The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-16

loss 20 the company - neavy.
SCHOOL DISCRIMINATION.
oAie's Hxssllsas Cenpulsory EAueatiea
Law.
CHICAGO. Feb 8, 1880.
The Ohio Law regarding compulsory edu-
cotton. that came into effect January /. is
In some respects quite in advance Of the
compulsory law in any Of the other states
Massachusetts, requires children between
the ages Of and II to attend school twenty
weeks in the year. New York requires
fourteen weeks and Illinois sixteen weeks.
The other states from twelve 10 sixteen.
The Chicago school board nobly tried TO
secure twenty weeks for Illinois, but the
opposition Of the rural districts led to .
compromise that fixed upon sixteen weeks
Ohio, recognising the difference between
the needs Of the cities and the villages and
townships. provides that children In the
cities shall attend school twenty weeks,
while the limit for the villages and town.
ships il sixteen weeks. Parents and guar
dams who fail % see that the children
under their care comply with the require
ments Of the Law render themselves liable
70 fine Of from Is to so for each ofEense,
or, In cases Of obstinate resistance,
70 imprisonment for from one to
three months. individuals or corpora
lions employing children between the agss
Of and u must keep on record. subject 10
inspection By school officers, evidence that
the children In their employ have COM
Piled with the school requirements. Any
failure In this respect subjects the en-
ployer to fine Of $500 for each offsnse. In
al the states except Ohio the schools drop
the espionage Of the children ct the ass OF
u. The Ohio law requires that minors b.
tween the ages Of II and l6 who cannot
read and write the English language shall
attend school 1t least one-half Of each day,
or attend some evening school maintained
BY the board Of education, or take regular
private instruction of some person qualified
in the opinion OF the superintendent to give
such instruction until the minor shall receive
. certificate from the superintendent GER
trying that he can read at sight and write
legibly simple sentences In the English
language. Every person or corporation
employing such minor shall Be required to
exact school attendance from him and be
prepared on demand 10 furnish evidence
that he does comply with the requirements
Of the school law. Failing to do this, the
employer Is liable to fine Of $50 for each
o6ense. This provision Of the Law secures
that no child shall pass from IA to IS with
out learning TO read and write the English
language. If he has not learned IL before.
The Ohio Law does not require that the
several branches Of study shali Be taughs
in English. and 90 will escape the opposi.
don Of the Lutheran and German Catholic
parochiai schools. but it does require the
ability TO read English ct sight. certified by
the superintendent This may be . wise
compromise for the present. thought IL Is
unquestionably better that children that
are 70 be American citizens should have
their education conducted in English. Il
II better preparation for getting on IN the
world and . better preparation for the
duties OF citizenship.
A second important feature where the
Ohio school Law is in the lead, relates to
the cases OF children Of school age who
need 70 earn their own support or 70 assist
In the support of others. The Ohio Law
makes IL the duty Of the attendance agent
20 report such cases to the proper authori-
ties, whose duty IL Is TO look after and care
for the poor, and to endeavor to obtain
such relief a. shall release the child from
labor during the time that the Law requires
him to be in school. and failing 70 obtain
such relief, the superintendent or board of
education may make suitable arrange
ments for the private instructions of such
child. But such child shall not be de-
clared . pauper or removed 20 . reforma-
tory unless he wilfuiiy negiects to take adj
vantage Of the provisions made by the at
tendance agent or superintendent. This
plan seems . little clumsy, but IL rscog-
nizes the duty OF the board Of education
20 provide some plan by which the de-
pendent child may b educated-a duty
that the compulsory laws In the other
states have not recognized.
The superintendent or board OF educa-
ton has power 70 excuse frsm the opera
ton OF the Law not only children mentally
and physically unable 70 meet its require
ments. but any children who have passed
through the primary and grammar school
grades before reaching the age OF IA
On the whole. we must say the Ohio law
IL quite the broadest. most humane, and
most efficient OF any OF the compulsory
education laws adopted by the various
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