The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1905-09-27
Compulsory School Law Of This

An article is going the rounds of
the state press which will no doubt
create an erroneous impression
relative to the school law now in
force.
The article is published as the
New Compulsory Attendance
Law" Now. there is no such thing
as a compulsory attendance law in
West Virginia. The law now in
force was enacted by the legisla-
Iature in 1903 and since that time
has not been changed. The law
quoted by the newspapers as the
new compulsory attendance law is
law passed by the last legislature
relative to the city of Wheeling
alone and has no force OF effect
anywhere else in the state.
Following is the law in force in
this state concerning compulsory
attendance at the public schools:
Section 1Oa, chapter 45 of the
Code of West Virginia:
Every person having under his
control child or children between
the age of eight and fourteen years
shall cause such child or children
to attend some poblic school for a
period of twenty weeks yearly,
beginning with the beginning of
the school term For every neg
leot ofsuch duty the person Offend
ing shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor and shall, upon conviction
thereof before any justice. be fined
two dollars for first offense and
five dollars for each subsequent
offense, which fines shall be paid
into the building fund of the dis
trict in which said offense occurs.
can offense, as understood in
this act, shall consist in failure
to attend school for two days in
any week, except in cases of sick-
ness or death in the pupils family,
or the pupil be otherwise instruct
ed for like period of time, or ex-
cept for other reasonable excuse,
provided there be school in seq
sion with two miles of the pupils
home by the nearest travelled road.
"The board of education of every
district or independent district, at
Its first annual meeting or as soon
thereafter as is practicable, may
appoint one or more truant officers
whose duty it shall be to enforce
the provisions of this act. Each
officer SO appointed shall use due
diligence to ascertain any VIOLA
tions of this law and when, from
personal knowledge or by report or
complaint from and resident or
teacher of the district under his
supervision, he believes that any
child subject to the provisions of
this act is habituallY absent from
school, he shall Immediately give
written NJ tice to the parent, guar
dian or custodian of such child
that the attendance CT such child
at schools is required, and if, within
five days, such parent, guardian or
custodian of said child DIES not
comply with provisions of this Sec
ton, then such truant officer shell
make complaint against such par
emit, guardian or custodian before
the nearest justice of the peace:
Provided, That only one mo-
tioe shall be required for any child
in any one year.
Teachers in ungraded sohcole,
and principals and superintendents
in graded and high schools, shall
report to truant officers all cases of
violation of this act among the emu
merated youth of their sub die.
triots or Independent districts, and
shall furnish any reports of infor-
nation necessary to proper hear
ing of any case before justice of
the peace and all such teachers,
principals or superintendents, shall
assist trusnt officers in every reason.
able way in carrying out the pro-
visions of this act.
I. o. o. F.
At the annual communication of
GIo eLL