The Prescott daily news., 1917-08-24
NEW SCHOOL LAWS WILL BE EP0CHAL
Inform Text Book and Compul- sory Aattendance Laws Will Become Effective With Open ing of Fall Term.

pscinning with the fall term of the .nblc schools, two new and to some vtont revolutionary laws will become {aoctive in the educational system of ho state. These are the uniform text look and the compulsory attendance tatutes, which educators believe are |nochal in their relation to the schools < the state. The application of these sws will do more to standardize the Iubc schools than anything else done many years-and there has been |ome most important school legisla- ion during the last ten years.
 The advantages of uniform series text books, interchangeable among he districts of the state, and not sub- pct to change at the whim of school Ioards, have been so thoroughly dis ussed that they are we'll understood. he system adopted by the commits ion after weeks of examination and onsideration, seems to have met with eneral approval, as no opposition has een heard to the books chosen. No hange will be made for six years, and counties where unfoirmity had pre- iously been adopted, the text books low in use will be used until the con- fact expires, when the state adoption Fill obtain.
 Probably even more important is he compulsory attendance law, which ecOmes effective Sept. 1, applicable all counties in the state. It had een a law in some counties for sev- Fal years, but the last Legislature pade it general law. It will require Fery child between seven and fifteen ears of age, both inclusive, to attend bme public, private, or parochial fhool at least three-fourths of the eSsiOns annually in which the child Psldes. They must enter school not ter than two weeks after the open g of the school term. Exemptions fe allowed the following classes:
 Children mentally or physically in- pacltated to perform school duties. Children who have completed the |mmon school course of study, in- |udng the seventh grade as outlined the state superintendent of public stuction.
 0hddren whose services are needed support a widowed mother.
 It is the duty of the attendance of ger to investigate all cases of non- tendance and notify the parents u guardians when the children fail comply with the provisions of this me penalty for non-attendance falls parent or guardian-maximum fine fense.
 Y snail be the duty of the prescott
 attorneys of the state or their pu''eS to prosecute all violators of act as in the case of any other isdemeanor
 snail be the duty of the grand l'' to investigate all cases of non- ''Huahce at school and return in- s'plents Tn accordance with the evi- Fnce and the facts.
 ' sahll be the duty of all school aluS to provide ample means of pub n :" 'S posting notices or by public Ii%D'cements, Ii% as to the date on any session of school shall be-
 9u'h notice to be given at least |ssOn. ''''''is ol the ~ 'e'leVed that this law will be t.nd means of greatly increasing the \ uance in the common schools. a.t ""s at It will eventually have the ss s' .S oi materially reducing the de- ls,s ~ llllteraey in the state. Com Igly ths attendance prevails in nearly as las4 states Arkansas being among
 last to adopt it.
 anots t.ly Tn line with these reforms |uptv 'aet a that is still subject to ta'y ta"i., 0ptiOn-tha of county suner' rO (re vhey, adS! A dozen new counties Ms' aaded to the list by the peonle at bdsnay,. may election-and when pur superin. n. (alsd lVy Is adopted, it cannot be re- (stia, out ,a if it is defeated at anv rriss s''' It . can be resubmitted until # ben .n But wherever it has been