The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-09-04
They Must Ee Educated.

State Labor INSPECTOR Fell is n0w send
ing out circulars calling attention 70 the
child labor law. the compulsory education
Law aud the general factory act passed last
winter. Circular letters are being sent to
the Mayors Of the different cities request
ing 4 compliance with section six of the
compulsory law. 4 supply Of copies. Of
the law will also be kept on hand. which
will be sent 10 parties making application
for the same.
Under the compulsory law children be-
tween the ages of seven and fifteen years
viii be compelled to attend ON public or
private school for a stated period each year.
Section six Of the same law directs Mayors
of cities and police authorities, with the
cooperation of the different boards of
education, at the request OF the Inspector
Of factories and the school superintendent.
10 appoint one or more truant officers.
The work of these officers will be of great
assistance. for, after children have once
been enrolled in the public schools, it will
not be an easy thing TO practice deception
as to their age as the school records will be
available for reference. Under section fifth
of the compulsory law children between
the ages of seven and fifteen years who
loiter about the streets or IN public places
during school hours will be juvenile delin-
quents and suiect To the penalties of the
act. No doubt the authorities of the large
cities will give general orders to pay patrol
men to report all snch cases To the special
trnant officer, and lie, if lie deems it
necessary, can report to the Inspector. 1t
can be clearly seen that under such system
all the children will have been enrolled
within a year or two. There is no doubt
that all persons interested in private or
parochial schools will lend their assistance,
as they are anxious to increase the number
who are receiving the benefit Of education.
These schools, as well as the public schools,
have suffered greatly by reason Of the
large number of children that have been
drawn away from them by the factories.
The evasion Of the law has been due tothe
inability of one man to reach all the places
of employment, and to the disposition on
the part of some parents to deceive as to
the age Of the children. 1t ma be added
also that some manufacturers and superin-
tendents appear willing to be deceived in
this matter. When the inspector first
began his work there were a great many
under the age of ten employed. During
the past year, while he had found children
under the legal age, he has not found them
so young as before. This shows that the
mere enactment of a law will not remedy
an evil. bot somebody is needed whose
business it is to enforce it. The history of
factory inspection in England shows that
even though they had a law no advance
was made until inspectors were appointed.
1t is only by continued and systematic
inspection that the law can be enforced.
The law gives the trustees the right to
appoint one or more such officers in each
school district whose duty it shall be TO
see that the provisions Of The statute rela-
tive TO regular attendance of children are
observed and to arrest any child who may
habitually play truant.