The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-10-05
SCHOOL NOTES.
Conducted by II. II. KinnisOn.
Important Change In the Child Labor and
Truant School Law.

Thinking the public should be con-
versant with the law relating to the en-
ployment of minors, and the compulsory
attendance of pupils at the public
schools, we have thought it timely at the
beginning Of the school year to publish
the law enacted last winter amending
the former law relating to the employ
ment of minors and to truancy. The
amended act Is know as the Davis law
and is as follows:
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Gen
eral Assembly of the State Of Ohio, that
no child under the age Of thirteen years
shall be employed in any factory, work
shop, mercantile or other establishment,
directly or indirectly; and no boy under
fifteen years of age, and no girl under
sixteen years of age, shall be employed
at any work performed for wages OF
other compensation, or in assisting any
person employed as wage-earner, when
the public schools in which district such
child resides are in session, providing
this act shall not apply to females work
ing at household work.
Section 2. No minor under sixteen
years of age, and no girl under eighteen
years of age, shall be employed at any
work at nighttime later than seven
o'clock in the evening nor earlier than
six o'clock in the morning, and no minor
under eighteen years of age shall be
employed in any of the places named in
section one of this act for longer period
than ten hours in one day, nor more than
fifty-fve hours in one week; and every
such minor under eighteen years of age
shall be entitled to no less than thirty
minutes for meal time at noon, but such
meal time shall not be included as part
of the work hours Of the day; and every
employer shall post in a conspicuous
place in every room where such minors
are employed printed notice stating the
maximum number Of work hours re-
quired in one week, and in each day OF
the week from such minors, such printed
notice to be furnished by the chief in
spectOr of workshops and factories, and
approved by the attOrney-general; and 1t
shall be the duty Of every employer OF
minors to keep correct record OF same,
which shall be open to the inspection OF
the chief and district inspectors of work
shops and factories, giving the name Of
each minor employed and place of birth,
residence of parents or guardians, and
the character of employment engaged in
by such minor, and such record shall be
corrected whenever change occurs in
the employment Of such minor.
"SectiOn 3. Any person or corporation
who shall employ any minor contrary to
the provisions of this act, or who shall
violate any of the provisions thereof,
shall upon conviction be fined in any
sum not less than twenty dollars nor
more than fifty dollars, or imprisoned
not less than ten nor more than thirty
days.
Section 4. 1t shall be the duty Of the
inspector of workshops and factories to
prosecute all violations of this act, when
the same shall come to his knowledge,
before competent authority, and the
chief and district inspectors of workshops
shall have authority the same as is in
vested in the truant officer Of any school
district to enforce school attendance OF
any child found violating the school
laws, or he shall make complaint Of such
violation to such truant officer, or to the
clerk of the board of education in said
district; and all fines collected under
this act shall inure to the benefit OF the
school fund of the district where the
offense was committed.
The State School Commission, in COM
menting upon the AttOrney-Generaps
Interpretation Of the above law, says,
"First-That boys must go to school
until fifteen years Of age, and girls Tex
cept when working at household work.
until sixteen years of age; and
Second-That inspectors of workshops
and factories are empowered to cooperate
with truant officers in the prosecution of
violations Of the provisions of the Davis
law" The household work referred to
implies that it is work for which COM
pensatiOn is rendered and not merely the
assistance in home duties such as parents
require of their children.
There is ample reason for this state
ment Of the law in the Enterprise, as
already this year our truant officer has
been called upon to help some of the
parents see the duty they owe their
children in regard to attending school,
The above law is good one, and the
attention Of our Board of Education and
of the Superintendent has been called tt
its enforcement in Wellington, as far as
. 1t pertains to truacy,-andit will bt
enforced.