The record-union., 1896-01-07


fined not more than $50, and for each
subsequent offense from $40 to $50, and
costs. Then provision is made for as
certaining who. the non-attending
children are, the names of their parents
| and guardians, and of instituting pros
ecutions.
For years past this law has been a
dead letter on the statute books, as
have stated, but considerations of just
ice to the large number of children who
are being allowed to grow up in the city
without educational advantages, either
through the indifference Of parents or
their own willfulnesS, dictate that 1t
should be as rigidly enforced as pos
sible It's enforcement would be salu-
tary check to results that are bound to
| follow the present unrestraint which is
| the sure progenitor of crime; and fail
ure on our part to do that which lies
within our power in enforcing it's pro-
visions makes us answerable for the
consequences later on to these children
and to society.
Without the aid Of police executive
arm the educational authorities can
never hope to institute and success
fully prosecute infractions of the law.
Recently a boy of Is years of age was
tried in the Superior Court and con-
victed of grand larceny. The evidence
! elicted showed that he had been per-
| mitted to grow up without education,
save such as he received while at
State reformatory for a short time, and
ana informed by the police authorities
that until his committal to that insti-
tuition he was not able to read.
I suggest to the incoming board the
| propriety of giving the subject of the
enforcement of the law of compulsory
education serious attention, and as to
the advisability of employing for a time
a truant officer to prosecute cases that
will arise under it.
/ Another consideration in line with
this subject is as to how far the author
ity of the department of education eX-
tends over children attending the public
schools. / have always contended that
we have control over them from the
time they leave the homes of their par
ents until their return, regardless of
] their ages. There are instances where
| child will leave its home with its
| books and return with them, and de-
ceive the parents into believing that
it has been to school, when in fact 1t
has not. This notably occurred in the
cases of some little girls, to which public
attention was recently prominently di-
rected. With an efficient and vigilant
truant officer such practices would be
watched and suppressed.
While I do not feel justified in rec
ommending the permanent employment
of such an officer, I do suggest that
his employment at times would be BEN
efcial Owing to the smallness of the
police department, and the work it has
to do, we cannot reasonably expect
more attention from it's members than
we have received, and at this point 1t
| is but just to tender to the Chief of
Police and the officers the thanks of this
department for their prompt and eff
cient aid whenever we have had occa-
sion to call upon them.
THE SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF
ONE.
During the year / requested and re-
| ceived permission from the board to
j appoint each member a committee of
| one to represent particular schools in
this board. Observation has taught me
| that a committee of one will do more
! effective work than will a greater num-
! ber. Teachers frequently have occa-
| sion to present notices and matters to
the board that effect their school, and
! heretofore it has been customary for
| them to call on each of the directors
| individually-a matter sometimes of
annoyance to all parties concerned, and
very generally unsatisfactory to the
| teachers. AS it is now, one director
only has to be met and the attention
of a member is directed particularly to
but one or two schools, and with their
conditions and management he can
easily familiarize himself. I suggest
1 that on occasions of public exercises
in the schools the director representing
a school shall attend there If possible.
The appointment of these special COM
mittees / find to be extremely satis-
! factory to the teachers, as those in each
| building feel that there is one member
of the board who will especially repre-
sent and champion their interests in
the sessions of the board. 1t is not in
tended, however, that these appoint
ments shall in any manner interfere
with the authority and duties of the
standing committees
PATRIOTIC EXERCISES
Under the existing rule of the board
! patriotic exercises are held in each
school on the last Friday in each month.
] think that this frequency has ten
dency to lessen the interest in and re-
spect for patriotism by the pupils, and
recommend that the exercises be limited
/ to the appropriate commemoration of
the birthday of Washington, Decoration
Day and the Fourth of July, and that on
those occasions the exercises be of SO
| imposing character as to make the
deepest possible impression.
/ I recommend that on such occasions
| the directors shall select citizens to de-
liver addresses before the schools they
represent, and that such citizens as
may be selected will be given to under
| stand that there should be no disap-
pointment by their -fulfillment of
| the engagements. These occasions
ner as will arouse the fullest interest of
| pupils and parents alike. Since l have
been a member of this board I have
| been struck with the apathy Of our citi-
zens in our schools. Very many of the
parents have never crossed the
threshold of a schoolhouse since they
passed from it in their youth. FIRE.
quently have had a citizen accompany
me to a school, and have felt consider
able satisfaction at his expressions of
surprise at the magnitude and import
ance of the system.
If there is anything next to declara-
tion of war that will arouse to it's high
est pitch the patriotism of an American,
it is a visit to a public school, particu-
larly on the occasion of well-arranged