Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-08-16
AcQUIs MRS BURGESS SSsoNStENS TODAYSCHooL ATTENDANCE

Ages of Eight And Twelve Years a
Schools And Provides Penaltles
For Failure.
! In less than month from now the
public schools will reopen attc" the
annual summer vacation. For The
benefit of parents or guardians who
may bc dilatory in sending their chill
dren to school the Gazette gladly pub
lshes the law on the subject which
was approved Ly the state !e"is!a-
turr March 81, 1918, and which i as
/ follows:
/ l. BE it enacted by the generai
assembly of Virginia, That every pAi.
ent, guardian or other person having
charge or control of any child be-
tween the ages Of eight and twelve
/ years, shall be required to send such
child to public school Of this Com
monwcalth for at least sixteen
weeks in each school year. which at
! tendance shall commence at the be-
ginning of the school term, unless
otherwise ordered by the district
school board, and shall be as nearly
continuous and consecutive as condl-
tons will permit, provided, however,
that this act shall not apply in the
case Of any child weak in body o.
mind, able to read and write or at
tending private school, or living
more than two miles by the usually
Travelled route from the nearest pub
lie school, or more than one mile
from the line of an established pub
lie free wagon route, or excused for
cause by the district school trus.
tees.
,. Each district school board in
the State shall, within fifteen days
after the schools open in the fall, as
certain the condition of all children
between the ages of eight and twelve
who are not in attendance upon any
public school, and shall report all
violations of this act to the division
superintendent, who shall at once
prosecute each and every ofIense.
3. In all cases of non-enrolmcnt
anI non attendance reported to him.
the division superintendent shall
make 2 careful investigation OF the
facts in the case, and where no valid
reason for non-enrollmcnt and non
attendance is found. he shall give
written notice to the parent, guard
ian, or other person having control
of the child. and in the event Of the
absence of the parent, or guardian
OF either person having control of the
child from his or her usual place OF
RESIDENCE. the division supcrintend-
cnt shall leave Il copy Of the notice
with some person over twelve years
of aye residing at the usual place of
residence Of such parent, guardian.
or other person having control OF
such child which notice shall require
the attendance of such child ut TIE
school therein named, within serc1
davs from the date Of SAL noti"c.
i If within seven days from .hc
date of the service of III. not,c" as
aforesaid. the parent. guardian, "r
person having control CT such chilJ
Ices not comply with the provisions
of this act, then the division supalin-
tendcnt shall make complaint III
the name of the Commonwealth o.
Virginia before a justice Of tie peace
or police Justice Of the district or
city in which such parent. guardian.
or other person having control OF
such child resides, or complain may
be made in the corporation court or
circuit court of the city or county in
which such child resides, which Off
GERS and courts are hereby clothed
with Jurisdiction over all aifcnscs
! and re proceedings under this act
! with fl.:::. power to hear and try all
complaints. impose fines, penalties
md f.llly execute the provisions of
this ACT.
.. Any parent. guardian. or other
person who fails to comply with the
provisions of this act shall be
/ ruilty Of a misdemcanor and shall be
liable to fine not exceeding twenty
dollars for each ofense. Such fine
! shall be collected as other fines i'm
nosed in the name OF the Common.
wealth Of Virginia are collected.
6. The clerk of the district schoo
board in each district shall report Il
the division superintendent every Of
fense against the provisions of. thi:
act when a member Of the distric
school board, or any citizen of TIL
district in which the offending part!
resides files with him an affidavi
I