New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-10
CALLS TRUANT SYSTEM
UTTERLY INCOMPETENT
Dr.. Jesse D. BurkS DenOunCeS
Compulsory Attendance Ser
vice in Vogue Here.
URGES DETENTION SCHOOLS
Philadelphia Man Says Reports
of Associate Superintendent
Are Remarkable for Mistakes
and Adjustments"

Dr. Jesse ID. Burks director Of the Blu
reau of Municipal Research at Philade.-
phia. who was retained by the Board OF
Estimates committee on school inquiry
10 look into the compulsory attendance
service in the city's schools has submit
ted a report I'm which he denounces the
present system as utterly incompetent.
TWO years ago DR.. Burks directed q
similar investigation and helped reoi-
sanize the truaucy department OF the
Philadelphia school system. His present
report outlines preventive as well rs cor
receive and disciplinary treatment OF iFu-
ancy, ana recommends the entire reor-
sanization of the compulsory attendance
service under the responsible control ot
the Board OF Education. lie illustrates
his findings with a report showing that
5000 children We're absent during the
Februarv-June term in 1911 for AT least a
school month. and that 5000 of these
were absent for more than two school
mouths. Yet only 6570 children were re-
tported by the attendance officers as hav'
ing been truants for I'VE days during the
entire year.
The significance to the community oil
extending the attendance service oeHoh"
the mere control Of uuaucy toy ponce
methods is emphasized by DR.. HurNs. lie
reports:
The compulsory attendance service. as
at present organized ana CohIuN 49, 49,.
limits its functions very ldiStN 20 ~ itI
Performance Of police functions Itldl 'a
no the enforcement of school atteilaoIl4OV.
Its Investigations are directed CIlcHf w.
,4he immediate explanation ana Che'KIi'-
OF truancy and iresuiaIiN La, my ida t
10 the discovery and treatment OF VceII'
causes This point of view Is not "ItIH
made evident by the cmph"SIs, ~ ~ ~.
F. annual and current reports NHlNn - ~,
placed upon the return OF children 10
school. arraignment of dehhques' I",ito
= and prosecution of parents, ana ~! IA.
relatively small attention 10 anaiS ~ vi
family influences. pnNSlcdl anu H4Vl''''
Conditions of deliuQueuts, and co-Optid-
ton OF various social agencies puS y u1S
tinctlv stated by the superintendent ~
schools I'm his letter transmitting 10 wv
Board of Education the report on lHt ."-
forcement Of the Compu;,ccoI! 'ntiro Of
law for the. year islV-.l. Tho lNncll"n H'
The former is TO cure uuancN o. ~.
latter. not only 10 prevent truauc|: put !"
cure many other Ills thaJ ailSe D" ~'''
nection with exceptional pupIi-.
slames Parents for irreguiar'ty.
The reuort upon The work Of the visiting
teachers supplemcnting tho dttehodh't
officers. indicates that the greater par
of irregular attendance not cue 70 slSTH
fsrepc.. ignorance. neglect or poverty y
constructive programme loI Con1 OIi.'' r
attendance must therefore be oIl 49,
largely ~ the enlstnS OF pa el.s". -, 80
oDeraiiou and the improvement or mos
c1rditiOus-StepS impossible 10 accom-
glish by the mere exercise OF police lUi0-
lions.
pr Burk. said that where actual want
was discovered IL was necessary 10 III
yoke the aid OF charitable organizations.
lie thinks also that attendance chiccfs
should deal more intelligentiy and enec-
lively with superficial occasions 81 il
regular attendance He also suggests
mat the staff Of the attendance bureau
be organized on functional basis ana
that an effective division OF functions oil
the truaut officer would be the folio" ns:
"a, Preliminary investigation and re-
rort.
,bl Preventive treatment;
(c) Disciplinary treatment;
a. Corrective institutional treatment
DR.. Burks recommends day detention
school for each Of the twenty-three attend
ance districts, in which the programme OF
studies and the methods of instruction
and discipline shall be specifically aoSpl-
ed 10 the needs of children commonly re-
earded az difficult or unmanageable m
regular classes. He also recommends
parental schools for the custodiai care OF
thabitual truants and delinquent chhore"
who cannot satisfactorily be dealt win
in the day detention schools. lie criti-
cises the Board Of Education's annual Pc
mort Of compulsory attendance on the
ground that it omits important data, fails
ITO analyze totals and is defective in al
engagement. An i'm all, he regards il az
,nnreliable.
The educator also finds that the report
of the associate superintendent Is not all
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