The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

JUDGE DAVIS APPROVES THE RULES ADOPTED
By THE BOARD OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WORKINGS OF THE LAW.
II VIII be remembered that the Compulsory Edu-
cation act, which went nomtnaly into eject on
January ], makes 1t the duty or the Board OF Edu'
cation TO adopt SCI OF rules for the enforcement
OF the law which must be approved by some Jus.
tce OF the Supreme Court. The rules having been
prepared we're submitted to Justice Noah Davis,
who approved them after certain emendations,
and yesterday Mr.. Herman, the Clerk OF the
Board, filed q copy In the ONCE Of the
County Clerk. In order to fully under
stand the bearing OF these rules IL viii
be well to recall In few words the mere purpOrt
OF the law under which they are to be carried out.
The act makes school attendance compulsory ON
every child between the ages OF eight and four.
teen during fourteen weeks in the year; innicts q
penalty OF $50 for each offence every person who
employs q child Of that age that has not attended
school fourteen weeks In the year, and on the
parents or guardians fine Of 81 Tor the first week
OF omission to send the child to school and Of SIS
for each subsequent week. II they are unable to
induce the child to 60 to school they shall be
lieved OF all penalties and the child shall be
treated as an "habitual truant," and the Board
shall provide suitable places for the confinement
ana instruction OF those children.
THE RULES ADOPTED.
The rules that have been adopted to carry out
this law in New York city provide for the taking
OF census OF ali children between eight and
fourteen ana for the appointment OF an agent OF
ruancy Tor each school district, who shall that
they all attend school, and enforce the law .by
means OF argument and persuasion, and by means
other than force. n the same can be DONE" These
eight agents OF ruancy. for there are eight school
districts. shall procure from some police justice
warrant Tor the arrest OF every child who cannot
be swsyed by these kindly influences. II found
guilty by police justice The child shall be CON-
mitted 10 Rapdalps Island to be sent 10 school
there or to tue OF the Society Tor the Relorma
ton OF Juvenile Dehnquents, to be by them
restrained and detained ana sent to school.
Those portions OF Randalrs Island respect
under the control OF the Commissioners OF Char.
tiles ana Correction and OF the above-nam So
ciety snail be set apart las suitable places for the
discipline, instruction ana confinement OF chill
dren" violating the act Tue police are required
10 assist In the enforcement OF these provisions.
the CENSUS.
The first step taken 10 carry out the law was to
request every school PRINCIPAL to send list OF all
children of school age OF whom he Has record.
Mr.. Jonn Mcintyre was entrusted with the comps
lation OF The census from these lists, ana has
twelve clerks TO assist him IN TINS enormous task.
Their work - done IN rooms set apart Tor them ON
the top moor oi the building OF the Board OF Edu.
cation. The number OF names sent IN to AIR. Mcln-
tyre Is ABOUT / 1000. They are 10 be classified
by the street. so that the agents OF truancy shall
be able to tell at glance what children OF school
age are IN every locality. he census lists of
each street when completed viii contain the mum.
Der OF the house. the name aud age Of tue child,
the school II attends hos employed, the place or
employ ment, name and residence OF The employer
ana OF tue parents or guardians. Mr.. Mcintyre
says the lists will not be ready Tor five weeks as
the task Is one OF great MAGNITUDE and Involves a
handed 10 the oLce Commissioners, who will
then. In one day. take the census OF all the other
Intyre thinks that tins can be done, as the lists
VIII prove valuable guides 10 the police officers
re nas 70 so 10 % noSse l6e e
months before the provisions oil toe law are Iully
put INTO practical operation.
SUPERINTENDENT KIDDLE's VIEWS.
It's sgnincant fact that the reading educators
OF TINS state nave not received the law iavorably.
some OF tn m consider ITS provisions too weak,
whne others are altogether opposed to compul-
sorry education, as being foreign to the genius
oi our free Institutions 10 the latter class be ongs
superintendent Kidde, whose superior Kno hedge
oil everything appertalning % our system OF free
make him trustworthy authority on the sub
Ject. Mr.. Riddle SAID yesterday That ne thought
there was no necessity for TINS COMPULSORY meas.
man to educate his children when he had not the
means to clotne and feed them What
and this work was already done by the cnarita-
BILE societies, wto supply to them the
schools. Mr.. Kidde thinks the law opposed 10 the
genus OF iree Institutions. although, as q good
school ofcer, he VIII lend all ms ala 10 enforce It.
One nav IN the law when ne has already seen is
that under II instruction at home Will be deemed
I u
Many parents are certainly incompetent to teach
their children, and IN his opinion IL would be bet
ter 10 require that the employer OF every enid be-
tween eight and fourteen should be compelled TO
show certificate from some licensed or autnor-
ICED teacher showing that the child had received
proper instruction Tor fourteen weeks. In "a law
like this Mr.. Riddle thought the teaching arnomc
should be put under some puohc authorization.
ADDITIONAL SCHOOL FACILITIES.
It is not unlikely that the school accommoda-
lions in many districts VIII be found insufficient,
/ Education Ia
VIII furnish additional school facilities. IL Is also
probable that some reIormatory Institution will To
opened Tor those children who are, from their past
lives, not exactly fitted for assocatiDg with tue
pupils now In the public schools, and VINO are yet
not liable to arrest from their refusal TO attend
the schools. President Nelson. OF the Board OF
Education. lntends to carry out the law IN the
In his last annual address ne laid stress
upon the act that the agents OF truancy
gentieness ana discretion, seeking rather TO win
by argument and persuasion than TO drive by
iorce.n There are. unfortunately, no trustworthy
statistics IRON which the number OF children who
do not attend school ana are. properly sieakng,
"habitual truants' could oe gathered. There are
over 10000 children, as ascertained by Mr.. Kid
die, IN the various private schools OF the city. II
We can Judge from the number o. Dewsooys and
otherstreet ARABS there must however, De very
many who receive no regular instruction.
THE GEhMAS LAW.
The German Compulsory Education law, which
is supposed to be ine model Of this and similar
acts now being adopted In other coun-
x tf!es, is mucn mo stringent ,o In It's pro-
1t does not require fourteen weeks In
struction In each year, but uninterrupted tuition
from the age OF five to fourteen. The nne winch
Is inflicted on parents IN small. but r. gradually
raised after each offence, and the police seize
the children who do not comply with the law aud
put them TO school. Compulsory education ~ now
even being introduced IN Russia. Whether the
law will be OF practical benefit In this city re-
mains 10 be seen. MANY prominent educators
seem 10 be or the opinion that great difficulty will
be experienced IN en- FORCING Its provisions IN TINS
free country. Professor scLem, the Assistant Su-
perintendent Tor German profound sch lar ana
an educator OF nigh repu,c. approves OF ~ aud
thinks II VIII benefit the schools.
CORONERS CASES.