Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1889-07-04
NO. 2i69
COMPULSORY EDUCATION,
INSPECTOR FELL WANTS All,
TO STUDY.
determined Upon the Better EM-
f0rcemenJ of the Law Al
ready Enacted.

The factories are closing, and the
hundreds of youngsters will begin their
vacations of the summer. They fully
intend that when ''the fires go in"they
VIII return to their places. Many of
these little fellows are working when
they should be in school, according to
law. But the law has been eyaded,
and will again if the boys have their
way
Lawrence I. Fell, Inspector of Fac
tories and Workshops, is determined
upon u better enforcement of the Com
pulsory Education Law, which pro
vides that in all cities having a duly
organized police force, it shall be the
duty Of the police authority, to detail
one or more members of said force to
assist in the enforcement of this act
and in districts having no regular 90
lice force subject to this, it shall be
the duty of the Board of Education or
the school district officers to designate
one or more constables of said city,
town or village, whose duty it shall be
to assist in the enforcement of this act
as occasion may require. Members of
any police force or any constable de-
signated to assist in the enforcement
of this act as provided in the section
are known as truant officers. In dis
tF1cts where no constable resides the
board have power to appoint some
other suitable person as truant officer.
In recent report to the Governor,
Inspector Fell recommended that the
captain or chief officer of each precinct
be appointed truant officer, and be
supplied with the name of each school
and school principal, and the enroll
ment of the scholars. He can then
give list of truants to the officer of
the post where such truants reside,
and with little trouble they can again
be placed in the school-room.
! Continuing, Inspector Fell says. IF
| this law must stand, and it should, it
/ Iss5eas serious amendments to make it,
effective. The lack of school accom-
mediation for all pupils applying should
be remedied. All districts should be
compelled to provide enough schools,
and no municipality should be exempt
from penalty for its neglect. The chief
executive officer of cities and towns
and their police should be made to
/ give all proper aid to the Inspector of
Workshops and his assistants in regard
to truants, and no pupil should be de-
barred from instruction, actually fore
ing him 10 become an annoyance to
the community"
Truants from school are designated
in the act of 1885 as follows:
That all children between the
ages of seven and fifteen years who
are habitual truants from school, or
who, while in attendance at any school,
are incorrigible, vicious or immoral in
/ conduct, and all children between the
said ages who absent themselves habit
uaily from school and habitually wan
der about the streets aud public
places during school hours, having no
business or lawful occupation, shall
be deemed Juvenile disorderly persons,
! and subject to the provisions of this
act
Mr.. Fell thinks that the entire police
department should receive orders to
aid ia securing the enforcement of the
law, and ne believes that the co-opera-
ton of he Police Board viii lead To
| important results.