Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-01-14
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Important Features of the New Law to
be Observed by Directors
and Teachers.

10 ScnOol OHlcerS ana Parents OF
Winnesheik County:
At the last session of the Iowa leg
islature compulsory education law
was passed requiring all parents or
guardians having control OF any
child between the ages of seven and
fourteen to send such child to some
public, private or parochial school
where the common branches of read
ing, writing, spelling, arithmetic,
grammar, geography, physiology and
United States history are taught, or to
attend upon equivalent instruction
by competent teacher elsewhere than
school, for at least twelve (12) conse-
cutive school. weeks in each school
year.
This law does not apply to children
not in proper physical nor mental
condition, nor to those living over
two (2) miles from any school by
the nearest travelled road, except
where children are transported at pub
lie expense.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.
AND PENALTIES.
Section of this law says:
1T shall be the duty of the director
or president of any board of directors,
or any truant officers appointed by
such board of directors, to enforce the
provisions of this act, to sue for and
recover the penalties herein provided,
and to institute criminal prosecution
against any person violating the pro-
visions of this act, and any such
officers neglecting to do 80 within
thirty 900 days after written notice
has been served upon him by any citi-
zen Of said district within which the
offending person shall reside shall
himself be liable for fine OF not less
than ten ($10) dollars nor more than
twenty $500 dollars for each offense. ="
DUTIES OF TEACHERS AND
SCHOOL OFFICERS.
Sec. 7. "All teachers of the public
schools of the state, and county super
intendents, and school officers and
employees shall report promptly to the
secretary of the school corporation
any violations of the provisions of
this ect of which they have knowledge
or information, and he shall promptly
inform the president of the board of
directors thereof, and such president
shall, if necessary, call meeting of
the board of directors to take such
action thereon as the facts may justi-
fly, and any child placed in any truant
school may be discharged therefrom
at the discretion of the board, upon
sufficient assurance of the future good
conduct of such child.
PROVISIONS FOR PUNISHMENT.
Sec. 1.-THE board of directors of
every school corporation is hereby
authorized to provide such reasonable
meth DDS of punishment of children
who are habitually truant from
school, or who habitually frequent or
loiter about public places during
school hours, without lawful occupa-
ton, as may be necessary to carry out
and make effectual the provisions of
this act. -
I wish to call the special attention
of teachers and school officers to the
provisions of this law. Do not as
sumo, however, that it will be neces-
sary to make the observance of this
law the most unpleasant duty ths t
you and the parent must perform. 1t
is not designed for that purpose, but
rather that every normal child may
secure the benefits of the free schools
the state provides.
The full text of this new law may
be found on pages 106, 107 and 1903 of
the school laws of 1902.
Very truly,
E. ]. HOOK,
County Superintendent.