Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-11-14
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
Law Provides That Children Between
Ages of and IS Must Attend
School Continuously.

in Springfield, VT, has the loilo" ing
communication in his home paper, the
Springfield Reporter.
From several notes received by some Of
our teachers. select the following, which
{ ask YOU to publish, toget her with my
rqplv thereto. for the benefit OF parents
generally.
Miss
please excuse--for being absent Fri
dav. Now. this excuse is all 1 ever
wrote and / think it is enough, and
for you asking her all manner OF
questions when she is absent, it has
gone far enough, for / don't think II
is ANYTHING to you as / don't keep
her out unless / need her to help me,
or she is sick. and ! shall keep her
any time ! need her.
lSigned) Mrs. --
No, my dear madam, you will do moth
ing Of the sort, for the law, rather than
the teacher or school official, commands
that you do otherwise.
The law says that a person having the
control Of child between the ages OF
eight and fifteen years shall, unless said
child is mentally or physically unable to
attend. or l. otherwise being furnished
with the same education, cause said child
to attend school continuousIy-not once
in a while "a day-but regularly. that l.,
every day unless the child is sick.
Keeping child out of school to work
is lust W hat the law forhid-. Further
more, if a parent suffers child over eight
ana under fifteen to commence term he
must attend continuously for the whole
term for which he Is enrolled. The law
for this says that any person having con-
troll OF any such child who wilfuIy Nio-
% b.
or things left undole, shall be lined not
less than i've or more than twenty-five
dollars. so much for the parent.
Vow a. to the teacher. You complain
of the questions she has asked. But, my
dear madam. these questions were asked
in order to save trouble both for yourself
and your child, for the law requires the
teacher to notify the truGnt officer % such
a case and her failure to do iJ makes her
liable to d tine of not lessfthan five nor
more than twenty-five dollars. The tru-
ant officer must. upon receipt of such a
notice. either from the teacher or a Citi-
zen. proceed to Investigate the case and
if he finds the child physically able to at
tend, ne must take the child and place
him in school and then he must notify
the parents in writing 10 cause such child
to attend regularly. II the child persists
/ hereafter staying away, then it becomes
t he duty Of the truant officer to see to il
that the child has accommodations at the
| industrial school in Nergeunes.
If the truant officer fails 10 perform his
duty or part thereof thus. the law says
that he may be fined not more than one
hundred dollars. 80 you see that the law
has tarred Us all with the same stick. pa
| rents, teachers. school officials, all alike.
U Esn# BIO
spirit Of your letter has the defiance not
to the teachers. but 10 the law. this very
thing above all others our children should
he taught at home and in school TO rev
/ erence and respect. Now a word as to
{ be theory Of this law and of the right Of
the state 10 make II. You seem to be la
boring under the impression that the su-
preme law for the training OF the child il
/ the will and pleasure Of the parent. This
| is not true. The strength of this govern
meut rests wholly upon the intelligence
Of its people Every parent who allows
mis- child to grow up IN ignorance hurts
I he state and blight- the life Of the child.
( These strict laws are maze to protect the
state and assist the child. You may re-
I gard this as someW hat harsh in Your case.
but they are more for the good Of all and
all alike must obey them. You evidently
think that the state ought to mind its
own business, but the proper education
of its youth is the great business OF the
state. business hitherto SO much neg
. lected that from being the second state in
the Union for freedom from lliteracy.
Vermont has fallen 10 twe1ty-eighth place
I in that RESPECT. so much has this great
Z business been neglected that Vermont to-
/ day occupies the disETaceful position Of
( having larger percentage % her native
/ born -oas and daughters unable 10 read
and write than any other New England
state and OF this class I fear Springfield
has furnished its iuu share. Now you
I can see the necessity for this law. Re
member also that he law makes certain
officials. some elected and some appoint
ed. together with the teachers. RESPONSE
bic for the enforcement of these laws.
This is altogether wise, for You can
realize something OF the confusion that
would ensGe il each parent were allowed
TO evolve himself into a supreme court.
The officials must all obey this law and
all they ask i that you do the same not
for their sakes but for the good Of the
child. Nothing could be more distasteiul
to me than TO prosecute parent for dis
regarding this law unless il be 10 have
someone prosecute me for not enforcing
il.
This, think, is the sentiment OF all
the school officials and teachers a. well.
Now have laid down the law to you
square on the nail. II you do not under
stand it, please call at my Office and ! will
take pleasure in further explaining it. II
you 90 understand it or il you still insist
in violating it, you will have to call any
way.
Our schools stand very high and it
should be matter Of pride with all Of us
to have the average attendance OF pupils
therein so high that the state may know
that the parents residing here appreciate
the advantages provided for their chill
dren. All have responsibility in this
work. VIII you not hereafter do your
, part cheerfulIy and without anger? Re
member that the pupil who is frequently
absent loses much and hinders in a mea-
sure the progress OF his class. Let US
have no further trouble, for this law must
be enforced.
}