The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-12

1.-The showing made by these fgureS
makes it impossible to dispute the fact that
the law has made a remarkable increase in
school attendance. The figures on attend
ance, based upon enrolment, show an
addition of 5000 to the rolls of the schools,
which number is in substantial accord
with the reports upon the item of mum
Der of pupils brought into school," as ex-
hibited in the reports of the truancy Of
ficers to the State Board of Truancy. The
larger per cent. of gain OF attendance on
enumeration when compared with gain of
attendance on enrolment" the former
being "a; the latter, 60, is due to the char
acter of the pupils thus added TO the
schools. The law brought many pupils into
the enrolment whose attendance IL could
not wholly regulate, thus showing a very
large increase in enrolment. but not a cor
responding increase In attendance. This ex-
hibits one of the weaknesses of the law.
Adequate provision for the attendance from
day to day must be provided. The features
of the law which exhibit this weakness are
four-frst, the requirement that a notice or
five days shall be given the parent each
and every time the child oftends. The
statute is not clear upon this point. If 1t
were required that only one notice be
given the parent, the intention being
simply to inform the parent of the pro-
visions of the law and the absence OF the
child, it would impress both parent and
child with the fact that the RESPONSE
bility for the child's attendance rests upon
the home and not upon the state or
school; the second feature exhibiting
this weakness, is the inadequate provision
relative to the confinement OF confirmed or
| habitual truants. The wisdom of establish
ing parental homes does not seem to i'm
press itself upon most communities. Inc
expense involved for the maintenance OF
such homes when figured upon a per capita
basis is enormous, in view or the fact that
only a few pupils in each community are
classified as habitual truantS. But II Is not
true that the few habitual truants con-
stitute the class which we desire most TO
reach. The truant with his extraordinary
| sagacity is conscious of these weaknesses
of the law and is ready to take advantage
of them. The very fact that there is no
place for the confinement of truants makes
| greater the class of habitual truants. If
il were known by these pupils that there is
a place TO which they may be sent and that
| there is adequate provision for the full en-
forcement of the law, just then would
there be a wonderful depletion of their
| ranks. 1t is not with a view of combining
| more pupils that we should make stronger
this feature of the law, but the pupil and
the home may feel the adequacy or the
| power of the officers to carry into execu-
ton the minutest details of the law. A
| third weakness arises from the too limited
members of the truancy officers. In a few
counties and cities relief should be given
the officer by permitting him to appoint
deputies: for example in the county of
| Madison there are three cities of consider
able size, several towns and a large rural
area. 1t is impossible to secure adequate
enforcement of the law with only one Of
! ficer. Fourth, there should be a definite
statement in the law that all teachers and
officers shall make such reports as are re-
uuired by the local tuancy officers and the
State Board of Truancy. In some counties
the teachers do not feel that 1T is their
duty to report truant pupils"