Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-19
TO Be COMPULSORY
State Teachers Association Wants
Law Requiring Education.
4. ". STUART ON THE COMMITTEE
Legislative Committee, Which Fosters
Proposed Law, Composed of We'll
Known Observation-Disclosures Bill to
Govern School Elections.

Known Educators-Another Bill to
Govern School Elections.
A. w. Stuart, superintendent of the
public schools of this city, and presl-
Ident of the State School Teachers as
sociation, is a member of the legsla- |
tive committee which has been appoint |
ed for the purpose OF attempting to Sc
cure the passage of law requiring !
compulsory education in Iowa, and the |
matter will be one of the principal
zones brought up for the consideration |
of the members of the teachers asso- !
citation. The other members of the
committee in addition to Mr.. Stuart
are: Superintendent ]. ]. Mcconnell
of Des Moines, chairman; C. U. Gordon
of Clinton, S. H. Sheakley OF Des
Moines, George Chandler of Usage
and w. N. Clifford of Council Bluffs.
draft of the proposed measure has
been prepared by several prominent
educators of the state, but it is not like
ly that it will be approved in its pres
ent form, the committee desiring to
formulate such bill as will be with
out the slightest objection on the part
of the parichoal schools.
The bill in it's present form pro-
vides that every child in the state
between the ages of and ~, shall
time during the school year. while
children between the ages of u and IA
shall be compelled to attend at least
certificate can be shown showing that
lfho child hoe coOoplota1 tho raU,,1ar
course in the grammar of private or
parochial school.
In sympathy with the labor law,
which is to be sgitated at the COM
ing session of the legislature. the
compulsory education bill will pro-
vide that no person, firm or company
can employ a child under fourteen
years of age, unless the educational
requirements have been met. The
penalty for false swearing on the part
of parents or guardians is fine of not
less than $40 or more than $50. or a
term of fifteen days in Jail, or both
The penalty for failure to report to
the school board of the district the
absence of a child from school is So
for the first offense and from $40 to
$50 for each subsequent offenses. The
: penalty for employing children under
{ the age of ID who have not attended
} school as provided by law, is from
/ $25 to $50.
The board of directors of the school
, district is clothed with absolute au-
thority. All parochial schools and
schools of private instruction will be
,. required to file with the secretary of
!, the board a certificate showing the
courses of study, the names and ages
j. and branches taught each scholar, SO
that it may be determined whether
s the pupils are meeting the require
e ments of the law. A child under the
a age of fourteen who is not attending
S the public school must file with the
# secretary of the board certificate
l. from the principal of the parochia
S school showing the attendance and
}. the branches in which it is instructed
e This may meet with opposition on the
@ part of the parochial schools which
t. will resent any attempt to make then
# accountable to the public school Off
l. Gals. The same may be said of the
s schools of private instruction.
1t The board of education is giver
It authority to appoint truant officers
|. and to prosecute offenders and to col
It lect the fines levied in cases of con
A. viction.
all Section 8 of the bill provides TO
n the establishment of truant schools
\ room is to be set apart at the va
Y rious public schools where truants ar
to be instructed. If the pupils es
cape or refuse to attend the truan
school the teacher may file informa
ton before court, and upon convic
. ton the pupil may be sent to an il
: dustrial school. Truant officers, hay
ing the authority of constables or pc
IS licemen, may be appointed by tn
;e board.
,f Children under the age Of IA see,
, habitually lettering about the street
II or public places during school hour
n may be arrested and turned over t
,s teachers for assignment to prope
q lclasses Should the parents or gual
% dams or those having control Of sue
9 pupils desire to remove them from tn
= school to one of private instruction O
6 to a parochial school, this may b
a. done. No effort will be made to con
=. pei the attendance of child unde
II the age of IA at a public school pro
II viding the parent or guardian will sc
=, to it that the child is given the X
~ quired instruction in private or ps
- rochial schools.
To Elect Superintendent.
Another bill of considerable in
T. portance will be considered by the les
rs islative committee at the meeting mex
y. Friday, prepared by Superintendent
IN Sheallley of West Des Moines," say
IS, the Des Moines Capital. st is enti
e, led an act governing the election c
Co city superintendent of schools an
IS defining their duties in cities of fiv
IS thousand inhabitants or more
IN THE bill provides that the city 81
ne perintendent shall be elected by mt
y, jority of the directors of the schoc
x. district for a period of two years. tn
OF compensation to be determined by tn
al board
THAT from and after tn
appointment Of a city supe
intendent in any city
ed Iowa having the required number c
Us inhabitants at the last preceding ele'
le' ton, national or state census, sue
~ city shall not be subject to the author