Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-04

The compulsory attendance school
law passed by the Legislature COM
mences in force Monday in the open
ing OF the schools throughout the
State. The subject has been in ques-
ton as to whether the law has juris-
diction over Wheeling, owing to this
being an independent school district,
and Superintendent Anderson is of
the opinion that it does.
Supt. Anderson stated to a Register
man yesterday that he would be held
responsible for the observance Of the
law in the public schools Of this city
and that it was his intention to bring
the matter before the next meeting of
the Board of Education for the purpose
of making proper provisions for the
law carried out, which compels a GER
tain attendance upon the schools of
all children between the ages of eight
and fourteen years of age. The law.
however, is not very stringent. 1t only
compels an attendance to continue for
sixteen weeks in the school year. In
order to carry out the provisions of
this law the Board of Education will
have to appoint a truant officer, whose
duty it is to bring truant children to
school and prosecute those who neg
lect to obey the law. Superin-
tendent Anderson asked to have the
matter brought up for consideration at
the special meeting of the Board, held
last Monday evening, but it was over
looked
The following is the amendment to
chapter forty-ive Of the Code, relating
to compulsory attendance, under the
division of section ten, (a):
Section 10a. Every person having
under his control a child or children be-
tween the ages of eight and fourteen
years, shall cause such child or chill
dren to attend some public school in the
city, independent district, or district
IN which he resides, and such attend
ance shall continue for at least six
teen weeks of the school year, provided
the school be in session as many as
sixteen weeks. and for every neglect
or SUCH duty the person offending shall
pc guilty of miSdemeanor. and shall
upon conviction thereof before any
Justice. be fined two dollars for the
nrst Onense, and five dollars for each
subsequent offensa An offense, as I'M
derstood in this act, shall consist in
failure to send to school any child or
children for five consecutive days. ex-
cept In the case of sickness of such
cnlld or children or other reasonable
excuse. And it shall be the duty of
every trustee and teacher to inform
against any one so offending; and upon
a failure so to do they shall be guilty.
OF misdemeanor and be fined not
exceeding five dollars: Provided. That
II such child or children have attended
for like period of time a private day
school, or if such child or children
have been otherwise instructed for a
like period of time in the branches of
learning required by law to be taught
in the public schools or have already
acquired such branches, or if his phys
ical or mental condition is such as to
render such attendance inexpedient. or
impracticable, such penalty shall not
be incurred: Provided further, That
in case there be no public school in
session within two miles by the nearest
Travelled road, of any person in the
school district, he shall not be liable
to the provisions of this act.
Any fines so collected shall be placed
to the credit of the building fund of
the district
If sixty per cent. of the legal voters
of any city, independent district. or
sub-district shall petition the Board of
Education against the enforcement of
this act, the said act. SO far as that
suh-district is concerned. shall be null
and void until the beginning of the
next school year.
Justices of the peace shall have iur-
isdiction in all violations of this act
in their respective counties.
Relating to the city schools. some
of them will not be ready to be opened
at the time set on Monday. owing to
the fact of the repairs of some Of the
buildings not bei1g finished Among
these is the Clay school building which
has been extensively renaired and
whose heating system is being remod-
eled Repairs and changes of the
heating system at the Eighth ward
school viii also probably not be fin
jshed in time for school TO open Mon
day.