Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-07-30
new COMPULSORY
ATTENDANCE Law
COUNTY SUPT. EXPLAINS LAW
RELATIVE TO REGULARITY
OF ATTENDANCE.
LAW is CLEAR ON THIS POINT

LAW lO OALAh VN AAAC AOANA
Second of Series of Articles Prepared
by County Supt. Relative to New
School Laws.
wv. A. Ottillie.)
One Of the biggest problems which
confronts the rural teacher in her
work is to secure punctuality and
regularity of attendance. Both are
fundamental to the operation of a
successful school. Without them no
teacher should be expected to conduct
an efficient school nor be held re
sponsible for results. In past years
the teachers of the county have ex-
perienced great deal Of difficulty
in securing regular attendance. We
hope to be able to remedy this de-
feet during the present school year.
In order that there may be no mis-
understanding concerning the attend
ance. laws we shall give such ex-
cerpts oi the law astapply to this
discussion. Sec. 2S23-a reads as fol-
lows: Any person having control of
any child Of the age Of seven to six
teen years inclusive. in proper physi-
cal and mental condition to attend
school, shall cause such child to at
tend some public, private, or paroch-
ial school, where the common school
branches of reading, writing, spelling,
arithmetic, grammar, geography, ply
siology and United States history are
taught, or to attend upon equivalent
instruction by competent teacher
elsewhere than school, for at least
,twenty-four consecutive weeks in
each school year, commencing with
the first week of school after the figst
day Of September, unless the board
of school directors shall determine
upon a later date which date shall
not be later than the first Monday
in December, but the board Of school
directors in any city Of the first or
second class may require attendance
for the entire time the schools are
in session in any school year. Pro-
vided that this section shall not ap-
ply to any child who lives more than
two miles from any. school by the
nearest travelled road except in those
districts in which the pupils are
transported at public expense, or
who is over the age Of fourteen and
is regularly employed; or has educa-
tional qualifications equal to those
Of pupils who have completed the
eighth grade; or who is excused for
sufficient reason by any court Of re-
cord or Judge thereof: or while at
tending religious service or receiving
religious instructions. Any persons
who shall violate the provisions Of
this section shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor, and upon conviction there
| of shall pay fine of not less than
three dollars nor more than twenty
dollars, for each offense.
In the above article it will be OBJ.
served that the law makes education
compulsory for all children between
the ages of seven and sixteen. II
child is not enrolled in the public
school evidence must be furnished up.
on request that the school he at.
tends is teaching all of the common
school branches, which will include
from now on a course in citizenship
training. 1t will be further observed
that the child must attend at least
six months of school, consecutively
and that this period Of six months
commences with the opening OF the
fall term, unless otherwise specified
by the board Finally, that this COM
pulsory attendance continues in force
until he has finished the eight ele-
mentary grades, or passed his six
teenth year.
In some cases there have been at
tempts made to evade the law by
making q, claim that the children were
attending some school outside OF the
district. In order that we may prop
erly check up such cases we shall
look over the reports from alf schools,
public and private, at the opening OF
the fall term and we shall be forced
to take up all cases in which the re-
cords do not show strict COM
pliance with the law.
Sec. 2S23-f provides: 1t shall be
the duty of the director or president
of any board of directors, or any tru-
ant officers appointed by such board
of directors, to enforce the provisions
of this act. to sue for and recover the
penalties herein provided, and to in
stitute prosecution against any per-
son violating the provisions of this
act, and any such officers neglecting
to do so within thirty (30) days after
a written notice has been served upon
him by any citizen Of said district or
the county superintendent Of the
county within which such offending
person shall reside, shall himself be
liable to a fine of not less than ten
(S10 dollars nor more than twenty
(S2O) dollars for each offense.
The law here very evidently places
responsibility on the director Of the
sub-district or the president of the
board in the independent district. BY
this act he is compelled to bring suit
in all cases of violation Of the school
attendance law. II he refuses to do
so he himself becomes liable to fine
of $1,000 for each Offense.
The county superintendent when
notified by the teacher or resident Of
the district of any violation Of this
art must at once notify the director