Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-30

70 School Ofacers and Parents Of
Kandiyohi County.
AS the compulsory education law
was changed by the legislature last
winter in many Of it's essential feat
:ures, this brief summary is given
that school officers and parents may
become familiar with its principal
provisions.
COMPULSORY ATTENDING E.
Every child between eight (8) and
sixteen (16) years Of age shall at
tend public or a private school, in
each year during the entire time the
public schools in the district in which
the child resides are in session.
Children less than eight years of
age or sixteen years and over can
not be compelled by law to attend
school.
GROUNDS FOR EXCUSE.
A child may be excused by the
school board for the whole or part Of
the term if it can be shown to the
satisfaction Of the board (a) that
such child's bodily or mental condi-
ton is such as to prevent his attend
ance or application to study, (b) that
such child has already completed the
branches ordinarily required in the
eighth grade, (c) that there is no
public school within a reasonable
distance. What is a REASONABLE
distance" must be left to the discre-
ton Of the board. The health and
age of the child, the condition of the
roads, the weather and other local
conditions should be taken into con-
sideration, (d) a child fourteen or
fifteen years of age may be excused
from attending school before Nov
ember LIST and after April LIST if in
the judgment of the board his work
is needed at home.
To get an excuse the parents or
guardian must apply to one Of the
board members. The excuse shall be
granted by order of the school board
and must be in writing. A record Of
all excuses granted by the board shall
be kept by the clerk or any other au-
thorized officer.
REPORTS OF THE CLERK.
The law makes it the duty Of the
clerk to report to the teacher the
names of all pupils between six and
sixteen years of age within the first
week Of school together with list Of
those excused if any.
DUTY OF THE TEACHER.
The teacher shall within five days
after receiving the list from the clerk
report to the county superintendent
the names Of all children between
eight (S) and sixteen (16) years Of
age who are not in school and who
are not excused by the board. The
teacher has to make subsequent re-
ports when necessary.
Teachers in private schools shall
report non attendance to the county
superintendent in the same manner
as teachers in public schools.
DUTY OF COUNTY SUPT.
When the county superintendent
receives notice from teacher that
a child is not attending school and
has not been excused by the board,
the law makes it the duty Of the
county superintendent to notify the
parent or guardian or other person
having charge of the child to send
such child to school at once. No not
ice will be sent to parents by the
county attorney and no certain num-
Der Of days are given to comply with
the law.
If the request of the county super
|intendent is not complied with at once
he shall notify the county attorney
Of the facts in each case.
DUTY OF THE COUNTY ATTY.
When the county attorney has been
notified that child is not in school
after his parent or guardian has
been notified to send such child to
school it becomes the duty of the
county attorney to request the coun-
ty superintendent to make and file a
criminal complaint against the per-
son or persons neglecting or refusing
to comply with the provision Of this
law The county attorney shall con-
duct all prosecution that may come
under this act.
This law applies to Independent
districts also. The superintendent OF
a high school or the principal Of a
graded school stands in the same
relation to his school as the county
superintendent stands to the common
school.
This law may seem severe to some
people but the intent and purpose is
VERY good, and if parents will cheer.
fully do their best to comply with
it, we shall have prosperous schoo
year and the children will be the
. gamers for whatever sacrifice you
, may make.
, Respectfully submitted, !
w. D. FREIiERICKSQN