The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-04-07
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Although six states In the union are
still without compulsory school attend
ance laws. and four others have laws
that apply only partially. definite pro-
gress during the past decade is re-
ported in a bulletin just issued by
the Unitad States bureau OF educa
ton. Since 1905 eight states preyi
ously without compulsory laws have
adopted them. and it is thought to
be a matter of only few years when
compulsory school attendance will be
in effect in every state and territory
OF the United States.
The six states still without compui
sorry school laws are: South Carolina
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi
and Texas. The four local option
states, where the law Is in effect in
certain counties only, are Maryland,
Virginia, Arkansas and Louisiana.
The bureaus Investigation of the
subject reveals a close connection De
tween lack of compulsory attendance
laws and illiteracy. Thu states rank
in percentage OF illiteracy very much
in accordance with the length OF time
compulsory schooling has been In Ell
feet and the complet aness with which
1t Is enforced
The states vary widely in number
Of years and amount of attendance re-
quired each year The period OF COM
pulsory attendance is from to II in
North Carolina and Virginia. In most
states it is 8 to IA or Is. The pres
ent tendency is to raise the upper
limit Of compulsion. In seventeen
states the compulsory age limit is 16
or above; in Ioaho 1t is IS. As gen.
eral rule, however, children in all
these states are allowed to leave
school at Il years of age IL they Sc
cure employment or have completed
the 9Th grade in school. Thsre is
constantly increasing effort to safe
guard the child between IA and Is
years OF age, the period of special I'M
portance for the vocational prspara.
ton of most children.
AS little as twelve weeks OF school
attendance during any one year may
be required in Virginia, Oklahoma,
Delaware and Nebraska, while In
Vermont and other states there must
be $50 or more days OF actual schooi
attendance every year. Many states
require tendance during the fun
time school is in session." which may
mean anything from Al to 1874 Gays.
Some states secure attendance during
long terms by conditioning state ap-
preparations upon the number o: days
OF actual school attendance.
A variety OF exemptions are found
In the laws OF the different states.
Connecticut and Arkansas Will not
enforce the compulsory attendance
law III the parent is not able to pro-
vide proper clothing for the child.
Physical or mental incapacity Is a
general exemption; another customary
exemption Is remoteness from school
facilities. Occasionally exemptions
are made on religious grounds. Thus
the Michigan law exempts children
from compulsory attendance between
the ages OF IL and IA while In at.
tendance at confirmation classes for
a period not to exceed five months in
each OF the two years.
Necessary factors IN the enforce
ment Of compulsory attendance laws
are summed up as follows: An annual
school census taken by the school
authorities; prompt reports of unex.
Gus I'd absences by teachers in public
and private schools; properly quail
fed attendance officers; state agents
to see that the laws are enforced;
special schools for truants and pupils
irregular In attendance; relief for in
digent parents having children Of com
pulsory age; a definite annual period
Of attendance; well-enforced child
labor laws; employment certificate
made out to the employer: and proper
| penalties for all concerned In the en-
forcement Of the law.