The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1897-04-08
MUST ATTEND SCHOOL.
Law on Compulsory Education Defined
Superintendent Irwin Wants
the Statutes Enforced.


school superintendents and school
boards calling the attention of those
officials to the law prescribing COM
pulsory education for children of a
certain school age, which law Is SO
heedlessly violated in every part of the
state Following is the letter in full:
To County Superintendents and
Boards of School Directors: The atten.
ton of the county superintendent,
and through him, the attention of the
boards of school directors, IS called to
the following law pertaining to COM
pulsory education:
Sec, 35. Every parent, guardian, or
other person IN this state having con-
troll or charge of child or children be-
tween the ages of and IA years shall
he required to send such child or chill
dfen TO public school at least twelve
weeks IN every school year, of which
at least eight weeks school (shall) be
consecutive, unless the bodily or men
tai condition Of such child or children
mas been such as to prevent his or her
OF their attendance at school or appli-
cation to study for the period required,
or unless such child or children are
Taught III private school, or at home
III such branches as are usually taught
Ill primary schools or have already ac-
qulred the ordinary branches Of learn
ing taught in the public schools; pro-
vided, in case public school shall not
be taught for the period of twelve
weeks, or any part thereof, during the
year, within two miles by the nearest
Travelled road Of the residence of any
person within the school district, he or
she shall not lie liable to the provisions
of this act,
Dec 90. Any parent, guardian, or
other person having control or charge
OF any child or children failing to COM
ply with the provisions of this act shall
be liable to a fine of not less than SIS
nor more than SIS for the first offense,
nor less than $25 nor more than $50 for
the second and each subsequent Of
Tense, besides the cost of the prosecu-
| tion.
Sec, q. 1t shall be the duty of the
directors and clerk of each school dis
trict to make diligent effort to see that
TINS law is enforced in their respective
districts.
Sec 6S. Justices of the peace shall
have concurrent jurisdiction with the
circuit court in all prosecutions under
this act,
This office has become aware that
little or no attention is paid to the law
compelling children to attend school,
at least twelve weeks during the year
10 look over the statistics one is i'm
pressed that there must be many chill
dren of school age who do not attend
our public schools. This law was en-
acted for purpose, and it is apparent
that the purpose contemplated was to
have the children attend the public
schools In order that illiteracy and
ignorance may be reduced to mini
mum.
The safety and welfare of the coun-
try depend largely upon the efficiency
of our public schools, wherein not only
knowledge of books and literature is
considered, but where good govern
ment, loyalty and love of country is
inculcated.
The law is on the statute book, and
should not remain dead letter. The
duty Of seeing it enforced rests with
the boards of school directors, and the
clerks Of the several school districts.
The clerks of the several districts
having the number of pupils on the
statistical roll, and the teacher or
teachers of the districts having the
ages and number enrolled as in at
tendance at school, some knowledge
may be gained as TO how nearly this
law Of school attendance is observed.
This is also one of the duties of the
county superintendent, that he should
acquaint himself with the attendance
at school and give direction to the
board of directors in regard to the
matter of school attendance,
Bring this law before the people, ac-
quaint them with its requirements and
penalties, and it is believed there will
not be so many children, of the age
included by the law, who do not and
will not attend the public school. The
state does not get near the value il
deserves for the support of the common
schools, because of the fact that SC
many do not avail themselves of the
privilege, The state cannot afford to
allow this neglect and indifference Of
the public schools to exist, but must
in some way, see that the children
have some education.
LTANTED-FAITHFUL MEN OR WOMEN TIC
w travel for responsible established house il
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