Imperial Valley press., 1917-04-19
Supervisors Have Author
itory to Appoint Attend
ance Officer to Handle
Matter in Larger Districts
Out of 80 Districts Can,
vassed 200 Children Ab-
sent From Scho0l-Inves-
tigatiOn Has Been Ordered

At the annual session of the I'm
perial county school trustees tomor-
row at the Wilson school auditorium
the prominent question before the
members will be that of enforcing
school attendance.
The matter will be discussed at
length by School Superintendent A.
P. Shibley, who has just completed
a canvass of the various districts, of
which 38 report total of 209 pupils
absent.
Recently Superintendent Shibley
mailed out return cards to each of
the teachers in the so districts in
this county. The teachers were re-
quested to report the rumber of ele-
mentary pupils in that district who
should be in school, stating how many
OF these reside within distance of
TWO miles from the schoolhouse. 1t
was also ascertained the number of
those who were so irregular in at
tendance as to be unable to do effec-
tive work.
After the reports had been received
and tabulated it was seen that SO
districts had reported at this time
and of these 209 pupils were out of
school and that 6S scholars resided
two or more miles from the school
Luilding and that sc were enrolled
who were not keeping Up to the stand
ard set for the regular pupils.
A report of the attendance at the
various schools will be laid before
the trustees tomorrow and the matter
discussed. Last year the trustees
took up the subject with a view of
providing regulations for better at
tendance, but lacked the necessary
data at that time 20 complete the
I,ans. With the figures obtained by
Professor Shibley this year, it is very
likely that a renewed effort will be
made to compel attendance of those
who are liable for school service.
The average attendance in Imperial
county is excellent at that, but the
officials believe it is incumbent on
them to see that all Of legal age and
not barred are in attendance.
In districts where there are 800 or
ever enrolled it is within the jurisdic-
ton of the trustees to appoint an at
tendance officer, but this would only
apply to such districts as Ell Centre
Brawley and Calexico. The statutes
permit of complaints of non-attend
arce being referred to the trustees,
who, in turn, authorize the clerk of
the board to investigate. If the facts
are warranted, the clerk may prose-
cute the parent for failure to compel
his children to attend school.
This system has not been of the
best, as it has been pointed out that
the clerk is frequently neighbor of
the parent and it is rather embarras-
sing to prosecute in these cases, es-
pecially when the official would prob
ably only gain the i'll will of his
neighbor and at the same time not
receive any monetary reward for his
oi,igance.
There are exemptions which are
frequently used to provide excuses
those over Is years of age and those
who have completed grammar schoo
courses together with those who are
physically unable to attend.
Professor A. Z. Winship, editor o1
the Journal of Education in Boston
is expected to arrive tomorrow morn
ing and be in attendance at the an
nual meeting. Professor Winship ii
ICONTINUED ON PAGE THREEl