Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-04
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE

| G. watson.
AN ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE
S ECTION /. Be it enacted by the
IN General Assembly Of the State of
South Carolina, That from and after
the first day Of July, one thousand
nine hundred and fifteen, every par
ent, guardian, or other person, tenn
porarily or permanently residing in
the State of South Carolina, having
charge or control Of a child or chill
dren between the ages of eight and
| fourteen years, shall cause such child
or children to attend the local public
school in the district in which he
resides, continuously for the entire
school term Of each year, except as
| hereinafter provided. This period Of
mence at the beginning Of the school
term nearest to the eighth birthday
Of such child, and shall cover the
compulsory period Of six consecutive
| school years thereafter. This period
Of compulsory attendance for each
public school shall commence at the
beginning Of the school term Of said
school unless otherwise ordered by
the County Board Of Education in
| III case VI lOWH vi ClllcS VI
two thousand or more inhabitants,
census, by the Board Of Trustees Of
the public schools Of said towns or
cities with the approval in writing
Of the County Superintendent Of Ed
ucation, continuous attendance upon
some other public school, or upon
J some private or church school taught
[ by competent teachers, may be ac-
cepted in lieu Of attendance upon the
local public school: Provided, That
such period Of continuous attendance
upon such other school shall be for
at least as long as the public school
term each year: Provided, further,
That any private school or church
school receiving for instruction pu-
fourteen years shall be required to
keep such records of attendance Of
such children, and to render such
reports Of same as are hereinafter
required Of public schools, and at
tendance upon such school refusing
or neglecting to keep such records
or to render such reports, shall not
be accepted in lieu of attendance up
on the local public school Of the said
! town, city or district where the child
shall be entitled to attend: Provided,
further, That the compulsory school
term in all agricultural districts be
four months, or the full term If the
school runs less than four months,
said term to be fixed by the Board OF
Trustees of such district; and any
child or children not engaged in work
at home in such agricultural districts,
must attend a full term This four
months compulsory provision shall
also apply to any children residing
in agricultural districts and attend
ing schools in any town located in
such districts.
Sec 2. This Act shall not apply in
any case in which the child's physi-
cal or mental condition, as attested
by any legally qualified physician be-
fore the Board of Trustees having
Jurisdiction Of the matter under this
Act, renders his attendance imprac-
ticable or ineXpedient; or in any case
in which the child resides 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 sup
port or the support Of his parents,
as attested by affidavit Of such par
ents and Of such witnesses as the
Trustees of the district may require;
or in any case in which said parent,
or guardian, or other person having
charge or control Of the child shall
show before the Trustees Of the dis
trict by affidavit of himself and of
such witnesses as they may require
that the child is without necessary
books and clothing for attending
school, and that he Is unable to pro-
vide the necessary books and CLOTH
| hooks
and clothes shall have been supplied
by any means whatsoever, the child
shall no longer be exempt from this
provision: Provided, further, That
If the child lives two and one-half
miles or more from the schoolhouse,
and means Of transportation Is fur
nished, the said child, If otherwise
eligible, shall be required to attend
the said school under the provisit j
hereof, and it shall be the duty OF
the Trustees Of the school to pro-
vide out of the public school funds
books for the use of such INDECENT
pupil free Of charge. The power OF
the Board Of Trustees to suspend OF
expel any pupil shall not be curtailed
by this Act, and children so sus-
pended or expelled shall not be sub
ject to the provisions Of this Act
during such period Of suspension OF
expulsion: And, provided, further
That the Board Of Trustees Of any
school district may excuse temporari-
ly any child from attendance, gooo
and sufficient reasons being made II
appear therefor; and in case any
the provisions Of this Act, the said
Board Of Trustees shall reduce tc
writing the reasons for their action
and the time the said child Is ex-
cused.
other person in the State Of South
Carolina having charge or control
Of a child or children between the
ages of eight and fourteen years
shall cause such child to attend
school as aforesaid: Provided, That
occasional absences from attendance
by said child, amounting to not
more than four (4) excused alb
sences in four consecutive weeks
shall not be unlawful: Provided
further, That the Superintendent
Principal or Teacher in charge OF
any school may excuse any child for
a temporary absence because Of un-
usual storm, or bad weather, sick
ness or death in the child's family,
unforeseen or unavoidable accident
and such excuse and reason therefor
shall be recorded by said Superin-
tendent,. Principal or Teacher in
charge of the school, and reported to
the Trustees as hereinafter provided:
Provided, further, That in case of
protracted illness of any child whose
attendance is required under this Act,
or in case Of quarantine Of the home
in which the child resides, upon :e-
port Of the health officer or upon sat-
isfactory evidence to this effect, the
Trustees shall excuse from attendance
such child until he is fully restored to
health, or until the expiration Of the
time required by law that he shall
stay out of school after quarantine
has been raised.
Sec. 4. Every parent, guardian, or
other person in the State of South
Carolina having charge or control of
a child between the ages Of fourteen
and six years. who Is not actually,
regularly and lawfully engaged in
some useful employment or service or
who cannot read at sight and write
legible simple sentences in the Eng
lish language, shall cause such child
to attend regularly some public
school as aforesaid.
| Sec. 5. Any parent, guardian or