The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-12-29
TAX PROBLEMS N
In BINGHAM
Truancy and Delin-
quency Increases Cost.
Of Government r
Chapter v.

pected 10 be less than usual.
The Oregon Short Line railroad
company paid in $59,001. They
usually pay some part Of their take.
/, under protest, but they pay It to pro
tect themselves against the paymen,
OF penalty II the decision goes
against them so we are not sure oi
getting an equal amount next June
however, that is one half OF the taxes
that the county claims they owe.
n recent years we have had con.
siderable to say about the legislation
that has been enacted to protect the
poor people and the widows and we
have been reporting how it worked
out practically. We wish now I'd
bring to the attention Of our readers
that considerable, legislation has
been enacted to enforce what is gen.
orally known as the compulsory edu-
cation law. Some ten or eleven
years ago or at about the time the
widows pension law was enacted we
also provided for a county probation
officer to look after the schools, at
tend to the absent pupils, the truant
pupils and the delinquent pupils. The
work Of this department has been
increasing In Bingham county and
the expense bill has been increasing.
There was time when the truant
officer was on half day at time
for certain days In the week or Sat
urday of each week and was paid
only for the time occupied at what
ever there might be to do. The tru-
ant officer Is on q regular salary now
and the mode Of operating is
changed from what it used to be in
school work.
In the olden time it lay between
the parent, the teachers and the
trustees to enforce the compulsory
education law. If the pupils were
out of school the teachers had to see
about It.. II she and the parents
could not get action or If they could
not cooperate, the trustees were ex-
pected to get action ON the pupils
who did not attend school. Under
the present condition it is the duty Of
the teacher to confer with the par
ents If the pupils are absent two
days. If they do not reach sat
isfactory understanding then the
teacher reports the matter to the
county superintendent, the county
superintendent reports it to the pro-
baton officer, the probation officer
reports it to the probate judge and
the probate Judge tells the probation
officer what to do about the COM
plant. In this county an arrange
ment has been made by which the
probation officer is authorized to
drive out in her own car, see the
teacher and find out what Is the lat
est on the subject in regard to the
pupil reported absent, truant or de-
linquent as the case may be and then
go and see the parents and see If
an agreement can be reached. The
probation officer takes the view that
she is there to enforce the compul-
sorry education law and if they cannot
harmonize their differences and
come to an understanding that is
right and reasonable, it becomes the
duty of the probation officer to re-
port the case to the probate Judge,
who in turn flies complaint against
the parent, swears out warrant for
their arrest and has them brought
into court for an accounting. In
large number of cases the trouble is
settled between the teacher and the
parent. In many other cases the
probation officer drives out and gets
matters satisfactorily adjusted. Very
few are brought into court and US
ually one trip into court gets mat
ters to operating properly. Only in
rare cases do they have to be called
into court a second time and fined or
other penalties imposed. Most Of the
trouble arises from lack Of under
standing on the part Of the parent
or lack Of appreciation Of their re-
sponsibilities to the children and the
state. When they are instructed by
the probation officer or the probate
Judge they usually admit their faults |
and takeup the line of action sug-
gested by the officers.
In the good old days most of the |
people wanted their children edu-
Gated; most Of the children wanted |
to go to school or at least they went. |
They put up with such facilities as |
there were ana there was no expense |
Of enforcing the school law. In the
present day 1t is different. The |
schools are maintained for the bene-
At Of the family, but there seems to |
be an infinite number of rebellious |
families or rebellious families who |
do not voluntarily attend school ac-
carding to law
II people want to know what it |
costs them to have this rebellious
spirit in the community and In the
county and how much 1t adds to the
tax list to combat 1t on the plans the |
law now provides for, they can get /
a pretty good knowledge Of the situa-
tion by reviewing the long list OF ex-
penses published in this article.
When a sheriff goes out to serve
legal papers he vets 20 cents mile
for his travel. When the probation
officer drives out to look after de-
iinquent or truant pupils or alb
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