The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-09
A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION.
An Officer Should be Employed to Enforc.
This Law.

An Officer Should be Employed to Enforce
This Law.
In recent number of The INDEPENDENT
appeared the totals of the school census re-
Gently taken. From these figures it is
learned that the city has school popula-
ton in round numbers of 2,150. The report
of the city schools shows an enrolment of
about 1900, while an estimate places the
enrolment in private schools at 25O, which
is probably fifty more than the registers
will show. Taking, however, the most lib
eral estimate and we have total enroll
ment of 1,75O with school population of
2,15O. These figures bring US face to face
with the startling fact that there are 400
boys and girls in the city growing up in ig-
norance, within the shadow of an excellent
system Of public schools. The idea Of the
founders Of our national government was,
that, "whsreas, all men are to be free, SO
shall all men be educated This was evil
IDENTIFY the intention of those who framed
our state laws. for on the statutes we find
the following provisions: Every parent,
territory Of Montana, having control
of any child or children between the ages of
and IA years. shall be required to send
such child or children to public school, or
private school taught by competent in
structor, for period of at least twelve
weeks in each year. six weeks of which time
shall be consecutive, etc" (Sec. 1921
Also, any parent, guardian or other per
son, failing to comply with the provision of
this act shall, upon conviction, be deemed
guilty Of a misdemeanor and fined in q sum
not less than five nor more than ten dollars
for the first offense, nor less than ten nor
more than twenty dollars, or thirty days
imprisonment in the county Jail for the sec
ond and every subsequent otfense. (Sec.
It is furthermore made the duty of the
board of trustees to enforce these provi-
sions. This can be done in the rural dis
tricts but in cities like Helena and Butte it
Is practically impossible. as to do SO would
require their entire time. Thisis out of the
question as they are allowed no compensa-
ton for time or service rendered. The nee
essity for an efficient truant officer is there
fore apparent.
1t was maxim OF our early statesmen
that We must educate or perish" Prof.
VIM. F. Phelps puts it none too strongly
when he says. Poverty, pauperism and
crime are among the most inevitable re-
known to every intelligent thinker, and yet,
surrounded BY the vicious influences of
the street, saloons and other vile places of
resort, or lounRing in idleness at home, or
it may be engaged in labor. are nearly
70 per cent, of the school population of the
city. Not only are these children deprived
of the necessary preparation for good citi-
zenship. but many of them are laying the
| foundation for lives of crime and de-
bauchery.
It is no excuse that children are kept out
of school to work. Parents have no right,
moral or legal. to deprive their children Of
| the clements of an education for the sake
If ho NIT mn <nnxy he nj Ia IN
If parents are SO Indifferent to the just
claims Of the child they should be made
to feel the strong hand of the law COM
polling them to give them that which the
law expressly stipulates is their duty.
Our school trustees are putting 100000
| into school houses to the end that all chill
dren of our city may become intelligent,
| self-supportinR citizens. Our county com
missioners will, next season, put $685. 600
into county Jail in which to confne those
vicious characters who prey upon society.
The inmates of this costly jail will come
mainly from those children whose days and
evenings are spent loafing about the streets
and saloons.
Would it not be wise economy to expend
say $780, in the Jail, loan Sic, 600, and
with the proceeds employ good. active
man to look after these non-attendants and
endeavor if possible to turn their foot
steps away from the jail and towards the
done smaller jh1 would meet the require
ments Of Lewis an Clarke county.
It is cheaper to lid school houses than
jails and psnitenEsaries cheaper to employ
teachers than detectives and prosecuting
attorneys, cheaper to hunt up tzuants ano
non attendants than criminals.
| Graduating exercises are more refining
than convictions and executions, and the
services of the active, intelligent graduate
of our high schools and colleges vastly more
beneficial to society than the enforced idle
ness of our penal institutions.
May we not hope that this subject viii
be thought over and talked over till public
sentiment reaches that point where it will
demand the strict enforcement of our laws
regarding the education of our children.
| Pro BoNo PUBLICo.