivation failing to see a purpose In staying at school A survey in one school system showed that most dropouts were due to dissatisfaction with certain courses and teaching methods The school leaver felt frustrated as he saw no relation between life and what he was being taught However parents must understand that when a child drops out ox high school the school should not necessarily be blamed for lack of holding power low-pa- id po-tenti- al ' - Tm "Stops to Prevent It Whatever the reasons parents who do not need a child's earnings immediately and are anxious tii hive him cnmnleta his Bchoolinar should not feel helpless to prevent withdrawal ' Here are some constructive suggestions: 1 Be alert to continued truancv a svnratom of unhappiness at school and often a warning of imminent withdrawal Watch your child particularly in the 10th grade when records indicate the greatest proportion of dropouts ' occur The student is then 16 approaching the legal age when in most states he is free to 1mm b1iaaI- 2 A potential dropout can often be identified at the time he enters high school Such Children may be overage or dull lack interest in school read far below their mental age level be frequently tardy or absent or be antagonis- - -- ' IahmsmI w—ajsVav a wtvtnjelnal If your child falls into any of these categories you have the obligation to seek the advice of : his teacher principal or guidance counselor a i If oecn ucicrm vrnen we cause lueu mwbbe found factory solutions often can 8 IX you know your cnua is constantly xauing ' in academic subjects try to switch him to other courses which are more appealing to his in m - jtn 0K terests and abilities Arrange to have him take an aptitude test at school the State Employment Service your local "Y" the nearest university or a private testing agency Have the youngster visit plants or shops where he can talk with people in the occupation that interests him He will learn that most skilled unions will not accept a member without a education School might then become more meaningful to him 4 For a child who is academic-minde- d but making poor grades try to get tutoring help Some schools now have afterhours sessions where teachers assist pupils who have fallen behind Or you may recruit a friend who excels in the subject (A community in Maryland has y a group run by parents to perk up students demoralized by low grades) Where schools have summer sessions encourage your child to catch up on his weak subjects this way 5 Set aside a definite time for homework and hold him to the schedule If practicable he should have a private place to work without interruption 6 Does he say he "hates" school or is bored with it? Spur him to take part4n an extracurricular activity so that he can identify himself with the school Find out whether it sponsors hobby clubs and learn what fascinates him Once he shares in the total life of the school his academic work is apt to improve 7 Researchers have found that often a pupil's poor reading ability is closely related to his distaste for school and desire to leave Parents therefore should do all they can— as of course our schools try to do— to get children into the dropout can that the most crucial influence on your child is your own attitude While encouraging him to do his best avoid undue pressure that would only add to his feelings of inadequacy At home a child should find the love understanding and emotional security so essential to the development of all young persons What can the school do about dropouts? Obviously the curriculum should be flexible A Purdue University survey of 15000 teenof them wanted agers disclosed that courses not available in their schools By offering elective courses in various specialised areas a school could encourage a pupil to remain than the high-scho- ol one-thi- rd Combining Work and Study home-stud- dy high-scho- ol reading habit Biographies are a good bet For a sports--' minded boy they may be about baseball heroes for girls intrigued by nursing perhaps a biography of Florence Nightingale Where a school offers a course in remedial reading arrange to have the child take it if necessary 8 See the school principal or guidance coun-selor speak about your problem and ask if a teacher could take a personal interest The ing that someone at school considers him worth-whi- le may dissuade a potential dropout rs Cite to Cold Hard Facto 9 If your child has hinted at leaving school calmly cite the cold hard facts I've mentioned about how hard it is for those without a education to land a job Point out how shortsighted he would be— that according to U S Census Bureau reports a high- school diploma is worth more than a quarter-millio- n dollars in lifetime earnings This large sum is about twice as much as the nongraduate can expect and about $50000 more high-scho- ol ng In later grades a combination program might provide enough incentive to keep students at school Chicago launched a project now common in which juniors and seniors are permitted to work alternately two weeks at a cooperating department store and two weeks at school When a student's family is in financial need schools can try to work out a solution— for instance by giving the pupil a job in the lunchroom The PTA or other civic groups can pitch in with essential school expenses Community agencies can be enlisted to assist the family Local employers and unions can be asked to and summer jobs for him provide after-schoAdequate provisions should be made for the critical break from junior to senior high school Pupils should understand what high school has to offer them and the ultimate value of completing their education At schools where guidance has been emphasised dropouts have decreased sharply Additional guidance counseling is sorely needed by the nation's schools particularly in elementary schools where the potential dropout can be caught early and helped More varied extracurricular activities organized to involve ' as many pupils as possible will also add much to a school's holding power Where schools have sprung into action with imaginative planning and a sympathetic underhave been standing of the problem teen-ageA rescue current noteworthy salvaged project ' is "Higher Horizons" in New York City where e a program in underprivileged areas has raised students' educational sights so that 89 percent more of them finish h£gh school than in previous years Every American child is entitled to a full education It is up to our schools communities and parents to see that bur young people are given at least the promise of a good life Let's keep them in school work-and-stu- well-light- ed well-payi- lOth-gra- de 10 Remember - long-rang- high-scho- ol 1 In the next decade an estimated 12 million youngsters will quit without graduating here's what we can do to prevent this appalling loss of trained manpower — rmU Wwfcly Fcbnwry M 1N2 ol |