The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-21
BOYS ARE SCARCE
That Is, There Are Few Avail
able for Work.
Superintendent Davidson Says
Truancy Law Is Effective.
TO BOOM ATTENDANCE.
Thinks Enrolment in Schools
will Be Larger.
Telegraph Offices Plan Night
School for Messengers.
TO BOOM ATTENDANCE.

The new truancy law which cOmpels
children of the ages of 8 to IA years in
elusive to attend school and when was
passed by the legislature last winter has
not yet had any material effect upon
9he attendance of the Topeka public
schools. In fact the attendance of the
local schools at the beginning of the fan
term. of 1903 is not so large as at the
same time last year. But in spite OF
this fact it is the opinion of the local
authorities that the new law will begin
to have its effect shortly and the at
tendance will become the largest on rec
ord. w. NJ. Davidson, superintendent OF
public schools, said today:
There is no doubt but what the new
law will eventually have it's effect. In
every town of any size there is certain
number of children between the ages or
s to Is years who are not attending
school and who cannot be made to do so
unless law of this kind is put into
effect. This is the case in Topeka. A
great number of children here are not
getting the advantages of an education
for the simple reason that they do not
have to. This new law does away with
this situation, and l think that the time
viii come when nearly all children be-
tween the specified ages will be in
school. | cannot say whether or not
the law has yet had any effect upon the
attendance Of the local schools. The at
tendance as compared with that of last
year has really experienced a falling off,
but we have hopes and think that 1t Will
not be long before children who are not
attending school are very few indeed"
The statements of local business. men
who until lately have employed small
boys of the school age. do not compare
very we'll with that of Mr.. Davidson.
They seem to be having some trouble
as the result of the new law. At Sucn
places as the Western Union and the
Postal telegraph offices it is stated that
boys are very scarce and the scarcity
is attributed to the truancy law. The
Western Union people say that during
the last week they have had some trOu-
Bile in getting suitable boys who are
willing to work for the regular wages
and at the same time are exempt from
the law 1t is the experience with this
company so far that boys who are old
enough to be out of school and who
will do the work required of messenger
boys for the same money paid to small
er boys. are not fit for that work or
for anything else Older boys are nat
urally more ambitious and when a boy
over Is years of age is secured for this
kind of work he is usually found to be
incompetent. Boys of II or Is years of
age are as a rule better. adapted for
this class of work and are willing to
work for wages which an older boy
would spurn. The Western Union office
has not yet decided upon any plan
whereby they will be able to keep up
their messenger service.
Al the Postal office the manager is
having no trouble at all. He has thought
of plan to obey the law ana still work
exactly the same force that has been
employed by him all through the sum-
mer.
His plan is to arrange the working
hours of the boys in such manner
as to let the day force go to night
school and the night force to day
school. In this way the boys are able
to attend school and also do the work
required of them. This is no doubt a
good plan, and enables the manager Of
the telegraph company to have things
as to whether a night school meets the
requirements of the law. Some people
think that it does not, but Prof. Da-
wilson, who is probably the best au-
thOritv on matters of this kind. says
that he sees no reason why a night
school would be Objectionable providing
# is under the supervision of a com
petent instructor and the course taken
is approved by the school authorities.
If this is true, the new law will not
trouble the Postal Telegraph company
There are, however, very few places
that are not affected in some way by
the new rule of compulsory education
The bowling alleys are good examples.
These concerns have been employing
boys of u or 10 years of age to set
up the pins, but now they win have to
get older boys, and eventually ii will!
be necessary for them to pay higher
wages. The Elite bowling alley, at ia
Kansas avenue. has already made the
change. and they state that it has
caused them some Inconvenience There
are several other bowling alleys in
town where boys are employed, such
as the T. A A. and the Y. NJ. c. A.
but as most of their bowling is done
after school hours the law will not
have much effect upon them.
The general feeling for the new law
Is that of approval. Many people do
not believe in compulsory educa ton,
but nearly all think that children
should have an educa ton and they be-
lleve in anything which will give them
that advantage. Some business men
who employ juveniles do not like the
idea of having to pay more wages to
older boys, but they will probably be
able to adapt themselves to the new