The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-23
TRUANT SCHOOL BILL


y Bcnwood Correspondent Comments
on an IntcllIgenccr Dispatch Con-
corning its Defeat.
To the Editor OF the lntclliGencer
S1R:-In this morning issue of your
paper appeared the following section
under the caption Of proceedings of leg
islature:
THE truant school officer bill. which
was introduced by Mr.. Meade, of Min
go county. met its death in the house
when 1t came up for passage. 1t was
voted down because 1t was contended
II was too radical and unsuited 10 con-
dltlonS In this state. The bill amend
ed the present compulsory school law in
such way as to enforce still more reg
uiar attendance. The present law
makes II an Offensc II the child fails TO
attend school for any consecutive week
out OF the sixteen weeks attendance
required. The spirit of the law was
easily evaded by letting the child at
tend one day each week. In the Meade
Dill an offcnsc consists In failure for
TWO consecutive days in any one week
TO send TO school any child except in an
instance where 1t can be shown that
the child Is or has received an cquiva-
lent education. But II was not this
change which excited opposition. II
was the provision comforting on mar
shals. town scrgeants and cOnstables
the designation Of truant officers. with
power TO enforce promIscuously the pro-
visions OF the law. This, 1t was con-
tended. would be an unwarrantcd inva-
n ali 81,
when the bill came up IL was accord
ingly killed on this ground
II Is not the writer's intention To crit
icise the comments of your correspond
ent except when they do not agree with
the truth. When he says THE spirit
OF the law was easily evadcd by letting
the child attend one day each week"
he very likely does not know hut the
Interpretation Of the present law maxi
Ing 1t 80 easily cvadcd" was placed
upon 1t by Mr. L. =. Ruckcr. attorney
general, and endorsed by j. Russell
Trottcr. superintendent OF schools.
The following question and answer
taken from pamphlet published by
the department of free schools Will cX-
plain itself:
rs attendance for one day In each
week for sixteen consecutive weeks
sufficient TO meet the requirements of
the law"
1T Is. provided the space of five
school days does not intervene between
the days OF attendance"
According 10 your correspondent. the
Objectionable part OF the bill was the
comforting on marshals. town SER
Geants and constablcs the designation
OF truant officers. etc" The present
law makes teachers ana school officers
truant officers, and II certainly is not
any more OF nm Intrusion upon the
rights or free people" to confer this
duty upon one class than the other.
There has been bill framed for Chi
cago schools which designatcs the POI
llccmen OF that city rs truant officers.
Surely II would be commendablc for the
good Of our schools to follow the exam
pie OF states and cities In advance OF
our own. and In Chicago where they
are making an effort to have The best
schools In America. II Is possible to find
the most progressive ideas advanced.
Probably nobody knows what your
correspondent meant when he says:
This. II was commended. would he an
unwnrranted Invasion OF the rights of
free people," The folly OF this "un-