White Oaks eagle., 1895-11-21
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.


source of amusement in this sort of thing, and
in the numerous and palpabie defects of our
legislative enactments our friend pretends TO
find substantial ground upon which to stand
and oppose statehood for New Mexico.
Now we are not going to take issue with the
esteemed EAGLE on this question of New Mexi
co.'s fitness for statehood, because it has already
thrown valuable light on a much discussed
question, and because we think any controversy
thereon at this time, however good-natured it
might be, would serve as loves labor lost
Nor do we desire to be understood as in any
manner volunteering as an apologist for the
acts Of New Mexicos legislative assemblies.
Some of the laws that to-day adoin our statute
books are shocking the change of venue act
for instance, and others that might be named
others are weak in construction and malignant
in design, while others still, though good and
wholesome acts, are so loosely drawn as to make
the IN source of never.ending annoyance to
bench, bar and laity and we thank the EAGLE
for calling public attention to them now in
hopes that New Mexico may thereby derive
profit In future.
In the interest of popular education the New
Mexican last week called attention to the fact
that New Mexico has on it's statute books q
strong and vigorous compulsory school law.
This observation was put forth as a gentle hint
to parents and guardians that New Mexico is
abreast OF the times-ahead of many states in
| the Union-and proposes to see to it that her
| children are educated. 1t appeared to us to b,
| u serious matter, one most timely, and deserving
of considerate attention by mon who have lived
long enough in this territory to realize the ne
cessty and the importance of crowding the
school rooms with the youth of the territory.
In its effort to foster and encourage a popular
movement toward the school house the New
! Mexican relied upon, and had reason to expect.
that it would have the moral support at least
of such territorial newspapers the White
| Oaks EAGLE.
Here is the section of the law which the EA
GLE pretends to find SO much humor in:
section ~. That the school directors of the
various districts in this territory are hereby en-
powered and required to compel parents guar
dians or other person having the control. care
or direction of children, when such children do
not attend some private school, to send such
children under their control to the public
school for at least three months in each year,
except when such children shall be under age
or above 16 years of age, or of such physical
disability os to unfit them for the labor requir-
ed, which disability shall be certified to By
some regular practicng physician"
This is the precise wording of the law as TAX
en- from the compiled laws of the public schools
of New Mexico, and although we are not u
member of Col Cations bar association we
have no hesitancy in passing judgment on the
language of the act to the extent of saying that
we believe it pretty good for New Mexico: 1t
L. 10 forc oil l,otl, md laft
Will the EAGLE help.
The trouble with the NeW MeGicdn s
quotation from the school law is that it
was not taken from the official publca-
ton but from a compilation made by the
territorial Superintendent who had it
printed as it should have been enacted
and not as it appears in the statutef.
The compilation makes even a better
showing than the Neg MeGicdn's copy
- it has it, under eight and over six
teen" which il substituted for The
words of the statute would make the
Sc ation passable in its construction.
Judging from the character of the
other sections of the school law Of 1891
and of many other laws on our statute
books, ana knowing the care and correct
methods OF the Netc Mericdn Office
where the laws of that year were printed
: We are ready to stake l6 to ! that thC
clause as the EAGLE printed it, under
age or about sixteen years Of age" is ex
actIy as it appears in the enrolled bill
on file in the office of the Secretary OF th,
Territory.
The EAGLE will bo fond supporting
any measure which is calculated to pro
mote and improve the public schools o
this territory. 1t will gladly ioir
) its valued Santa Fo contemporary in at
p effort to build up the moral and materia
status OF our government and our peo
pie; but it does not believe that true re
form and genuine advancement can b.
brought about or promoted by thu
: attempting to disguise the defects s,
cover up the discreditable laws whicl
disgrace mot "adorn" thank YOU th'
statutory enactments OF New Mexico,n MOI
attempt to hide the putrid mass Of cor
!. ruptIon disclosed by some OF these laws
The highest interests Of the schools o
this territory and of the people general
can be best subserved by fearlessly eS
posing these defects and frauds rathc
than trying to excuse thom and deceiv
ourselves as to their enormity. We be
lievo in letting the people know jus
what kind OF Legislation they have bee
=, getting and what remains TO them as tn
result Of their confidence in public mer
in order that they may correct the error
undo what never ought to have beo
done and obliterate that which every il
tcllgent and decent person in the terr
tor! must be az a led or.
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