East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-11-01
THE COMPULSORY
EDUCATION LAW
SUPERINTENDENT WELLES
PREPARES BRIEF SUMMARY
Children of Nine Must Attend During
Whole SesslOn-At II May Quit II
They Have Occupation-Stringent
TTuant Clause.

In response to numerous inquiries
4 which have been coming in from al
parts of the county School Superin
lowing brief summary of the compul
sorry education law
As soon as the school opens, the
district clerk must give to the teach
er a revised copy of his last census
report showing the name and age OF
every child, and the full name and ad-
dress of each chlld's father or guar
dian 1t is necessary for the teacher
10 have this information in order to
comply with the compulsory educa-
tion law. Every child in the district
who has reached the age of nine years
must attend school regularly during
the whole time the school is in ses-
sion. After the child reaches the age
of IA years, he is not required to at
tend, provided he is regularly and
lawfully engaged in some useful en-
ployment. II not so employed, he
must attend until he is sixteen years
of age. I'D
In Rule Xiv, page 1866, of the
School Laws Of 1909, teachers are au-
thorized to require excuses from par
/ ents, either in person or by written
note, in all cases of absence or tardl-
ness, or dismissal before the close Of
! school. Section 1913 of the same law
provides that the teacher must count
all uneXcused absences, and that no
excuse. shall be accepted except sick
ness of the pupil, or or some member
of the pupils family, which makes
| attendance impossible.
The compulsory law does not ap-
ply to eighth grade graduates, or to
children who are attending some 9TH
er school regularly. 1t does not ap-
ply to children between nine and ten
years of age if they live more than
one and one-half miles from school,
nor to older children, If they live
more than three miles rrom school
by the nearest Travelled road. At the
beginning of the term, and every four
weeks thereafter the teacher must
compare the names of the children
on the" register with those on the
clerks report. and If the census shows
that there are children who are not
attending school in the district, whose
age is nine years or over, and under
sixteen years, the teacher should care
fully inquire into the cause OF such /
non-attendance. If at this time. or
at any other time during the term |
the absence OF any child amounts in !
the aggregate to more than seven I
half-days during any four, or less
consecutive weeks, the teacher. If sat- /
isfied that the absence Is due to tru-
ancy, must Immediately report the
child.
When truancy is reported by the
teacher, the district boundary board
will Immediately write the truant Of
ficer either to make an investigation,
or to order the parent or guardian to 1
start the child to school on the fol-
lowing Monday morning and to keep |
him in school regularly thereafter.
? he truant officer viii send a copy OF 4
his order to the teacher, and if the
child does not start to school on the
day named, the teacher should i'm
report the fact to the tru-
ant officer, who must, within three
days, make a complaint against such
parent or guardian.
In the administration of this law
{ is the duty of district clerks and
directors to give such information and
assistance as they may be able to
give and any teacher, director, clerk.
1r other officer who neglects to per-
'orm his duty may, upon complaint
# any parent or taxpayer in the dis
rict, be arrested and fined from five
o twenty dollars Sec page 80.
school Laws of 1909.