The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-07-17
SCHOOL NEWS
and VIEWS.
By Co. Superintendent, ]. r. Meador

By Co. Superintendent, ]. r. Meador
The Institute for colored teachers
for Breckenridge and Meade counties
will be held in joint session and will
convene at Irvington on Monday,
August s, 1918.
| J. w. Bell, principal of the Earring
ton Colored School, will conduct the
! Institute.
Numerous inquiries relative to the
compulsory attendance law are COM
ing to me. 1t seems that most every
body is willing to comply with the
law, but it is not clear to all just
what is required. The law, as it ap-
plies to attendance, sets forth very
clearly the duty of teachers, trustee
and patrons.
THE teacher at the end of each
week shall report the name and age
of each and every child between the
ages of seven and fourteen years in
elusive, who fails to attend his or her
school for a period of three days dur
ing the week to the sub-district trus-
tee or the chairman of the board of
trustees. 1t shall be the duty of the
sub-district trustee or chairman of
the board of trustees to Immediately
investigate said case or cases and II
it is neglect or refusal on the parent,
guardian, or other person having the
custody of said child, the trustee or
chairman shall Immediately report
said case to the nearest court having
jurisdiction of same and it shall be
the duty of said court to Immediately
issue his warrant against the parent,
guardian, or other person failing and
refusing to send said child to school
and said court shall proceed to try
said case as other criminal cases are
tried"
Any person or persons failing or
refusing to comply with all or any
part of this section shall be fined
not less than five ($5.OO) dollars nor
more than twenty $4,000 dollars"
1t will be seen from the above that
this is as mandatory upon the teacher
and trustee as upon the patron.
The teacher must report absentees
and the trustee must investigate
cases reported, but the law provides
that if in the discretion of the trustee
it is found to be neglect or refusal
on the part of the parent, then only,
is the trustee compelled to report to
the court.
Many farmers complain that they
must have their boys at home to work
in the crop during the busy season
and | have been asked in numerous
cases to excuse children from atten-
dance for certain period, but | have
absolutely no authority to excuse airy
one from compliance with the law. |
This is left entirely to the discretion |
of the local trustee 1t is my opinion |
however, and desire, that trustees will
be considerable, and, owing to the
great scarcity of labor, not hold to
the letter of the law regardless of the
demands of the farm. If the parent
indicates a willingness and desire to
get his children into school as soon as
possible and if they are really and
effectively working on the farm, the
school authorities will be considerable
Of their case. However, when child
zen are kept out of school on the pre-
ext of working it will be the duty of
he local trustee to know that that
10Y works every day Men of draft
lge must work or fight. Children of
school age, must work or go to
chool!
White teachers Institute will con-
'ene at Hardinsburg on Monday,
uly 20. Every teacher of a common
chool in Breckenridge county must
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