The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-09
REQUIRE 81 Weeks SCHOOLING
Gard System is Used in Keeping Track
Of All Children Of School Age in the
city and Reports Of Principals are
Checked With School Census.
(By Mrs. Mary D. Bradford)

The report Of the state superinten-
dent shows that in the year 1909-lO
more than $4,000 children between the
ages of seven and fourteen years failed
to attend school the required length of
time in this state. The required length
of time is thirty-two weeks
An effort is being made hero, to
keep Kenosha s contribution to this
number, down to the lowest possible
limit.
Since the law of Wisconsin holds the
city superintendent of schools respon-
sible for looking after and reporting
school attendance, a plan was started
this fall with the hope Of doing the
work effectively. Cooperation in car
rying out this plan was readily given
by all of the parochial and by one of
the private schools of the city.
An enrolment card was planned,
calling for name, place of birth, date
of birth, name Of parent, residence,
school, grade, date of entrance and
age Sept. l, 1911. A supply of these
was placed in the hands OF each prin-
cipal of the public school system and
principal or bead teacher Of each paro-
chial and private school in the city.
These cards were filed out, one for each
child enrolled on the books of the
school.
When completed these cards were
brought by the attendance officer to
the Office of the superintendent of
schools where they were arranged in
alphabetical order in a filing case
They numbered over 1890.
The next step was to check up the
census list against these cards. This
was a long and tedious process, re-
curing all the spare time afternoons
for a week of three of the principals
and the time of eight people on Sat
urday. When the comparison of cen
sus sheets and card list was complet-
ed every blue checked name on the
former meant a corresponding name in
the enrolment list, and consequently
school attedance by that child. Every
unchecked name on the census lists
was believed to mean child not
obeying the compulsory education law.
Zach unchecked name of child with
name and address of parent, were then
drawn off on separate card and these
cards were given to the attendance of.
ticer, who Immediately started out to
Investigate, He did this work ward by
ward. In the wards having the larg-
est school attendance, he had an assis-
tant. There were found unchecked,
four hundred and forty-four names, and
that many cases were Investigated.
Upon the back of each card he
wrote the result of his visit. 1T was
found that many unnecessary calls
were made for in about two hundred
cases out of the four hundred and
forty-fOur, the children were reported
TO be in school; this showing that en-
rollment cards had not been sent to
the superintendent IS Office for all child
rem. 1t is thought that next year a
better understanding of this plan of
procedure will prevent this useless
amount of work on the part of the at
tendance officer.
An examination of the attendance
officers returns also reveals the fact
that one hundred sixty-one of the four
hundred forty-four children are not in
school because they have passed their
fourteenth birthday and are at work
that tifty-four have moved since the
census taker called upon them last
June; that six are sick and unable to
attend school.
This careful canvass of the city re.
vealed seven children considerably past
the school age of seven years who
had never been in school. 1t showed
that the inability on the part of the
parents to buy books for their children
was keeping some out.
Thus it is seen that an earnest eff
fort has been made to secure to every
child his educational rights. In spite
of all that has been done there may
be some who have not been found; fol-
since ffty-four children moved away
it is probable that some moved into
Kenosha, and are not on the census
list. 1t is here that the duty of al
right minded citizens is seen; any sucl
case should be reported at once. The
law is as follow:
'FIt shall be the duty of all schoo
officers, superintendent, teachers anc
other persons to render such assistanc,
and furnish such information as they
may have at their command to aiG
truant officers in the performance Of
their duties. +"