The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-10-09 00:00:00

THE ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN AT

SCHOOL.

In consequence of the non•attendanes of children at
the schools in the I.hnl the following letter Lisa
been received by the Bchool Attendanoe Cuzunittee
on the subject :
Portland. September Bth, 1883.
To the School Attendance Committee.

" Gentlemen,—We, tbe undersigned managers and
teachers of Portland Elementary Schools wish to
call tbe attention of your committee to the follow-
ing facts and figures. relailsg to the attendance of
scholars in the schools :—SL John's, 1879. nuniber
ou the books, ; average attendance. 253; number
always absent. 76. 1880-332; 246; 86. 1881-320;
218 ; 102. 1882-322; 220; 102. 1883-279; 197;
82. Wesleyan (Onder.hol), 1879; 209; 166; 43.
1880-229, 168; 61. 1881-322; 145; 77. 1882
210 ; 141; 69. 1883-193; 143; 50. SL Game's.
1879-261; 183 ; 75. 1880-240 ; 166; 74. 1881-
234; 153;82. 1882-250; 172 ; 78. 1883-228; 163;
68. Wssleyan (on bill), 1879; 154 ; 116; 88. 1880-
183; 115; 58. 1881-179; 112; 67. 1882-180 ; 113;
67. 1883-205;145; 60.
These figures are given for quarters ending in
August of each year, exc,pc in the awe of the Wesleyan
School (Underhill), w be. • they &rotor the quarter ending
June. The committee will is. from thoes figures
that, whereas in 1879 there was an average Wens
dome of 720, with 95200 the book*, there is now an
average attendance of 648 with 905 on the books.
the following facts are also worthy the consideration
of the committee, as bearing upon the same subject.
L The new Code has added largely to the require-
ments from scholars, that good rennin' can only be
obtained by regular attendance. 2. Scholars may
not legally become half-timers unless certified by the
committee—(a) as having passed the standard for
partial exemption ; (b) as being of legal age; (c) as
being necessarily and beneficially employed. 3.
Truancy is very common, and special eff iris seem to
be required to Leann this apparently growing evil.
Signed J. Augustine Ileum, John P. Series°, John
Warren, Edward Combas, A. J. Ridge, John Ash,
Thomas A. Ottley, SL A., 8.D., and Henry J.

Tim outcome of this was that at the 0 unity Petty
Sedlll,,UB at WeyrnouLti, on Friday, 25 persons were
summoned for not sending their children t school.
—Mr. R. N. Howard, who appeared for the Portlii,d
School Attendanoe 0 ,mmittee, said he was sorry to
say the mausgers of the various schools ciin,daloed
of the non-attendance of children, one-third n
coming to school, under which oircurnatanths the
ochools lost their grants and everything else, and that
was the moon the oases were brought forward. The
Beard were unwilling to take proceedings, because a
5. fine did not cover the wets in each cage, and the
expenses had to come out of the rates, so that it was
putting it into the pocket and taking it out of the
other. In the came which would come before the
Court, they had chosen the worst, and he had to ask
the Bench, sa it would be • mistaken leniency to do
otherwise, to Inflict the fu I penalty of 5.. in each
instanoe. Those people drove the Board to lathe
summonses, and he was bound to state that on behalf
of • public body and not as • private individusl.
The Bench inflicted the fall penalty of ss. lu each
OW.