Evening journal., 1907-01-24
PROPOSED LAW
IS STRINGENT
Children Between the Ages OF
Seven and Fourteen Years
Must Attend School
TRUANCY IS PUNISHABLE
Special to rhe Evening Journal.

Special to The Evening Journal
DOVER, Jan. 2l.--Delawares COM
pulsory school law. just introduced in
,he Senate by MIR. Conner is stringent
and unique 1t provides:
Section l. That every parent. guard /
ian or other person In this state having
control of a child or children between
the ages Of seven and fourteen years
shall be required to send such child or
children TO a day school Ina which the
common English branches are taught;
and such child or children shall attend
such school continuously for at least
five months during the time in which
the public school in their respective
districts shall be IN session beginning
not less than one month after the open-
ing OF said school, unless such child or
children shall be excused from such
attendance by the commissioners Of the
school district in which the parent.
guardian or other person resides, upon
the presentation 10 said commissioners
of satisfactory evidence showing such
child.
child or children are prevented from
attendance upon school or application
urgent reasons. and such excuse must
lby countersigned by the county super
lintendent of the county in which such
district is located.
provided that each school district
shall have power each year at its re-
lgular annual meeting to reduce the
period Of compulsory attendance 20 be-
gn. but such date shall not be later
ID
land provided that I'm case there be no
lpublic school I'm session within two
miles by the nearest travelled road OF
Z lany person within the school district
he or she shall not be liable 70 the
provisions Of this act unless a free con-
veyance is furnished.
provided that this act shall not APP
: ply to any cLild that has been or is be-
ling otherwise instructed I'm the common
branches of learning for a like period
of time by any legally qualified COVER
ness or private teacher IN family.
p Fine Provided
, Section 2. Fer every neglect Of duty
S imposed by the first section of this act
the principal or teacher OF person ir
parental relation. so offending, shal
be guilty Of a misdemeanor. and shal
I upon conviction thereof. before a jus.
], tice Of the peace, magistrate or alder.
man, forfeit a fine not exceeding two
dollars for the first offense and a fin'
not exceeding five dollars for each sub.
e sequent conviction, and In defauS O.
q payment Of said fine the defendant MAJ
be committed to the County prison fo
a period not exceeding two days for thu
first conviction and for a period no
exceeding FIVE days for each subse
lquent conviction; provided. upon sucl
conviction the defendant or defendant
may appeal to the court Of quarter ses
sions Of the peace of the proper count
within five days, upon entering into re
cognizance with one surety for tn
lamount of fines and costs: provide,
however, that before such penalty sha
be incurred, the person in parental au
thority shall be notified in writing b
the county superintendent Of such liza
bility and shall have opportunity {
lcomply and avoid the penalties of thi
act.
"The fines provided for by this ac
shall when collected. be paid over b
the officers collecting the same int
the school treasury Of the respectiv
districts for the use Of the State schoc
district, i'm which such person convict
ed resides to be applied and accounte
for by such treasurers in the same wa
as such moneys raised for school pun
poses. Such fines shall be collected b
a process OF law similar to the col
lection Of other fines.
Section 3. Boards of school CON
missioners may, in all districts. en-
1r ploy one or more persons to be know
y as attendance officers" who shall
of addition TO the duties provided else
s. where in this act, have full power wifi
Re out warranty and whose duty it sha
he be to look after and arrest truants an
Id others who fail to attend school in as
D cordance with the provisions of tn
Is act; and in case the person in parenti
lt relation shall refuse power to designai
r the school in which the child shall I
to placed.
C. MAY Establish School