New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-31
CHILDREN MUST GO TO SCHOOL
THE NEW COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE
LAW GOES I&TO EFFECT TOMORROW

SOME or IT'S PROVISIONS. AND HOW IT WILL
Arrrrr rorrr.An EprcATIoN FINES FOR
PARENTS ANp ARREST FOR PUPILS
WHO VIOLATE THE LAW
ucw hw w.u go INTO effect tomorrow. com
polling chllrcn 20 attend school The law has
h..n drawn especially with view Of meeting the
f-.luIr.rn,ats 90 Nsw-Yojk city. The peculiar
conditions ~ tho metropolitan population have
rendered o. exceedingly dihcult To reach vast
number ~ children who regularly stay away from
SCHOOL, and who. although - tender age. are re-
qn.r.i by choir parents 20 earn "A living. IN the
.r.lt majority OF these cases u has been found
fatt II was nor absolutely necessary FOR the chill
r.- % hc sent 20 work and 10 was only the greed
flr won.} that induced parents 10 keep their emil
tf.n avas from school Tho ne" law ia designed
,, f1.of such cases. and It's enforcement among
the for .ln-n,rn parents tho majority OF whom 10
no, realzr the requirements Of American citizen
shin VIII bc of great advantage TO the future well
Gar, ~ the city.
Wlth a Wow ~ securing the cooperation OF the
h.st citizens In enforcing this law. one OF It's pro-
visions s that any school district falling to enforce
the law may be- punished 10y being deprived OF one
hair ~ Is npportonmcnt OF school money. II Is
hopcl by this means that all good cltzrns in each
district will take personal interest In seeing that
IN. law is enforced To- n" letter. Another pro
vision ~ the law IL that parents or guardians VINO
shall be- found guilty of failing 10 comply with
school shall be fined cents for each offence
provision IL made FOR habItual ,ruants. Such
chlliren b. arrested without warrant. and
viii b.. taken before a magistrate and sentenced
20 a ,ruant school. to an orphan asylum. or TO
some other suitable place where they VIII be COM
PEELED 10 attend school
In cases where It is Impossible TO comply with
the law on account % lack ~ school accommoda-
lions she Bonrls OF Education having charge OF
the schools Will be held accountable. ana WI, be
tlt shfplr Ia
81 the same time the prints Of ch,ldren ~no ,9 ha
! nnes and the children TO arrest, ana this VIII
a. demands of their Boards ~ Education Increased
/ 'h''i n,ror,rnoJ, zion Tn. state SUPERINTENDENT
| ~ P1blic Instruction. Mr. Croker however, IS
rni NJ The ounon that the law will be enforced 10
such am extreme. yet Ia" fact that the parents are
I'm danger % such fines Is in itself stimulus for
/ thom ~ act in the matter.
/ Th. la, f. - sweeping one. and drawn up by
he Council Of school superlntcndents. II was In
| iroluceI In Ia" Lcsslature by senator PoHnd AZ
/ n has been approved hy the STAT" department Of
rrhNr Instruction. me S,ho1' m nr ,h
state. It Is likely 10 b. pretty rgidly enforced 1t
has ben strongly iniorsel by labor ORGANIZATIONS
any one else realize the evil effects % having chill
drcn sent To- work At nm early age instead OF being
Th- law also provides for the employment, Of
I To- arrest truants. In case school accommodation
can h. found for such children. they will be taken
), 'r, 9w1 lf h3 f"r one reason orr an
other thcy have been found to be imperative in
many Instances and the new law has been de-
/ signed to cover the exceptional cases. IT II IS
/ increase in school accommodations where such
accommodations are nov lacking. II " proposed
| TO enact a law aimed chiefly at Boaris OF Educa-
ton. comprlling them to provide ample school ac-
! commodation for every child
Speaking OF the new law. state superintendent
| Cr6okcr said recently:
There are good reasons why 1T cannot be
enforced to The letter In some localities The chief
! Of these H. the lack Of accommodations. am
! Of tn opinion that school authorities should bear
IN mind that the main object Of the law Is to sup
press the evil Of loafug and harmful ldling among
| those Of school age and should instruct truant
officers accordingly II would be intolerabe and
farccal to try to enforce the law and compel every
child OF school age. whether regularly employed In
some legitimate business or not to enter or try to
enter school until annie ac,omm1dations shai,
facilities are ample the law should be consistently
enforced at once"
on elementary education. lie believes that only
the children OF rich well-to-do parents could
tlonal privilege. In reference to the system OF
paying bountcs on percentage or examinations
Mr.. crookcr said
"Bcsdes the financial loss TO all the other dis
tricts IN the state the system OF paying bounties
on percentages OF examinations IL deemed by many
educators. even large number OF those connected
with the schools receiving the bounties. as narrow
In its educational tendencies and vicious In It's
practices"
member OF the Board of Education In this
city said IN reference To the new law to a Tribune
reporter. yesterday: Il see no reason why tn,
new law cannot be enforced In every particular
r II certainly will be great advantage to the city
/ and should have been In operation some time ago
: OF course. we have had truant laws In this city
FOR years but somehow or other they do not meet
the requirements of the city. and the result Is tina,
StartlnglN large number OF our children are on
the streets or are at work In shops and In factories
long before they are Of the legal II Is Is
dangerous state OF things. and II cannot be stopped
too soon oar form OF government cannot exist
without Intelligent. well Tread and wel-educated
citizens, and we cannot be too careful In seeing to
II that the rising generation IL well Instructed In
al least the IuululeHtS OF euucatlon