Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-31
AFTER TRUANTS
Superintendent TinSer's Address
 10 Board of Education.


 girls of school age in school was dis cussed at the last meeting of the board of education. The subject was brought to the attention of the mem- bers of the board through the follow ing communication from Superin- tendent Tinker:
 I desire to call your attention to some features of school attendance as they exist in our city to-day. It seems to me that the intent of the state law in regard to school attend ance is plainly that every child who is well, suitably clothed, and mentally capable shall attend some proper school during the days such schools are in session. We nave developed system for keeping track of trans ferred and absent or truant pupils in the public schools that is very effec- tive, provided teachers and principals and the office force do their whole duty. It is true that children who move into the city after the taking of the school census can avoid school at tendance for some time inasmuch as their names appear neither on our school registers nor the census books. While this may occur in some cases, still every effort is made to get them into school without delay and imme- diately following the taking of the census the truant officer has carefully investigated the cases of all children Of school age who are reported mot in attendance"
 In making transfers from the pub lie schools to the parochial schools and from the parochial schools to the public schools the following situation frequently arises: A pupil states that his parents wish him to attend parochial school and he receives transfer card to that school, but he does not actually attend that school for some days, perhaps weeks; on the other hand pupil asks for a transfer from a parochial school to the public school and the transfer is given, but the pupil fails to attend for some time the public school to which he has been transferred. In both of these cases under present conditions if the pupils are kept off the streets and out of sight of the truant officer it is possible for them to avoid school attendance for considerable periods of time
 It also happens that pupils who are found lettering on the street inform the truant officer that they are in at tendance at some parochial or private school when such is not the case Now it seems to me that this is most de- plorable condition of affairs for these children are either getting a partial education at the best or are growing up in ignorance and vice and later will surely be menace to the social and political welfare of our city. Many connected with the schools feel that there is large number of pa rents in the city who care very little as to whether their children are in regular school attendance or not and who will do very little in this matter. The law is very clear and precise Tn it's statements and it seems to me that it is the duty of the school authorities to see that every child in this city is in regular attendance in some proper school.
 In the past the truant officer has looked up absentees in some of the parochial schools, but it has not been possible to do this for all. I have talked with those in charge of every parochial school in the city and they have expressed themselves as heartily willing to cooperate with us in this matter and to adopt the system of transfers and of enforcing school at- tendance that we use in the public schools. If this is done as I believe it will be and the school authorities do their manifest duty I have no doubt but what the aggregate number of days attendance will be very ma terially increased at once. Under this system faithfully carried out it ought not to be possible for any child of school age to be lettering about the city's streets as it is at the present time. The presence on the streets during school hours would then be prima facie evidence of truancy or non attendance.
 Within the last few years the work of the truant officer has been greatly increased not only in the growth of the school population, but in the fact that the proper supervision of the district schools spread over a large territory naturally consumed a large part of his time. Our present truant officer has performed his duties in a faithful and conscientious manner but it is impossible for any one man to keep track of the absentee eases that occur among over fifteen thou sand school children.
 In order that this work may be properly done throughout the entire city would recommend that a sum of not less than eight hundred CsSOOD dollars be included in the estimates of this department for 1908 to pro- vide for the salary of an assistant truant officer If we are to be a pro- gressive community and a city that in the future will be a good place to live in, we certainly must take some de- cided action in this matter. for this evil Of non school attendance with it's accompanying baneful results has had a steady increase within the last few years