River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-03-13
Approved February 81, 1879.
Published March 4, 1871
CHAPTER l2I.


AN ACT to secare to children the benefit OF an
elementary education.
The people o. the State of Wisconsin, repre-
sented in senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows:
Section = Every parent, guardian, or 9TH
er person, Ia the state of Wisconsin, having
charge or control OF any child or children be-
tween the ages of seven and fifteen years, shall
be required to send such child or children to
public or priv ale school for at least twelve
weeks in each school year, commencing on
the iirst day Cf September, in the year one
Thousand eight hundred and seyeBty-nine,
unless the school district board or board of
education of the school district, village or city
in which such parents or guardian shall re-
side, shall excuse by physicians certificate or
other good reason, such children from atend-
ance on its being shown to their satisfaction
that the child's bodily or mental condition
is such as to prevent its attendance at school,
or application TO study for the time required,
or that its time and labor are essentially nee
essary for the support OF an INDECENT parent,
brother, or sister, or that such child is being
otherwise furnished with the means of educa-
ten for like period Of time, or has already
acquired a fair knowledge of the branches Of
learning ordinarily taught in the common
schools OF this State: proyidod that IN case the
public school Of the district in which such
parent or guardian resides shall be distant
more than two miles from his residence, by
the nearest travelled road. he shall not be la
BILE to the provisions o. this ct.
Section 2 The school district board or
board of education shall, IN their respective
districts, on the second Monday OF February
and September, or within fifteen days there
after, OF each wear, IN such manner as they
shall deem most expedient, ascertain the con-
dition of all children between seven anc fif-
teen years of age, who shall not be in attend
ance on any public or private school, and
| hall file with tsieir clerk record of each
| nd every violation of this act, which record
| han be open TO the inspection of every quail
| fed eleetor and taxpayer in said district.
Section 3 Such school books as may be
| necessary shall be furnished for the children
| contemplated in this act, IN the manner and
under the conditions provided for in section
| four hundred and thirty-six OF the revised
statutes.
! Section 4. In the case any parent, guar
dian or other person shall fail to comply with
| the provisions OF this act, said parent, guar
| dian or other person shall be liable to a line
| OF not less than five nor more than ten dollars
| for the first offense nor less than ten nor more
! than twenty dollars for each and every subse-
| quent Ottense Such fine shall be collected by
! the school district director or president Of the
| board Of education in the district, village OF
| city in which the otiense is committed, in the
| name of the State OF Wisconsin, in an action
before any justice of the peace or any couri
| having competent jurisdiction. And the fine
SO collected shall be paid into the school
| fund.
Section s. 1t shall be the duty of the direc-
tor of any school district or president of the
board OF education of any incorporated vii
lage or city to prosecute any offense occurring
under this act, and such person neglecting tC
prosecute for such fine within fifteen days
after written notice has been served on hin
by any qualified elector or taxpayer within
the district, village or city in which the of
Tending party shall reside, shall be liable to {
fine of not less than ten nor more than TWEEN
ty dollars for each offence; such fine to bt
collected in the name of the State of WiscOn
sin in an action before a justice ofthe peace o.
any court Of competent Jurisdiction, by any
person feeling aggTieved thereby. Said line
shall be paid to the town, village or city
treasurer, in accordance with section four 0
this act
Section 6. Two weeks attendance at hal
time or night school shall be considered
within the meaning of this act, equivalent t.
an attendance of one week al a day school
Section Z. This act shall take effect and bt
in force from and after the first day of Sep.
TENDER, 1879.
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