The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-08
THEY CAN'T PLAY HOCKEY
Truant officer Haynes Keepsa Sharp
Lookout on Newark Children.

themselves from the nlgnt sessiohs-
Haynes was appointed in June. 1889. and,
from that time to November ], l.5o5 tru-
ants have been looked after. Eighty-two
incorrigible Youngsters were sent 10 the
City Home, where some OF them had re-
sided before, and a few were committed
to the care of the institution for feeble
minded children at Nineland.
The system of detecting truancy is
PROBABLY more complete and effective In
Newark than in most other cities the
truant officer receives a regular notinca-
ton at stated periods from the different
private and public schools, OBTAINING
what scholars are absent and presumably
remaining away without cause. 4os
slips furnished TO the principals by the
Board of Education. The notices read.
II hereby certify that - is a confirmed
truant. and requires the attention OF the
truant officer" These are forwarded 10
the Board of Education, endorsed by
superintendent Barringer aud returned
to MI. Haynes. ~he latter Ills out a
blank giving the name and residence OF
the delinquent. int forwards one TO eAcn
OF the captains of the different precincts,
who detail officers to visit the parents or
guardians, and obtain from them some
good reason, If possible. why the children
remain away from school.
Inc pdlTOtulan NtpuAb ID ActaAhN1 ~
the truant officer, who fills u another
blank. sends it to the superintendent OF
the school, and the matter is referred by
him TO the principal of the school. IL the
latter confirms the report that the child Is
a truant and will not attend, he or she Is
arrested, and il their parents do not give
assurance that they will do better in fu-
ture the youngsters are COMMITTED 70 tne
City Home, after their cases have been
acted upon by the trustees. A boy can
work his way out of the institution In q
year If he behaves properly. Each month
he receives a merit card, and when he be-
comes the possessor OF a dozen Is entitled
to leave on parole, but can be rearrested
and sent back at any time for improper
conduct, when he has to begin again and
wait for mis- dozen cards before obtaining
a release. Before beginning proceedings
a notice is served upon the parents, and
also one upon the child, setting forth the
law upon the subject of compulsory edu-
cation.
The ways Of the truant to escape arrest
in which he is frequently aided by. MS
parents, are often devious n full OF
guile. The favorite method of escape Is
what is known as trying TO climb the
age" The officer is told this young man
is oil age" and the policeman so reports
This. however, does not work for the
reason that every school pupil is regist-
cred in the truant officers books, and he
can easily see that a boy who was ten
years old in 1889 is not seventeen in le9O,
the ace over which the officer has no con-
troll being sixteen. Then again fictitious
addresses are frequently gwen by pupils
when picked up on the street, and THIS
makes more trouble.
Another difficulty lies in the fact that
lots OF boys register at the evening
schools, 10 evade the law, attend IA
- o.I than kaan aNvau DIanfU nf
whose parents believe them
at school are at shows until ten O'Clock,
when they return home. stating that they
were KEPT in for not knowing their les
sons. In one instance two girls were cap
tured who had roamed the streets for two
weeks and were apparently fast going TO
the bad.
The reports of some of the officers read
extremely funny, and in some instances
indicate that The patrolmen themselves
have suffered from u lack OF early educa-
ton. One OF them, who spells the tenth
month of the year 'Ocktorbeer" in his
return, that this won bis
muther SEE she keeps him hom' cause other
fellers fire spitbals at him."
There are other reports reading:-"This
boy is a carpenter by trade, and is too
tired to go to school," His mother says
she will club him to pieces IL he don't go
to school, and she looks as IL she'd do 1t"
Lewis is too much or a runner TO go to
school," like works in a second hand
clothes store and sleeps in a goods box.
Thomas has u sore leg. malaria and a
hurried face, and he's going back home to
st. Louis in two days"
Others are described as having hurt
their eyes, are kept home by drunken
parents or attending parochial schools
A few more of the excuses given state
that mike don't like school. and his
r. aTa1r sa-Af.t 81 -l.4.A-
him. HE fell down cellar "That
John, aged sixteen, Is good for nothing;
bad; gets drunk and stays out half the
night" This boy fell of a three story
building, aud is quite sick" Patrick
tried to run the principal and got fired
out"
The truant officer, in conjunction with
the factory Inspector, will soon begin
visiting the different factories regularly
ana turn out all employees who are under
the age at which they are permitted TO
work in industrial establishments. In a
number of ~nstance boys of eleven years
have been found II factories. and one,
twelve months older. was discovered run
ming a pig circular saw, aud shoe shops
legal age. All these will be sent TO
school. If possible, after being compelled
to quit work in the shops.
The night schools this year are re
ported as being better attended THAI ever
before, and the number OF pupils is con-
stantly increasing.-NeiVafk EUeHiao
NeHS.
How to Dress.
This whole matter Of how a woman
should dress, what she should and should
not wear, resolves itself entirely into a
question of common sense. saws Edward
". BOX. in the November Ladies Home
Journal. Many a woman on a shopping