Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-04
Notwithstanding the New Com
pulsory Education Statute
Is Hard to Enforce
SOME POINTS TO be OBSERVED
Superintendent Barrett Complies
List Of Leading Matters, to Be OBJ
served by the Officers Ct the Law
Requirements of the School, Time Of
Attendance, ETC., Discussed.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. Oct. An The matter of
the application Of the new compulsory
education law of the state OF Iowa, the
school officers of the state have already
come across many stumbling blocks.
These are not flaws in the law nor i'm
the system, but those inevitable diff
sculties which apply to almost any radi-
cal departure in laws and which are
incident to dealing with the problem of
ignorance. The superintendent of pub
lie instruction has had to reply to u
great m0ny inquiries as to the features
of the law. To do SO he has had to
study carefully not only the new law
but to consider it in relation to other
laws and the rulings of the department,
and quite frequently to get entirely
outside of the law and apply general
principles OF good government. He has
caused to be compiled a statement of
some of the leading points he has oe-
cided on which there are inquiries, and
the following points have been covere d:
The school, year for school purposes.
should be regarded as beginning on the
third Monday in March. when a new
board enters upon its duties. Twelve
consecutive school weeks in each school
year" means twelve consecutive weeks
of five school days each. If time is lost
it must be made up
All children subject to the law should
attend twelve consecutive weeks before
March next, the end Of the present
school year.
Irregular attendance will not meet
the demands of the law, but vacation
time should not be considered as inter-
rupting the consecutiveness of the at
tendance, neither should enforced ABB
sence by sickness or for other sufficient
reasons.
A school to meet the requirements of:
the law must teach the common school
branches of reading. writing, spelling,
grammar, arithmetic, physiology and
United States history"
The law does not specify what part
of the school year the attendance
should be given, but 1t should be as
early as possible.
The fact that the parents are too
poor to buy books will not excuse the
child, for there is a provision for The
purchase of school books by the dis
trict in all such cases.
The law does not apply to children
to attend school, but parents or guard
ians must furnish proof OF this.
We do nor find any conflict between
the law for compulsory attendance at
school and the requirement that pupils
shall be vaccinated in order to attend a
public school. The fact that q parent
may object to the vaccination of mis-
child will not excuse him for not COM
plying with the compulsory law. Tor
the reason that he has the option of
sending the child to public, private
or parochial school" or Ito attend upon
equivalent instruction by competent
teacher elsewhere than in school,
Truant officers may be appointed at
any meeting of the school board, and
where no truant officer is appointed the
duty of enforcing the law falls on the
directors and president OF the board.
Proceedings against persons for not
with the law should not be
until the time has passed
FOR complying, and any citizen may
serve notice of violations.
1t is the duty OF the tYuant officer to
"apprehend and take into custody With
cut warrant any child of the age of Z to
IA years inclusive VINO belongs to-
either Of the following classes %
Any child who "habitually frequents or
loiters about public places during school
hours without lawful occupation" even
if he can produce a certificate of att
tendance. t2) Any child who can not
produce certificate of attendance as
required in section 2, even If he does
rot loiter about public places, provided
it is within twelve weeks of the close of
the school year. (3) Also any truant
child. who absents himself or herself
from school," which is construed to
mean any one from to IA years who
remains away from school or leaves
school when he is expected to attend by
the parent Or guardian or other person
having him under control