The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-22
SCHOOL BOARDS SHALL ELECT
TRUANT OFFICER.
REMINDED OF THEIR DUTY
Secretary schoenfieId Calls Attention
Of Trustees to New Code
Provision.

At the last session of the legisla-
ture a law was passed which provides
for the appointment of truant officers
in the different school districts or
the state. For some eason the law
does no appear to be complied with
and the secretary of the state bureau
of child and animal protection is send
ing COPIES of a letter to the school
boards of the larger cities of the
state calling attention to the provis-
ioas OF the law, which is known as
senate bill No. 80.
Law is Mandatory.
The letter of Mr.. Schoenfield is as
follows:
Among the laws passed by the
Eighth legislative assembly and which
was approved by the governor is SEN
ate bill No. 33, IAN act to amend sec
tons 1920, 1921, 1922, 1928, 1924 and
1925, part III, title III of the Political
Code of the state of Montana and to
provide for the compulsory education
of all children between the ages OF
eight and sixteen, to establish indus
trial schools, equip and conduct the
same and to provide for the regula-
ton OF juvenile disorderly persons
Il enclose to you herewith a copy
of section 5 of said act, and respect
fully request that you comply with the
provisions thereof regarding the ap-
pointment of n or more truant OFF,
GERS in your district. I have consult
ed the Honorable James Donovan,
attorney general, and he has advised
me that this law is mandatory and
that you must make the appointment
as provided in said act"
The Section Referred To.
Section 5 referred to in the letter
amends section 1924 of the Political
Code so as to make it read as follows:
ITO aid in the enforcement of this
! dCJ, IIudlC OIlCCIo oAdl w dPPOAACOu
and employed as follows: In city dis
tricts the board OF trustees shall ap-
point and employ one or O truant
officers; in village and township dis
tricts the trustees shall appoint, it
they deem it advisable, a constable
or ether person as truant officer. The
~ 49, 80 Aho Are,,o ~ OfEn nov
shall be fixed and paid by the board
appointing him. The truant officer
shat be vested with police powers,
the authority to serve warrants and
have authority to enter workshops,
factories, stores and all other places
where children may be employed and
do whatever may be necessary in the
way of Investigation and otherwise to
enforce the provisions Of this act; he
is also authorized and it shall be his
duty to take into custody the person
of any youth between eight and four
teen years OF age, or between four
teen and sixteen years of age when
not regularly employed or when un.
able to read and write the English
language, who is not attending school
and shall conduct said youth to the
school he has been attending, or which
he should rightfully attend.
He Must Proceed.
THE truant officer shall institute
proceedings against any officer, pa.
rent, guardian, person or corporation
violating any provisions of this act
and perform such other services as
the superintendent of schools or the
board of trustees may deem necessary
to preserve the morals and secure
the good conduct Of school children
and to enforce this act. The truant
officer shall keep a record OF his tran,
sactions for the inspection and in
formation of the superintendent OF
schools and the board of trustees
and he shall make daily reports tc
the superintendent of schools during
the school term in districts having
superintendent, as often as required
by him. Suitable blanks for the use
of the truant officer shall be provided
by the clerk of the board of trustees
or the clerk of the district"
Il ~ $50