Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-12
NOVEL CASE is
HEARD SATURDAY
IN POLICE COURT
Eugene Campbell of Litchfield
Held for Violation of
School Laws

The attention of the municipal court
was taken up Saturday morning with
case in which the interest centered in the
town of Litchfeld and which had to do
with the Litchfield schools. The central
figure in the case was Eugene l.. Camp
bell. who was before the court on COM
plant of orrin A. True. truant officer
for this town, for violation of Section 40
of the School Laws of Maine, for neg
lecting and refusing to send his daughter,
Margaret Campbell, aged eight years, to
school without legal excuse. The section
under which the action was brought, and
which case was the first of the kind to
come before the Augusta court, reads as
follows:
Sec. 40. Every child between the sew
enth and fifteenth anniversaries of his
birth and every child between the fif-
teenth and seventeenth anniversaries
who cannot read at sight and write SIM
pie sentences in the English language
shall attend some public day school dur
ing the time such school is in session.
and an absence therefrom of one-half day
or more shall be deemed a violation of
this requirement; provided that necessa-
ry absence may be excused by the super
intending school committee or superinten-
dent of schools or teacher acting by Oil
reetion of either; provided also, that such
attendance shall not be required if the
child obtained equivalent instruction, for
a like period of time, in an approved
private school or in any other manner
approved by the experimenting school
committee; provided, further, that chill
dren shall not be credited with attend
ance at private school until a certifi-
cate showing their names, residence and
attendance at such school signed by the
person or persons having such school in
charge, shall be filed with the school off,
Gals of the town in which said children
reside; and provided, further, that the SUI
perintending school committee may ex-
clude from the public schools any child
whose physical or mental condition makes
it inexpedient for him to attend All per-
sons having children under their control
shall cause them to attend school as pro-
vided in this section, and for every neg
lect of such duty shall be punished by a
fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars or
shall be imprisoned not exceeding thirty
days"
The complainant was represented by
George W. Heselton of Gardiner and the
respondent by Benedict F. Maher of Au-
gusta. The respondent refused to plead
and plea of not guilty was entered. The
witnesses for the complainant, in addition
to himself, were E. D. Cram, Henry Tay-
lor and DIR. r. w. Goss they being the
members of the Litchfield school commit
tee, of which Mr.. Cram is chairman ana
II. d. Arey, superintendent of schools
The witnesses testified that the child
had not attended school during the cur
rent term and had never been excused;
that the school board had hsid meetings
and had not granted permission for the
child to remain out of school, but had
voted to compel her to attend. No testi-
mony was submitted by the defence.
AT the conclusion. Of the hearing the
court found the respondent guilty and
imposed sentence of s. and costs, from
which an appeal was taken and bonds
furnished in the sum of $500 for appear
ance at the January term of the superior
court