The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-02-07

1E ING HE CHILD TO SCHOOL
Stringent child labor laws, the pay
ment OF "a chifd's transportation. OF
4 even OF his board and lodging, and the
practice OF hiring child away from
his parents in order to send him to
school, are some of the more remark
able measures adopted during the
year just ended by number of states
which are endeavoring TO get every
single child of school age into
school. These measures are described
by ]. G. Boykin, editor of the United
States Bureau of Education, in a re-
port issued for free distribution by
the Bureau.
In Michigan if poverty compels a
child to go to work before completing
his common school education, the dis
trict board of education may pay the
/ parents as much as the circumstances
require up to three dollars a week.
lin order that they may place their
child in school In addition, the child
may lie furnished with textbooks
free.
In many states, very often weak
schools over considerable area are
/ consolidated into one strong school,
the state paying the parents or others
ito bring in the children. Mr.. Bovkin
discusses this as follows:
"A variation from the usual proyi.
slons Tor transportation is found in
the Minnesota law granting aid to con-
isoildated districts. The school board
lof such district is authorized to
pay a reasonable amount for board
and lodging in lieu of transportation
1 OF pupils living at a distance from
the school house. Another recent de-
yelopment is the South Dakota law.
which provides that if transportation
1 is not furnished the school district
snail pay the parents or guardians OF
pupils living at a distance from the
scnool mouse, as much as 45 cents a
dav for actual TINE spent in school.
These two enactments are exam
1 pies OF the unexpected results that
sometimes follow new lines of legis-
jlation. In one case public funds not
ionly furnish free tuition with all that
IT implies. but also pay a part of the
board and lodging of the pupil; in
the other case the parent is paid in
cash for sending his child to school,
for there is no requirement that he
shall transport the child In neither
case does the element OF charity en-
ter
\ Other laws upon the general sub
1ect of transportation were enacted
during the year in California, where
pupils may be transported at the cost
of the county high schools; in Kansas
where any district board may pro.
vide transportation for pupils living
more than two and half miles from
school: in Missouri, where the limit
of distance is only one-half mile; in
New Hampshire, where school dis
tricts were authorized to purchase
necessary vehicles; in PENNSYLVANIA
where it is provided that no pupil of q
discontinued school shall be required
: to walk more than a mile and hall
to consolidated school; and in Iowa
Increased educational requirements
and shortening of the hours of la
: Dor for the purpose of allowing the
/ worker greater opportunities for self
Il Improvement characterize the child
labor legislation passed during 1911
y as another phase of the Campaign t.
raise the general level of education il
q this country. In this connection, Mr.
8 Boykin says:
Comprehensive laws of great i'm
= portance relating to child labor were
, passed during 1911 In Colorado. Indi
e ana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hamp
shire, Tennessee, Texas, Utah. ant
Wisconsin. All these states previous
II ly had laws that were more or les,
a effective, but in no case did the OH
n law compare with the new in com
n pleteness or in definiteness. The new
c measure OF New Hampshire is especi
. ally eomHrehensive and well drawn
= that Of Colorado is nearly as com
e plete; and those of Tennessee. Texas
IL Utah, and Missouri are notable il
d that they greatly broaden the field O
IL legal regulation, for in those state
II the previous enactments were of lin
n tied application.
TT The most advanced laws prohibi
S. employment before the age of 1s un
" less the child has COMPLETED tn
eighth elementary grade, but tina
standard is still considered too bigl
in most Of the states Ability T.
Is read understandingly and to writ
le legiblv is all the education that is re
re quired in New HAMPSHIRE and Cole
Re RADIO for children between fourtee
IS and sixteen. and that is as far as th
at requirements of the majority of state
,e go
i. The Michigan law mentioned aboy
, amends previous acts. but its scoop
- is such that it is entitled to be classe
= as an important general law. On
Of it's provisions demands especif
mention. namely. that of limited y;
u cation permits for which all educ'
ne tional qualifications are waive,
ne though all other requirements OF II
al law must be enforced. As the sam
TO indicates, thew are issued only dn
CT ing the summer vacation. Anothe
er raraeraph provides for age eertii
Gates for persons over sixteen year