New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-17
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF THE NEW LAW.
OPERATION or THE MASSACHUSETTS, STATUTES
PROVISIONS or THE NHw-YORg LAw-PIHPARA-
TONS FOR ITS ESRORCEMENT-THE TRUANcY
y AGENTS AND THEIR DUTIEs-yIEws OF SCHOOL
TEACHERS, a.....,.. . ...-.. I....lr i
During the past few years the question OF
Compulsory Education with the expedicncy OF mixed
schools has often agitated throughout the country
at large The Legislatures Of the various States have
not been slow In realizing the necessity for radical
change in the old system OF free school education At
the present time however, only two States have eifect
ally disposed Of the problem of adopting stringent
pulsory laws; making them obligatory and imposing
penalties for noncompliance with the same. Such
law has been In successful operation in Mas
sachusetts for the past IL years, and
the practical benefits from it making
themselves manifest in the educated OF her people
Since the adoption OF the law in Massachusetts, the
age daily attendance at the public schools has been in
creased about 40 per cent, while Of children unable
10 read and write are exceptional. In fact the general
population OF the State rule. receive an average
public school aud to this fact In great meas
ure Is asrbed the thrift and enterprise everywhere
mantle stcd by the mechanics laboring classes ana the
lower class OF the citizens OF that State The people OF
tho state only approve the law but III every ease
advocate its strict enforcement. Realizing the advah-
tages Of good education for thcr children parents not
endeavor to secure for their children every attendant
and possible means OF educational advantages
Con seguenty compulsory law throughout the state
has become OF blessing to the poorer Glasses OF her
citizens among whom regarded essential to their
wellbeing
THE LAW IN NEW-YORk. ...l
The state OF York, approaching the necessity for
some special law which would the thousands OF
cases Of children growing up without even the funda
mental principles OF elementary education WAS the first
recognize the advantages of the Massachusetts system
adopt II with few alterations On May, 1874 the
Legislature Of NewYOrk passed law requiring that all
children between the ages OF and II years should at
tend public private school, at least ii weeks OF
every year, eight Of which weeks should be consecutive
Every parent guardian having the OF children IL
subject to fine OF 81 for the first noncompliance with
the regulation OF the law, and uc OF 81 for each and
every succeeding noncompliance. BY the law no one Is
allowed to hire engage any child between the ages OF
and II years I'm any business Whatever during the
school hours the school term, unless certificate of
the teacher school obtained stating that the
letter OF the law has been observed The necessity for
such law daily becoming more and more manifest
In New-York City this especially the could
be seen from the thousands and thousands OF ragged
urchins who daily thronged the streets and sidewalks
mbibng early lessons theyery and every imaginable
species of vice. in the large numbers who daily
brought before the police courts upon petty charges and
in the crowds which ed the refornatory and corrective
institutions
Such general revolution in the school system Of the
city and State required time, and in consequence the
law did not into practical operation until March l.
TO insure its successful operation entirely census
Of all children had to be taken and this work is
being carried forward rapidly BY order Of the Police
Commissioners, two policemen daily detailed In each
precinct to ascertain the age and residence of every
child upon each street in turn within the precinct To-
gether with the name and occupation of is parents These
returns made 10 the Commissioners and by them
transferred the Board OF Education It thought that
these returns will he completed during the present month";
and estimated that the aggregate number will proxi
mate 100000 about twenty-five per cent Of the entire
population of The city Of New-YOrk In the meanwhile,
the Board Of Education using the old census OF the
different schools upon which there are about l22,OOO
For the accommodation OF these children, there
g. grammar schools 40 primary schools and eo0red
making total OF LII schools and average attendance
AT each 900 children. Under the new law,
aud Judging the returns OF the school census, these
accommodations will have 10 be largely increased.
THE TRUAyCY DEPARTMENT.
The Truancy Department OF which Alexander NJ. Stan
ton superintendent has its Office in the upper portion
of the Board of Education building, at Elm and Grand
The object OF the department 10 see that the pro-
visions of the law enforced and for this purpose the
city sup idcd into eight triiancy districts in
each Of which agent is appointed whose duty 1t is to
and apprehend all children between said who
may absent Themselves from school, or whOmay he found
upon the streets during the regular school hours The
agent furnished with insignia OF Office which police
bound to respect and with power to make al.
special The teacher OF public school
is required 10 keep full and correct list Of all children IN
their district between the OF and IA years. with
daily list of those who attend school When occasional
continued absence the part OF scholar the
teacher Is required 10 report the same To the agent.
For this purpose they furnished with postal
dence of the child are written together with the time
and date Upon receipt OF the report the
agents repair the ch's home to ascertain the cause
OF the absence and in the majority of cases the parents
ale not aware that the child had been absent.
this connection. 1t is worthy of notice that since the
law went into operation not single encounter has oc-
CURED between the parents aud the authorities In fact
the teachers and agents to have met with the
hearty cooperation OF the parents many Of whom
ignorant the existence OF the law but express them
selves as unqualifcdy in favor Of when explained
10 thcn at the same time requesting the officer to sec
occasional especially gratifying the auhor-
ties, for while large majority OF citizens were known
20 be III favor Of giving the children every
possible means OF gaining information, yet there
were also certain to he some ignorant people who
would deem the cpmpu DRY feature as an aITosaton
upon their parental dominion These We're the very
cases which the law was most needed To cover, and
whose opposition 1t was deemed advisable to Overcome
without exercising the power OF the law mat there has
arisen conflict, wholly to DE aserbed To the com
endahle prudence and discretion Of the Board ana their
seem regard both the law and the officers In entire
astv retreat Which Immediately succeeds the APPROACH
of an officer and the usy cries OF warning 10 other less
has had most desirable effect IN many localities where
the formerly null OF children and where they
The report OF the Superintendent OF Truancy which
has Just been completed from March II to April inclu
II9 occasional truans, 81 habual truans, and IL
attendants many Of whom had never attended school