New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-10

Tho Compulsory Education Bill.


The following is copy of the bill in
troduced in the Senate by Mr.. Chadbourn,
of St. Charles parish. 1t was referred to
the Committee on Education and returned
to the Senate, accompanied by favorable
report. with amendments. In considering
the report the merits of the bill were dis.
cussed at considerable length, which re-
suited in a recommitted of the bill to the
Committee on Education:
An act requiring parents, guardians %
other persons having charge of children
between the ages of six and sixteen
years to give them an opportunity OF
education.
SECTION |. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the State
of Louisiana in General Assembly convened,
That every parent, guardian or other per-
son having control of any child between
the ages of six and sixteen years, residing
in any school district in which school IS
taught for three months or more, annually,
within two miles of the nearest Travelled
road of the residence of such, shall instruct
or cause to be instructed such child III read
ing, writing. English grammar, geography
and arithmetic; and every person having
such control of any child shall cause such
child to attend some school at least three
months in each year, six weeks OF which
attendance at least shall be consecutive, or
shall cause such child to be instructed at
home or elsewhere at least three months in
each year in the branches above named,
unless the physical or mental condition of
the child is such as to render such attend
ance inexpedient or impracticable, or un.
less the child shall be reasonably proficient
in said branches.
SEC. g Be it further enacted. etc, That
il shall be the duty of school directors or
other school officers having control of any
schools, to prosecute for all violations of
section one of this act, and any person who
shall violate SAID section one shall be pun
ished by o fine of not less than five dollars
and not more than twenty-five dollars,
payable to the treasurer of the school board
of the parish in which he resides for every
week not exceeding ten weeks in any one
year. during which he shall have failed to
comply with the provisions of said section;
said, fine, when received, to be paid to the
treasurer of the parish school board tor the
benefit of the schools in said parish.
SEC 8 Be it further enacted, etc, That the
school directors or other school officers
having control OF any school, when writ
ten notice has been served on any two or
! or more of them, by any citizen OF any par.
| ish, stating by whom, when and how any
| such penalty has been incurred, who shall
neglect for fifteen days after the service of
| such notice upon them to institute a suit
| for the recovery thereof, unless sach pen
atty shall sooner be paid without suit, or
| unless upon investigation during that time
| they shall be satisfied that no penalty ha.
actually been incurred, shall forfeit and
pay the sum of not less than ten dollars
nor more than thirty dollars for each neg
| lect, to be recovered before any court of
competent jurisdiction; such penalty when
recovered to be paid to the treasurer OF the
parish school board OF the parish i'll which
the penalty was incurred and added to the
| school fund thereof.
SEC. A. Be it further enac ted, etc, That
it shall be the duty of the school directors
upon application, to furnish any child be-
tween the ages of six and sixteen years, re
siding in their district, with the necessary
books when it shall appear that the par
ents, guardian or other person having con
troll of such child is in INDECENT circum
stances and unable to procure books and is
DESTROYS of sending such child to school
and the treasurer of the parish school board
shall pay for such books out of the schoo
| funds in his hands, on the order of the
| president of the board.
| SEC. 5. Be 1t further enacted, etc. Thai
| all laws or parts of laws in conflict witt
this act be and the same are hereby re
pealed. and that this act take effect from
| and after it's passage.