The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-10

facts IN the case might help you TO
digest it more easily. Here they are:
| The school population of Salt Lake
City is approximately $1,000. This in.
cludes all persons between the ages of
6 and 1S, inclusive. The law requires
that children between the ages of 8
and l6 must attend school for period
of thirty out OF thirty eight weeks
Now, of the $1,000, there are ac-
counted for 1000 who attend school;
even the Herald Republican admits
that. What of the other 1000? Well.
the superintendent of the city schools
figures it in this wise: Private schools,
such as All Hallows college, ST. Mary's
academy, the Latter-day Saints univer-
sity. the University of Utah, 1900; of
the ages of and 7, 1900; between l6
and is, 1000; exempt by permit, l34.
Others who have graduated from the
eighth grade go to make up the total
of 1000 easily.
As n matter of fact, when canvas
OF the city was made at the end of the
first eight weeks of school. the authori
ties found about l34 children out of
school. or this number 134 were exempt
because they had permits issued on the
showing of parents that their help
was needed To support the family.
Really, when fine analysis OF the nam
Der is made it will be found that not
TWENTY-FIVE, or at the very outside,
| fifty children do not attend school,
Mr.. Christensen, who IS the supcrin-
tendent, says that, instead of being a
city where children remain away from
school, Salt Lake presents record OF
attendance that is quite remarkab bic.
| So much for so much. Now as to
Mrs. Simon IS paper. The paper was
Interesting TO the last degree, but IN
no sense did it contain one whit OF
what the distorted account IN the
Herald Republican made it contain,
Mrs. Simon, instead OF declaring that
the law respecting compulsory attend
ance is not enforced, said that 1t was,
indeed, being enforced to the letter,
The trouble is not with the enforce
ment of the law, Mrs. Simon said, but
| lies with the inadequacy thereof. I'm
der the present law IA parent may
| sign statement in which she declares
she is willing to take oath that her
child is required 10 work III order TO
| help support the mother and father.
When she sighs this paper the superln-
tcndent has no discretionary power
| he must issue the certificate of eXemp-
| ton. because the law says he shall -
| do so.
There are mighty few eases in this
world where the help of little boy or
girl is absolutely necessary for the sup
| port of the family. The proper RENE
| DIV for even the rare cases that might
thus arise lies in relief from the state,
| The state, said Mrs. Simon, and she
| is supported by other authorities, ought
to be made to provide for destitute
parents, so that they would not have
| 10 deprive their children of the ad-
vantages OF an education for the sake
of earning a pittance.
| 1t is fine news, TO be sure, that the
Herald. Republican spreads abroad with
| its flaring red. 1t speaks well, exceed
inply well, for the efficiency of the tru-
ant officers to have it said Of them
that one child out of every five is a
| truant and ought to be in school. Yes,
| truly. this is the way to tell the people
of other states and other cities that
Salt Lakes school system is working
to perfection and that 1T is second to
none In the land.
And, besides, Mrs. Simons's paper
was not new at all 1t was read be
fore the Ladies Literary club week
ago, and every newspaper in town that
is NOT in constant state OF prefer
natural sleepiness reported the paper
and commented on its praiseworthy
contents. But then, the Herald Repub-
licap is afflicted with the hookworm
disease 10 that extent 1T has to hire
| somebody TO pinch 1t at intervals OF
two seconds to determine whether 1t is
| aslooD or awake.