The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1919-03-21
MISSOURI CODE
Of CHILD LAWS
IS INNOVATION

countries and state and government
officials are closely watching the
progress of the Missouri Children's
Code, now before the state legis-
lature.
The code of fifty-one child well
fare laws drawn by committee
appointed by Governor Gardner, is
said to be the most complete ever
offered for legislative action. Pro-
ponents express confidence Of is
enactment.
Enactment of somewhat similar
codes repeating old laws revising
others and containing new regula-
tons is being sought in many states
by the National Committee for
Standardizing Children's Laws,
which has the support of the Ma
tional Child Labor Committee. But
nothing has been attempted on so
broad a scale and the outcome in
Missouri is awaited as somewhat of
a test case, according to Lucille s.
! Lowenstein, of the Missouri COM
mission.
The code provides for support of
children born out of wedlock; raises
the age of consent to 16 years; es
tablishes the marriage age at Is;
abolishes common law marriages;
provides for extradition of child de-
serters; provides for punishment
of adults responsible for child de-
! linouency establishes a state home
for dependent children; establishes
a bureau for mental detectives at
the University of Missouri 10 serve
courts. schools and institutions in
examination of detectives, and pro-
vides special classes in public schools
for predetermined, deaf, blind and
crippled children. Marriage of
Predetermined and epileptics would
be prohibited.
| The codes labor section prohibits
employment of children under IA
in any occupation unless an employ
ment certificate has been obtained,
except during vacation periods. Boys
over u years old and girls past
rs could engage in street trades
if licensed and supplied with badges
after special examinations. Child
rem under 16 could not be employed
more than hours a day or As hours
! week, and children under p coul
not work as night messengers. Sne-
cial permits would be required for
! children under Is working under
ground, on power machinery, or on
the stage. ....
Completion of the eighth grade
would be necessary before employ
ment certificates were issued, and
the compulsory school attendance
age would be raised to 16. unless
the child had finished the eighth
| grade. Poverty of parents would
not be grounds for school exemption.
The state board of health would
have charge of a division of child
hygiene and would regulate condi-
lions and provide physical examina-
ton. School authorities would be
required to open schools for public
meetings or community purposes.
| The county superintendent Of
public welfare would be charged
with administration of the laws and,
with his assistants, would act as
probation, attendance and parole
officer for children.
Canadian social service leagues,
universities throughout America,
/! directors of state welfare commits
sions, army officers, uplift associa-
tions in Hawaii and Buenos Aires,
| public library associations and va
rious government bureaus have re-
quested special information as to the
details of the code The proposed
laws will be debated from all angles
by special committees of the two
houses before being brought up for
action.