The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-04-21
An ACT TO REQUIRE SCHOOL Ar.
TENDANCE.

|
TENDANCE.
Section |. BE it enacted by the
General Assembly OF the State OF
south Carolina, That from and after
'ne llrst day OF July, one thousand
hinc hundred and fifteen, every par
cnt, guardian, or other person, tenn
porariiy or permanently residing in
the State of South Carolina, having
charge or control of child or chill
drcn between the ages of eight and
fourteen years, shall cause such child
or children to attend the local public
school III the district in which he re-
sides, continuously for the entire
school term OF each year, except as
mere matter provided. This period Of
compulsory attendance shall com
mcncc at the beginning of the school
term nearest to the eighth birthday OF
such child, and shall cover the COM
pulsory 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
writing; in case of town or cities of
TWO thousand or more inha abitants, ac-
cording to the preceding Federal cen
sus, by the Board of Trustees Of the
pubic schools of said towns or cities
with the approal in writing of the
| county superintendent of Education
Continuous attendance upon some
other public school. or upon some pri-
ate or church school taught by com
pctcnt teachers, may be accepted in
lieu OF attendance upon the local pub
lie school: Provided That such period
OF continuous attendance upon sucl,
other school shall be for at least as
long as the public school term each
year: Provided, further, That any pri-
vatc school or church school rccciv-
ing Tor instruction pupils between the
ages OF eight and fourteen years shall
be required to keep such records OF
attendance of such children, and to
render such reports Of same as arc
hereinafter required of public schools
and attendance upon such school re-
fuSinS or ncglccting to keep such rec
ordS or to render such reports, Shall
not be accepted in lieu OF attendance
upon the local public school OF tho
said town, city or district where the
child shall be entitled to attend: Pro
vidcd, further, That the compulsory
school term in all agricultural dis
trictS shall be four months, or ihC
full term if the school runs less than
four months, said term to be fixed by
the Board of Trustees of such district
ana any child or children not engaged
IN work at homo in such agricultural
districts, must attend full term. This
lour months compulsory provision
shall also apply to all children rcsid-
Ing in agricultural districts and at
tending schools in any town located
in such districts.
:. This Act shall not apply in any
case in which the chlds physical ol
mental conditions, as attcstcd by any
legally qualified physician before the
Board OF Trustees having jurisdiction
or The matter under this Act, renders
his attendance impractcablc or mex
} pedicnt; or in any case in which the
child resides two and onc-half miles
or more by the nearest Travelled route
from the SchoOlhouSc; or in any case
In which, because OF extreme poverty
the services Of such child are ncccs-
Sary FOR his own support or the sup
port OF his parents, as attcstcd by aiIi-
daVitS OF such parents and Of such wit
ncsScs as the Trustees OF the district
may require; or in any case in which
said parent, guardian, or other person
having charge or control of the child
u
district 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
ing: Provided, That when books and
clothes shall have been supplied by
any means whatsoever, the child shall
no longer be exempt from this pro
vision: Provided, further. That If the
child lives two and one-half miles OF
more from the schoOlhOuse. and means
Of Transportation Is furnished. the said
child, If otherwise eligible, shall be
REQUIRED to attend 'hc said school un.
der the provisions hereof, and 1t shall
be the duty Of the Trustees Of the
school to provide, out Of the public
school funds, books for the use OF
: such INDECENT pupils free of charge
The power Of the Board OF Trustees
to suspend or expel any pupil shall
not be curtailed by this Act, and chill
dren so suspended or expelled shall
not be subject to the provisions of this
Act during such period of suspension
or expulsion And, provided further
That the Board of Trustees OF any
school district may excuse temper.
arily any child from attendance, goot
and sufficient reasons being made tC
appear therefor; and In case any chilf
Is excused temporarily under the pro.
visions of this Act. the said Board Of
Trustees shall reduce to writing the
reasons for their action, and the time
the said child Is excused
3. Every parent, guardian, or 9th
er person in the State of South Caro-
lima having charge Or control of {