The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-01-08

/ | vi Gil; dCSOlu iii6 " Illc IOpolI VI L !
baton Officer w. H. Mason, which W
submitted to the county commissio
ers today. The report is:
Moscow, Idaho, january 8, 1872
To the Honorable Board of Coun
Commissioners for Latah County, Id
| no:
Deeming it of sufficient importano
that you know of the work being dor
, in regard to the enforcement of tn
school laws and statutes relating t
the school children of the county an
to delinquents as defined by said stat
uteS, | herewith submit this write
report for your consideration. Thi
report covers two and one-half month
of the quarter closing January 1, 1915
my appointment as probation office
dating from October IS, 1911.
The appointment of probation of
ficer was made on the date above givel
by Probate Judge Will F. Morgareidge
in conformity with the power giver
him to make such appointment by sec
ton 1853, chapter 1853 of an act passed
| by the 18th legislature entitled, "Ar
Act Providing a Cooe of Laws on Edu-
cation for the Public School System
of Idaho" This law provides that the
probate judge of each county where
in the school population is 5000 or less
may appoint one probation officer, and
in counties wherein the school pop
ulation is in excess of 5000, not over
two such officers.
Personal experience has proven that
the appointment of a probation of
ficer for the county was a necessity
in order to secure the enforcement of
the school laws. The method former
ly employed of leaving the enforce
ment of the attendance laws in the
rands of constables, marshals and local
school administrations was unsatisfac-
tory, and the best results could not be
obtained in many localities. This fact
was not due so much to any negli-
gence upon the part of such author
tiles, but the fault was to be found in
the system used. This was especial
ly noticeable in out of the way districts
and in country localities. Under the
old system there was a tendency on |
he part of many to ignore certain |
provisions of the laws, and at times not |
much consideration was paid to warn
ngs given by the authorities.
The appointment of probation Of
icer has had it's noticeable beneficial
'esults. The enforcement of the laws
elating to school attendance and de-
inquent and disorderly school chill
ren throughout the county is now
entered in the probate judge and the
officer, with the result that
he laws are more uniformly enforced
nd observed. A systematic method |
an now be followed out which could
OF be done heretofore. Each case re-
orted can now be given the attention
demands in the shortest time posi-
lie. The responsibility of seeing that :
II school children of the county be-
xeen the ages of and 10, not ex-
mpt by law, attend school as requir- d
/ is now centered in one officer in
cad of being delegated to many as it
reviously was. This has been proven
} be much more desirable method
ian the old one.
The moral effect of having a proba-
on officer for the county has been
oticable for the good it has DONE
he attendance has been better
roughout the county; and those who :
'eviously violated the laws in regard
attendance have been made Cog
zant of the fact that they can no
niger continue to do so. They now
alize, or are beginning to realize,
at the trifling with the laws which
cessarily grew out of the old system
ust stop.
Working in conjunction with Probate
u6C VIII l.. nOl 5dI Clu6C, d. uOllC0 i
the parents or guardians of delin-
ent children has been prepared and
inted for use in this county. These
inks are now used in isolated and
altered cases, and were prepared
tn the view Of reducing the cost of
forcing the laws to a minimum. It'll
not known whether or not this sys-
n is used in other counties of the
te; but such notices are proving
y effective in Latah county
finding that a more detailed and
nplete report was necessary than
one submitted by principals month
to the county superintendent of
,lic instruction, have prepared and
printed more desirable report
nix for the use of principals of