Charlevoix county herald., 1914-04-18
SCHOOL CENSUS
The School Census Must be
Taken According to Law.

II has come to the attention of the
Department several times that the tele-
phone, the preceding years census roll
school lists, ETC., have been the means
employed in some districts for taking
the school census instead of the regular
house to house canvass method pres
cribed by law. In such instances where
irregular methods have been used, the
district has been required to have the
census retaken, and in one case con-
siderable amount of money had to be
refunded to the State for names OF
children who at the time the census
was taken were not residents of the
district. The annual apportionment OF
the primary school interest fund is
based in large part on the census lists,
and these lists are very carefully check
ed in the offices OF the Department at
Lansing. Thus these irregularities are
easily detected. The time for taking
the census is at hand and every enum-
orator and person in charge of taking
the census in his district should make
himself familiar with the law govern
ing the taking Of the census.
The law is very clear on this point,
Section 1867 of the School Laws reads
as follows: 'In all school districts, eX-
cept in incorporated cities having a
population Of three thousand or over,
within fifteen days next previous to
the first day in June of each year, the
director or such other reputable and
capable person or persons as the dis
trict board may appoint, shall take the
school census of the district and make
list in writing of the names and ages
of all the children who are five years
OF age and under twenty years of age,
whose parents or legal guard ans reside
therein, in such form as the superin-
tendent of public instruction may pres
cribe, and said list shall be verified by
the oath on affirmation of the person
taking such census by affidavit ap-
pende thereto or er dorsed thereon set
ting forth that the person or persons
taking such census made house to
house canvass of the entire district or
portion thereof canvassed by said en-
umerator and that it is correct list Of
the names of all the children between
ages aforesaid residing IN the dis
trict" Sections 1858 and 4766 of the
School Laws indicate the penalty for
neglecting or refusing to perform this
duty in accordance with the law. "Any
school census enumerator who shall
perform his duties carelessly or negl-
gently shall be liable to fine not less
than five dollars nor more than fifty
dollars, or to imprisonment in the
county jail for not more than twenty
days or both such fine and imprison-
ment in the discretion of the court. Z"
"Any person duly elected to the office
of moderator, director, treasurer or
trustee of a school district, who shall
neglect or refuse to perform any duty
required Of him by virtue of his office,
shall forfeit the sum of ten dollars" In
addition to these penalties there is the
danger that the district may lose its
share of the primary money, if is de-
eided that the time had gone by for a
new census to be taken. Directors and
census enumerators will please read
very carefully the statement to which
they make affidavit, printed at the
head of every census.sh