Page 10
University Daily Kansan
Friday, Oct. 2, 1964
Wisconsin Has Nation's Third Lowest Rate
WOOO
MADISON, Wis. — (UPI) — Wisconsin has the third lowest high school dropout rate in the nation, largely because it's done something about the problem. And it's planning to do more.
Wisconsin was third best in the nation with a student holding power of 81.6 per cent. Hawaii and California were first and second, respectively, with 82.7 and 82.5 per cent.
The restless and aimless youths who have not finished high school have become a national problem and have been cited by authorities as a major source of juvenile delinquency and mounting crime rates involving youth.
Results of the section's work in arousing community concern was reflected in 1962 figures on drop-outs released by the U.S. Office of Education.
Wisconsin education and child welfare officials also see the problem as a drain on future human resources in an economy that depends heavily on technicians and skilled workers.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE stipped into the picture in 1948 when it created the Community Services Section, which it placed under control of the state Department of Public Welfare's division for children and youth. The section's assignment was to fight drop-outs through action on the community level.
DESPITE THE IMPRESSIVE showing, Wisconsin officials warn that one out of every six Wisconsin pupils now in 9th grade will
leave school before 12th grade.
That means 160,000 dropouts from the more than 1 million students now in grade and junior high schools in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin law requires school attendance through 16 years of age in rural areas and through 18 in cities where vocational, or continuation, schools have been set up. A student who drops out of school before he is 18 and who is over 16 must attend the vocational school for one day a week until he is 18.
Officials concede the vocational training requirement for dropouts is largely ineffective. C.L. Greiber, director of the state Board of Vocational and Adult Education, told a recent legislative committee meeting there are too many vocational schools offering only limited services in the state and the one-day requirement is inadequate to prepare any youth for a trade.
Lewis' unit acts as a stimulator and does not deal directly with students. His workers go into a community and alert school, church and civic officials to the dropout problem.
"A MANY-FORKED attack is required, even involving agencies and groups that would appear superficially to be remote to the problem," James F. Lewis, chief of the Community Services Section, said.
WHEN STATEWIDE ACTION is needed, the Section turns to the governor's Committee on Children and Youth, which has set up a special sub-committee assigned to study the drop problem.
Arthur Schmidt, Milwaukee, director of community relations for the Jos. Schiltz Brewing Co., is chairman of the sub-committee and is fast gaining recognition as an expert in the field.
"It is beoming clear," said Schmidt, "this is now a deep-rooted problem with two courses of action. We must first persuade the young student not to drop out and then we must get to work on the causes."
Schmidt cited one of several letters he has received from youths and adults alike since he has headed the dropout sub-committee. The letter, which was unsigned and which was shot through with grammatical errors, said:
Ends Tonite
"THERE IS TWO sides with high school. Conditions at home with parents. Some of these girls and boys is account no decent clothes and folkis can't buy them. I know some families are in poverty and some these students are ashamed of themselves for not wearing decent clothes. That is reason for dropout in school."
Theodore J. Kuemmerlein, director of pupil personnel in the Milwaukee city schools, cited the case of a boy in junior high school who maintained a B average with ease.
THE MILWAUKEE SCHOOL system, largest in the state, has found Lewis' anti-dropout program of great help.
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"The boy didn't believe school was worthwhile and dropped out," a staff member's report said. "We continued our counseling program with the boy with the result he returned and finished high school and is now in college with his major interest in conservation."
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Getting to work on the causes of dropout is a major concern of Lewis' section. It has prodded school officials in some instances to
Schmidt said another letter, signed only as "a former dropout," cited emotional upheaval over having to recite aloud in front of the class as the reason for his dropping out.
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Capt. Carl Hamm, in charge of the Milwaukee police department's Youth Aid Bureau, said there is a consistent pattern of school dropout or school difficulties in the background of juvenile delinquents.
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"One of our judges told me that only 6 per cent of the young people who appear before him on criminal charges have a high school education," said Hamm. "The rest are school dropouts."
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set up a study and preventive program. Some alert administrators have taken the initiative to act on the dropout problem on their own.
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GREEN BAY HAS employed the voluntary efforts of a service club - Kiwanis-in fighting dropout.
Russel S. Way, superintendent of Green Bay schools, said the Kiwanis club in 1961 switched its program of working with top-level students to woo them into business fields, to working with students listed by the school as potential dropouts.
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The club sponsors a luncheon for the students. Former dropouts who have returned to school and dropouts who haven't and wish they had are invited to act as a panel to talk with the potential dropouts.
"The good student was merely asking himself which profession to enter," said Way. "The potential dropout, on the other hand, was debating a decision that could deprive him of economic security as long as he lived. Kiwanians decided to try to reach the potential dropout before he had made his costly decision."
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