Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-10-09
THE STATE TRuANcY LAW.
An Act to Promote the Attendance of
Pupils in Schools. Etc.

Vi Tile o0SS1On LAWS OF 18Th.
entitled IAN act TO promote the
attendance of pupils in schools,
to prevent trdancy," be amended
SO as to read as follows: That
every parent, guardian, or other
person in the state OF Kansas
having control or charge of any
child or children between the
ages of eight and fifteen years
inclusive, shall be required to
send such child or children to
public school, or private, de-
nominationalo or parochial school
taught by a competent in
structor each year for such
period as said school is in
session; provided, that any child
Of the age of fourteen years or
more who is able to read and
write the English language, and
who is actively and regularly
employed for his own support or
for the support of those de-
pendent upon him, shall not be
required to attend the aforesaid
schools for a longer period or
term than eight consecutive
weeks in any one year; provided,
that any and all children that
have received a certificate of
graduation from the common
schools of any county or certifi-
cate of admission to a high
school in any city in the state of
Kansas shall be exempt from the
provisions of this act; provided,
that the children who are
physically or mentally in
capacitated for the work of
common schools are exempt
from the provisions of this act,
but the school authorities shall
have the right, and they are
hereby authorized when such
exemption under the provisions
of this act is claimed by any
parent, guardian, or other
person in the control or charge
of such child or children, to
cause an examination of such
child or children by a physician
or physicians employed for such
purpose by such authorities, and
if such physician or physicians
hold that such child or children
are capable of doing the work in
the common schools, then such
child or children are capable OF
doing the work in the common
schools, then such child or
children shall not be exempt
from the provisions of this act.
SEC. 2. The county superin-
tendents of public instruction
shall divide their respective
counties into not less than one
or more than five truant districts,
| and the board of county COM
missioners shall. upon the nomi-
nation Of the county superin-
tendents of public instruction of
their respective counties, appoint
a truant officer for each district
thus created, who shall hold his
office at the will of the county
superintendent of public instruc-
ton. The truant officer shall
see that the provisions of this
act are complied with, and when
from personal knowledge, or by
report or complaint of any
resident or teacher of the district
under his supervision, or from
information, he believes that
any child subject to the pro-
visions of this act is habitually
absent from school, he shall
Immediately give written notice
to the parent, guardian or other
person having control or charge
of such child that the attendance
of such child at school is re-
quired, and if within five days
such parent, guardian or other
person having control or charge
of such child does not comply
with the. provisions of this
section, then such truant officer
t shall make complaint in the
f name of the state OF Kansas
: against such parent, guardian
or other person having control
5 or charge of such child, before
any court of competent jurisdic-
ton; and upon conviction OF
violation of the provisions OF
this act, such parent, guardian
or other persons having control
or charge of such child shall be
( adiudged guilty of a misde-
meanor, and be fined in a sum
not less than five dollars nor
more than twenty-five dollars,
and all fines collected shall be
paid into the county treasury
for the support of the common