Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-06-12
COMPULSORY
ATTENDANCE

An Act to Make School Attend.
ance Compulsory.
The General Assembly of North
Carolina do enact:
All Children Required to Attend
School, Age 8 to IL, Term Four
Months.
Section. 1. That from and af-
ter the first day of July, one thou
sand nine hundred and thirteen,
every parent, guardian, or other
person in the State of North Car
olina having charge or control of
child or children between the
ages of eight and twelve years,
shall cause such child or children
to attend the local public school in
the district, town or city in which
he resides, continuously for four
months Of the school term of each
year, except as hereinafter provi-
ded. This period Of compulsory
| attendance shall commence at the
beginning Of the compulsory pc
.riod of the school term nearest to
compulsory period of four
consecutive school years thereaf-
ter. This period Of compul-
sorry attendance for each pub
lie school shall commence at
the beginning of the school term
Of said school unless otherwise or
dered by the county board of edu-
cation or. in case of towns or cities
Cf two thousand Or more inhabi-
tants, by the board of trustees of
the public schools Of said towns
CT cities. Continuous attendance
upon some other public school or
upon any private or church school
taught by competent teachers may
he accepted in lieu of attendance
upon the local public schools:
Provided, that said period of con-
t.nuous attendance upon such
other school shall be for at least
four months Of each year: Provid-
ed. further, that any private or
church school receiving for in
struction pupils between the ages
or eight and twelve years shall be
I.required to keep such records of
attendance of said children and to
render such reports of same as are
hereinafter required Of public
schools. And attendance upon
such schools refusing or neglect
ing to keep such records and to
render such reports shall not be
accepted in lieu of attendance
upon the local public school of the
district, town or city which the
child shall be entitled to attend:
Provided, the period Of compul-
sorry attendance shall be in force
and apply between the ages of
eight and fifteen years in Mitchell
county.
Exemptions.
Sec. 2. This act shall not ap-
ply in any case in which the
child's physical or mental condi-
ton, as attested by any legally
qualified physician before any
court having jurisdiction under.
this act, renders his attendance
impracticable or inexpedient; or
in any case in which the child re-
sides two and one-half miles or
more by the nearest travelled route
from the, schoolhouse; or in any
case in which, because of extreme
poverty the services Of such child
are necessary for his own support
or the support Of his parents, as
attested by the affidavit Of said
parents and Of such witnesses as
the attendance officer may require;
or in any case in which said par
ent, guardian or other person hav-
ing charge or control of the child
shall show before any magistrate
hv affidavit of himself and Of such
ditnesses as the attendance officer
may require, that the child is
without necessary books and
clothing for attending school, and
that he is unable to provide the
necessary books and clothes: Pro
yided. that when books and cloth
ing shall have been provided,
through charity or by other
means, the child shall no longer
he exempt from attendance under
this provision.
Parents Shall Cause Children to
Attend School.
Sec. 8. Every parent, guardi-