The Newtown bee., 1904-05-20
CIRCULATION |:
Ten Pages.
New Milford,
 NEW MILFORD.

NEW MILFORD. .
 CHARLES N. HALL, AUTHOR.
 Charles N. Hall, the capable agent of the State Board of Education under Secretary Charles D. Hine, is the ssAttendance and Child Labor" just issued by the State Board of Educa- tion. 1t is pamphlet of 28 pages, and will be an exceedingly useful document to school officials. The necessity of this careful super vision of the state is shown in the following cases. We quote from Pages B, "A, 25, 26 and 28, of the above mentioned pamphlet:
 PROSECUTIONS AND CoMMITMENTs.
 In one case a fox-hunting farmer who could neither read no write in- sisted upon hfsA right to bring up his son in equal illiteracy. He was prose cuted, paid fine and costs, and kept his son in school until. he was nearly sixteen. @ ..-
 The father of three boys, all under 14, owned farm, carried on milk de- livery route and sent bakers wagon through the surrounding country with bread, cake and pies. The children were employed the greater part of the time in order to avoid hiring extra help. A prosecution resulted in a fine of $25, which was paid. During the succeeding three years these children have not been absent from school ex- cept for actual sickness.
 Another parent who owned farm {y~k k4v Ho IH{o vu@f fr two young children work the farm. These children, a boy of ten and 8 girl of twelve, were out of school much of the time and were made to perform la Dor much beyond their years. The father was prosecuted and fined, re- fused to pay his fine, and served a term in the country jail.
 A parent whose child had been made to obey the rules of school declared that the teacher was incompetent and refused to send tho child. Prosecuted and fined, and child returned to school.
 A parent at variance with some members of the local school board withdrew his children from school on the ground that the school was not properly conducted. Prosecuted and fined.
 Grand jurors, without whose con- sent no prosecution can be made, often refuse to sign complaints. Local pOli- tics, fear of losing trade(one grand jur- or refused to sign because he sold milk to the person complained of), family relationship or connectiOn-all these operate against thorough en- fOrcement of law in country towns.
 In one town, in order to get the school record, see the grand juror, the justice and the constable, 1t was neces- sary to drive B miles.
 A boy of twelve became truant> nothing could he done until he stole from 8 freight car. He was then com mitted.
 A boy of II, a confirmed truant, fin- ally robbed store, and was commit
 A boy of 13 was truant for a whole year, stole from his mother, and at length broke into store and was com mitted.
 In each of these cases an early com mitment to 2 good truant school would have saved the boy from criminality; and such instances may be multiplied almost indefinitely. " never been in school, from lack of proper clothing. This case was re- lieved by local charity. ; In one year fifteen cases where shoes or clothing were lacking were relieved by the Selectmen of various towns at the request of the agent.
 Three children were found poorly clad; when they attended school 1t was always without dinner, eating nothing between breakfast and supper. Committed to County Home.
 ] Numerous cases of this kind are dis covered and relieved each year by the agents. ,+ placed with woodchopper and was living in a hut; he had not attended school during the year. Returned to the Home.
 A boy of 10 was constantly kept from school to work: guardian prosecuted. A boy of 13 was an habitual truant and encouraged in the same by his guard ian; committed to Industrial School A girl of IF was kept from school and made to do most of the housework for family of 12; guardian prosecuted and child returned to the Home. These are few cases of many discov- cred.
 In one case 8 mother was found with eight, and boy of four. The father was in jail, and the family lived in 8 hut on the outskirts of a thrifty will lage. The children were almost desti- tute of clothing. The child of eight attended school occasionally, and the girl, who could neither read nor write, said she had attended but half year during her life. Until within a shert time the family had lived in an ad- joining state. The mother worked out at good wages, and man boarded and lodged with .the family, so there was suff1cisnt income to have provided decent habitatiOn and clothing. The girl of twelve was sent two or three times each week to another town to bring home beer and liquor for the mother and tLe boarder, and this girl was known to have slept out of doors all night on more than one occasion. Papers were prepared for the commit ment of these children, but before they were served the family became alarmed and moved into another state.
 In one town a mother was bringing up three illegitimate children among the most evil surroundings, but no ac- tion was taken by the local authorities until the agent, whose attention was attendance and secured the commit ment of the children to the County Home.
 In one instance two children were habitually out of school from lack of shoes, and 1t was found that the father neglected to work, although abun- dance of work could be had, but al- lowed his wife to precariOusly support the family by taking in washings. This man was prosecuted, fined, and given a reasonable time in which to pay. He