The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-12-04
WILL INTRODUCE
EDUCATIONAL. BILL

AhuVuuoc compulsory EuucHtlOn
ELL.
Gaffney, S. c., Nov 29-It is like
ly that Senator Hall will introduce
compulsory school attendance bill
at the next session Of the general as
sembly. Senator Hall has given this
matter careful study in connection
with similar laws in other states,
with view of proposing such q
measure as may suit the peculiar
conditio.s cXis ing in = nth Cnrolh!a.
Below Is printed full text of the
proposed bill. Senator Hall requests
all who have any general or special
idea as to what such law should con
tain to communicate with him as he
desires to advocate the passage of
some law that will meet the existing
demands for more general educa-
ton:
Section 1. Be it Enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of
South Carolina, That the free public
schools of this State are open to all
childres between the ages of six and
lwenty-one years.
Sec. 2. That all children between
the ages of seven and fourteen Years
are hereby required to attend the
public schools of this State for a
period of at least four months during
each scholastic year, and it shall be
the duty of parents, guardians. and
all other persons whatsoever, who
may have charge of the care and
custody of children, to observe the
provisions of the Act
Sec. 3. Any parent, guardian. or
other person having the charge and
custody of any child, who fails to
comply with the provisions of this
act, shall be deemed guilty of mis-
demeanor and upon conviction there
| OF, shall be subject to a fine of not
! exceeding one hundred dollars for
each offense, Or Imprisonment for a
period of not exceeding thirty days.
Sec. 4. The provisions Of this Act
shall not apply in cases where the
attendance of such children is due
to Providental causes, or where there
| is no public school within two miles
of the residence of the parent, guar
dian, or other person having charge
of and control of such child or child
dren, or where the school term of any
school accessible to such child or
children is less than four months i'm
each year; but in Tie last case, it
shall be the duty of al parents. guar
dians or other persons having the
control and custody of such child or
children to send the same to such
school as long as the term may last.
If less than four months.
Sec. 3. In order to carry out the
provisions of this Act, the sum of
One Hundred Thousand Dollars Is
hereby appropriated to provide ac-
commodations and facilities for the
increased attendance in the school
districts Of this State, the same to be
apportioned among the counties and
school districts Of the State in the
same manner as is now provided by
law for the distribution of the three
mill Constitutional school tax.
Sec 6. The appropriation provided
for in the next proceeding section
shall be used for the purpose of in
creasing the capacity Of schools now
existing; for the erection of addi-
tional schools and the employment of
additional teachers, wherever it
shall appear to the County Board OF
Education and the trustees of any par
ticular school district that ad-
ditional school buildings should be
erected or additional teachers should
be employed; and the sum appropriat-
ed to each County shall after appor-
tionment as above provided, be paid
out by the treasurer on the warrant
OF the trustees of the school districts
to which any portion OF said appro-
priation may be apportioned as above
provided. as in the case OF other
school funds.
Sec. z. 1t Is hereby made the duty
Of the trustees of each school dis
trict In this State to see that the pro-
visions Of this Act are carried out,
and any trustee, who wilfully fails or
refuses to enforce the provisions of
this Act, shall be subject to fine OF
not exceeding twenty-five dollars or
imprisonment for not exceeding ten