Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1905-01-26
COMPULSORY
EDUCATION
OF CHILDREN
LAW TO REQUIRE THE CHILDREN OF
TENNESSEE TO ATTEND
SCHOOL.

The full text OF the compulsory
education bill introduced in the
House Friday by Representative
D. II. Layne, Of Marion County, as
follows:
An Act to Require Parents and
Other Persons Having Children
Over Seven CD and Under Four
teen (14) Years of Age in Their
Control to Cause Them to AT.
tend the Public School Fifty (50)
Days in Each Year, or in Some
mother School of Like Studies
Same Number of Days in Each
Year Makes it Mlsdemeanor for
Failure, Makes Board Of School
Directors Prosecutors for Villas
tions and Vests Them With Pow
er to Make Regulations Concern
ing Truants
Section l. Be it enacted by the
General Assembly Of the State OF
Tennessee: That all parents and
those who have the care OF children
shall instruct them, or cause them
to be instructed in reading, writing,
spelling, English grammar geogra
phy, arithmetic and United States
history. Every parent and other
person having control of child in
this State over seven CD and un,
der fourteen (l4) years of age shall
cause such cAild to attend public
. school fifty go days in each caen,
dar year during the hours and
terms of the public school in the
district wherein such child resides
is in session, or while the school is
in session, unless the parent or per
son having control of such child
can show that the child is regular
ly and thoroughly instructed dur
ing said hours and terms IN the
studies taught in the public school,
or that they have attended fifty (5O)
days during the year.
Sec. 2 Be it further enacted:
That each weeks failure on the
part OF person to comply with
any provision OF section shall be
a misdemeanor, punishable with a
fine not exceeding five $500 dos
lars. Said penalty shall not be in
CURED when il appears that the
child is destitute of clothing suit
able for attending school, and the
parent or person having control of
such Chi is unable to provide
such clothing, or its mental or
physical condition is such as to
render its instructions ineSpedient
or impracticable, all offence con-
cerning the same child shall be
charged in separate counts in one
complaint. When comp alnt
contains more than one count, the
court may fine on one or more
counts and suspend on the remain
ing counts.
at the end of six g. weeks
from the date of judgement OF the
court, il shall appear that the child
concerned has attended school re-
guIarly during that time,
judgement on such remain
ing counts shall not be executed.
Sec 3. Be it further enacted
That it is made the duty of the
school directors in the various dis
tricts and cities to make investiga
tion from time to time during the
the session of the public school
and when they find that there ha
been violation of this act, the
chairman of the Board 0
Directors shall swear out war
rants for such persons and shall
proceed as in other misde
meanors. Said directors are here
by vested with power To make re-
gulations concerning habitual tru
ants, and children between tn
ages of seven % and fourteen "a
years OF age wandering about Ih
streets and public places durin
the session of the public school, an
make such by-laws concernin