The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-24
.,SChOENFELD
IS COMMENDED
STATE HUMANE OFFICER WOULD
PREVENT TRuANcY:
PARENTS
Scores Fathers and Mothers for Not
Looking After chiIdren-More Ar
rests May Follow Unless Law = Re-
spected..
From Wednesdays Daily. 4

From Wednesdays Daily.
every child between the age of 81
and IA years will have to attend
school hereafter said State Humane
Oficer Schoenfeld Of Great Falls. who
Is in the city. q am down here to
see that the truancy law is enforced,
and unless 1t is, you ma be sure that
not only the children will be looked
after, but delinquent parents will
have to explain why they don't make
their children attend school.
II notice that there are several
boys OF school age employed at pro-
hibited occupations and unless they
are placed in school. their parents are
liable to be up in the district court
explaining why.
Children between the ages OF s
and IA years are forced to attend
school regularly, and between the
ages of IA and 16, unless they r reg
ularly employed at some occupation
which is not prohibited by the depart
ment of commerce and labor. Unless
the children are made to attend their
parents are liable to arrest for being
delinquent parents and The fine for
this offense is no small one.
Delinquent Parents.
TOO many people leave the raising
Of their children to the teachers In
the public school ard the police de-
partment, and this has got to be stop
ped not only in Billings but In every
city under my jurisdiction.
Since 4 have been here this last
time / have taken several boys in Gus
tody, who were not in school and who
have been giving the police and sher-
IFS office no end Of trouble. The
names Of these boys cannot be made
public owing to a wise provision OF
the law, but l assure you that SPEEDY
action will be taken in their cases.
"One Of them has been taken up by
both the police and sherin's Office sew.
eral times before for petty thefts, and
yesterday I caught him loafing about
the streets during school hours and
smoking cigarettes. He is but II
years old and If properly taken care
Of, should grow up to be q useful citi
zen. But unless he is taken in Gus
tody by the state, he will make a first
class criminal. His parents are liable
TO the law for being delinquent, ant
charges may be made against them.
On Probation.
II have placed another boy on pro
baton, who has made his teachers
parents and the police much trouble
recently. This boy al honest will
me, admitted that he had played
truant, committed petty thefts, AMI
when I reasoned with him and pointed
out that doing such things would
sooner Or later lead to the gallows O.
the state penitentiary, he expressed
willingness to turn over a new lea
and be q better boy. In this case hi
parents were not 80 much to blanc
and the little fellow was a good boy a
heart. Now his teacher, parents an,
the boy himself must report to nj
once q week. regarding the time spen
In school, time he gets home in TIL
: evening and as to his general conduct
! Unless he follows the strict and nal
row path, harsher action will have t
> be taken to save the boy from him
/ self.
I'm many cases a parent is hi
child's worst enemy and by allowin
him to do as he pleases does incalcr
D liable injury. The humans laws Q
this state e placed on the statut
: books for those people and ! shall Sc
that they are enforced to the very lei
ter, II necessary to prevent many Q
the younger generation from becon
ing criminals.
Truant Officer Needed.
What Is required In Billings Is
truant officer. One who can invest
gate every child that is absent fro1
school particularly the boys. II ther
! was such an officer there would b
fewer cases OF theft and other thing
for which Juveniles are responsible
reported to the police.
THE late hours that children kee
in this city, is another thing that WI
receive my attention. Every chill
9 who is found on the streets at al VI
9 reasonable hour during my stay !
Billings. and l hope that the same q
9 ton will be taken when I leave, wi
be taken in custody and their parent
notified. II the parents are not abb
9 to explain why their, children are gu
some action will be taken In thel
cases as well.
you may say for me that unles
o conditions are changed in Billing
very soon, arrests will follow whic