The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-04-01
NEW COMPULSORY
ATTENDANCE Law
APPLYING TO CHILDREN BE.
TWEEN AGES OF ANDlb

Year Unless Prevented by Physi.
cal or Mental Disa ability or Omcial-
ly Excused for sufncient Reason.
The most important change made
in the school law by the last legisla-
ture relates to compulsory attend
ance. In this particular the change
is radical and a distinct step in the
line of educational progress. Hith-
erto it has been. possible to compel
the attendance Of pupils under fifteen
years of age only three months in the
year, and then only by applying to
the superior court for compulsory
order. Under the new law attend
ance is made compulsory between the
ages of eight and fifteen for the FULL
SCHOOL YEAR in all districts and pro-
vision is made for the appointment Of
attendance officers with ample power
to enforce the law, and Justice and
municipal courts have concurrent
jurisdiction with superior courts in
all cases arising under the act, the
principal provisions of which are as
| follows:
Section l. ALI parents, guardians and
other persons in this state having or who
| may hereafter have immediate custody Of
any child from eight to fifteen years Of
age shall cause such child to attend the
public school of the district in which the
child resides for the full time in which
such school may be in session, or an ap-
proved private school for the same time,
unless the child is physically or mentally
unable to attend. has already attained
reasonable proficiency in the branches
required by law to be taught in the first
eight grades of public schools in this state
or provided by the course of study of the
said school, is otherwise being furnished
with the same education, or has been ex-
cused from such attendance for some
other sufficient reason by the superin-
tendent of the schools Of the district in
which the child resides, if there be such
superintendent, or, in all other cases, by
the county superintendent of common
schools.
Sec. 2. No child under the age of if
teen years shall be employed in any
manufacturing, mechanical or other mer-
camille establishment, or by any tele-
graph or telephone company. or by any
| other corporation in this state during the
time in which the public schools of the,
district in which such child resides are in
session, unless said child shall present
certificate from school superintendent,
as provided for in section one of this act,
excusing the said child from attendance
in the public school and setting forth the
reason for such excuse, the residence and
age of the child, and the time for which
such excuse is given. Every owner, SUI
perintendent, or Overseer of any estab-
ploying any such child shall keep such
certificate on file so long as such child is
employed by him or her. The form Of
such certificate shall be furnished by the
superintendent of public instruction.
Sec. 3. Any person violating the pro-
visions of the two preceding sections
shall be fined not more than twenty-five
dollars. Attendance officers shall make
complaint for violations OF the provisions
of this act to a justice of the peace or to
judge of the superior count.
Section provides for the appoint
ment of attendance officers in cities,
Incorporated towns and villages. In
all other districts the county super
intendent is required to act as at
tendance officer. This section further
provides as follows:
''The attendance officer shall be
vested with police powers, the authority
to make arrests and serve all legal pro-
cesses contemplated by this act, and shall
have authority to enter stores, mills,
shops, or other places in which children
may be employed. for the enforcement Of
this act. The attendance officer is au-
thorized to take into custody the person
OF any child between eight and fifteen
years of age who may be truant from
school and to conduct such child to his
parents for investigation and explana-
ton, or to tho school which he should :
properly attend.
"fhe attendance officer shall institute
proceedings against any officer. parent,
guardian, person, company, or corpora
ton violating any provisions Of this act
and shall otherwise discharge the duties
described in this act and perform such
other services as the superintendent Of
schools or the board OF directors may
deem necessary
Sec. s. It shall be the duty Of the dis
trict clerk at the beginning OF the school
wear to provide the teacher with copy Of
the last census Of school children taken
| in his district.
It shall be the duty Of the principals
and teachers to report to the attendance
oficer, the superintendent Of public In
struction or the clerk Of the board OF edu-
cation. all cases of truancy or incorrig-
ibility in their resp ,ctive schools immed-
iately after these offensss have been conn
sec. Z. In cases arising under this act
ALI Justice courts, municipal courts ana
Isuperior courts In the state q Wasnln9-
ton shall have concurrent Jurisdiction.
Sec. q. The county attorney shall -
as attorney In Ill court proceed1nQ re-
lafin0 70 tho compulsory atfen0anco q
children : required BY this aet.