Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-08
FOR COMPULSORY EDUCATION
stste Teachers Association Plans to See
That All Children Attend School.
EXISTING LAW FAILS or ITS PURPOSE
Measure Designed to Take Its place
~ Endorsed by Superintendent
Fowler and ts Likely TO
Become Law.

LINCOLN, Feb. 7.-(special) com
mittee on public schools OF the state
Teachers association met In conference
with representatives OF private and pa
rochial schools this morning and prepared
a bill providing for the compulsory educa-
tion OF children OF school age. The meas
ure Is designed to take the place OF an
existing law adopted by the last legislature.
but which has failed in It's purpose. Su-
perintendent Fowler has indorsed the meas
ure and It Is probable that 1t will become
n law.
The bill recommended by the committee
provides for the compulsory education OF
children. for the employment OF truant
officers. for the proper education OF such
children as cannot be taught in the usual
public, private or parochlal schools, for the
proper enumeration Of persons OF school
age, for the punishment OF persons vio-
lating any OF the provisions contained.
All persons having legal or actual con
troll OF any child OF not less than nor
more than II years OF age are required by
the terms OF the proposed measure to
cause such child or children to attend the
public or day schools for a period equal
to two-thlrds the number OF weeks OF the
school term. This provision does not apply.
however, to any cases where the child is
instructed in somo private or parochial
school. or to any cases where the child Is
instructed at home or elsewhere for a
similar period by a person competent to
give instruction in the studies required to
be taught in the public schools. or to any
case where a child has completed the
studies required for graduation from the
eighth grade. Children physically or men
tally weak and those who reside more than
two miles distant from the nearest school
are also exempted from the requirement.
The bill also makes the following pro-
visions:
Action by Trupnt Omcers.
ANY truant officer. who, from personal
knowledge or through information or com
plant from any resident or teacher in the
district where he acts, believing that any
persons having legal or actual control OF
any child or children subject to the pro-
visions thereof. shall Immediately investl-
cato the case and give written notice to
the person having such control that the
requiremep'a OF this act must be complied
with. and II within one week after such
written notice is given the persons having
control OF the child shall not have COM
piled with the provisions the truant Of
fcer shall Ale complaint against such per-
son in some court of jurisdiction.
BOARDS or Education IN cities may, In
their discretion, establish and conduct spe-
cal schools for the instruction OF children
who cannot prohtably or properly be cared
Tor In tho usual, schools. Any child OF
school age who Is habitually truant or in
corrigiblc, or whose conduct Is such that
he cannot with profit to himself or in jus
tice to the other members OF the school be
retained. may. upon complaint. be required
by the superintendent OF the city schools
to attend a special school until such time
as his habits and conduct become such
as to make 1t advisable and proper for him
to be received again into thsVusual school
Any persons who shall. with intent to
eynde any OF the provisions OF this act
wlllfully make any false statement concern
Ing any child or children under his con.
troll and subject to the provisions OF thi:
act. shall be deemed guilty OF mis-