The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-03
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

THE ORDER OF THE POLICE BOARD PRoMUL-
GATED YEsTERDAY-sMALL RESULTS ACHIEVED
BY THE TRUANT OFFICERS.
The order Of the Police Board requiring police ofi
furnish the names OF all children OF school age
to the officers and making the truants liable TO
arrest any time promulgated yesterday and viii
doubt be carried into effect this week 1t high
time that this order should be issued for hitherto the
results Of the Compulsory Education law have been
wofuly inadequate in this city II will be remem-
bored that the law went practically into effect in
March last (nomnaily on January l. but it took the
police couple OF months TO take the census OF the
children OF school agel and nine officers
been exclusively occupied with the execution OF the
law There is truant officer for every district max
ing eight who receive 81 $50 per year, and there
superintendent who is supposed to guide their efforts
and who receives 81, 500 year. A careful examna-
ton OF the superintendent reports TO the Board shows
great number of leases investigated, and it appears
that most Of these cases
CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL
and have only stayed away temporarily, and not that
particular class Of children for whom the law was in
tended-namely, those who receive schooling what
ever The truant officers, to judge from the figures OF
their own reports have been mainly occupied with re-
turning truants to the public schools and not with
bringing now pupils TO them To arrive the number
of the last mentioned class 1t is necessary consider
only those who designated in the enumeration OF
the reports mot attending school" Mr.. Herman,
the Clerk Of the Board after looking carefully through
the reports could only find se5 children under that
head This represents the real work OF the truant ON
GERS.
According to the report OF the Superintendent there
were over 800 children in the beginning or tho year
who did not receive the blessings Of education Mr.
Herman and others well versed in educational matters
think that these figures far too low There is
son TO think that the census
TAKEN VERY cARELEssLY BIT THE POLICE,
and the reluctance with which the policemen did the
work alone sufficient to predict such result
would be far the truth OF these 1866 have
been compelled to attend school,
1t must be admitted, however that work like this
Is very difficult and must OF necessity develop but
slowly and gradually In Prussia where the system Of
compulsory education has reached its greatest perec
ton had also to struggle against many obstacles and
showed at first but very Insignificant results. Mr..
Nelson the President OF the Board says the present
results nave come up to the expectations OF the Com
mssioners Next year he hoped more would be done,
especially compelling tho children who work in fac
tories and otherwise employed to attend school for
the fourteen weeks required by law. Nothing has
| order to give the employers chance TO
fulfil the requirements OF the law and TO thus escape
each neglect Mr. Nelson says that this penalty will
be vigorously imposed next year upon all employers
who unable TO show that the children in their
poy have not received the required schooling during
this year.
DEPEcTs OF THE LAW
One why the officers have done little and
are likely to encounter many difficulties 10 the future
is that the law is extremely defective Mr. Riddle, the
city superintendent Of Schools pointed out yesterday
one OF its gravest defects The law says that every
child must either receive instruction in school al
home bat it does not define what schooling at homo is
and what certificate shall be necessary prove in
the eye of the law. Many parents can evadc the Law
| through this omission. II is proposed TO supply
the deficiency by amending the law during the comna
session Of the Legislature and also by increasing the
| penalties for failure on the part Of parents and
| guardians to comply with IT, The expedency Of
such measure is strongly advocated by the friends o.
compulsory education who point TO the Prusslan sys
TEN, which incarcerates parents and guardians FOL
wilful and repeated violations OF the law There
many people who say that pecuniary penalties will
reach the poor, who unable 10 pay them, and thai
compliance with the law only be attained by The
threat Of two or three days imprisonment From the
present state Of popular sentiment however, there II
doubt that such provision would for some time Il
come, be regarded unrepublican and far TOO extreme