Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-10-18
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
Law Provides That Children Between
Ages Of Eight and IS Must Attend
School Continuously,

Ages OF Eight and IS Must Attend
school Continuously.
From several notes received by some
of our teachers, l select the following,
which l ask you to publish, together
with my reply thereto, for the benefit of
parents generally
Please excuse. .........for being alb
sent Friday. Now, this excuse is all
l ever wrote and think it is enough,
and as for you asking her all manner
of questions when she is absent, 1t
has gone far enough, for l don't
think 1t Is anything to you as l don't
keep her out unless l need her to help
me, or she is sick, and 1 shall keep
her any time l need her.
(Signed) Mrs...,.....
No, my dear Madam, you will do
nothing of the sort for the law rather
than the teacher or school official COM
mands that you do otherwise
The law says that a person having the
control of child between the ages of
eight and 10 years shall, unless said
child is mentally or physically unable to
attend, or is otherwise being furnished
with the same education, cause said child
to attend school continuously-not once
in awhile a day but regularly, that is,
every day unless the child is sick.
Keeping a child out of school to work
IS just what the law forbids. Further
more II n parent suffers a child over
eight and 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 control of any such child who
wilfully violates its provisions, either by
things done or things left undone, shall
be fined not less than five or more than
twenty-five dollars. So much for the
parent.
Now as 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 truant officer of
such a case and her failure to do It
makes her liable to a fine of not less
than five nor more than twenty-five dol
lars. The truant officer must upon re-
| ceipt Of such a notice, either from the
teacher or a citizen, proceed to inves-
| tigate tine case and II he finds tne child
physically able to attend, he must take
the child and place him in school and
then he must notify the parents in writing
to cause such child to attend regularly
II the child persists hereafter in staying
away then 1t becomes the duty OF the
| truant officer to see to it that the child
has accommodations at the Industrial
school in Nergennes.
II the truant officer fails to perform his
duty or part thereof thus the law says
that he may be fined not more than one
hundred dollars. So you see that the
law has tarred us all with the same
stick, parents, teachers, school officials
all alike. You can now realize, | hope
that the spirit OF your letter has the
defiance not to the teachers. but to the
| law this very thing above all others our
children should be taught at home and
I tn pRk YI
word as to the theorY-hs-tbis law and
OF the right Of Tie state to make il.
lou sf"m to be laboring under the i'm
.h1ession that the supreme law for the
training Of the child is the will and
pleasure OF the parent. This Is not true
The strength of his government rests
wholly upon the intelligence Of its people
Every parent who allows his child to grow
up in ignorance hurts the state and
blights the life Of the child. These strict
laws are made to protect the state and
10 assist the child. You may regard this
as somewhat 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 ne
elected that from being the second state
In the Union for IRE edom from illiteracy
place in that respect So much has this
great business. been neglected that Yer
mont today occupies the dlsgraceful po-
uon or having larger percentage of her
natiNe-born sons and daughters unable
TO read and write than any other New
England state and OF this class l fear
Springfield has furnished its full share.
Now you can see the necessity for this
law Remember also that the law makes
certain officials, some elected and some
appointed. together with the teachers
responsible for the enforcement of these
laws.
This is altogether wise. for you can
realize something OF the confusion that
would ensue if each parent were allowed
to envolve himself into a supreme court.
The officials must all obey this law and
all they esk Is that you do the same not
for their sake but for the good of the
child. Nothing could be more distasteful
TO me than to prosecute a parent for
cisregarding this law unless it be to have
some one prosecute me for not enforcing
1t. This l think. ia the sentiment OF all
the school officials and teachers as well
Now l have laid down the law to YOU
square on the nail. If you do not under
stand 1t please cali at my office and 1
will take pleasure in further explaining
1t. If you do understand it or II YOU
stlll insist In violating it, you will have
to call anyway.
Our schools stand very high and II
should be a 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 children. All have a responsibility
In this work. VIII you not hereafter do
your part cheerfully and without anger?
Remember that the pupil who is fire.
quently absent loses much and binders
In measure the progress of his class.
Let us have no further trouble, for this |
law must be enforced.-[E. B. Finn, |
truant officer in Springfield, VT, in com |
munication to Springfield Reporter.