Evening star., 1921-06-11
MODEL EDUCATION :.
|. BILL INTRODUCED
Compulsory Attendance and
Daily Census Of D. G.
Children Provided.

Compulsory school attendancs OF
children in the District OF Columbia
and a school census are provided Tor
in bill prepared by Supt. Ballou Of
the public schools. after consultation
with members Of the board Of sduca-
ton and introduced in the Senate and
House yesterday by senator CappSr
Of Kansas and Representative. Focnt
Of Pennsylvania, respectively.
Senator Capper said today that ne
and other members of the Senate
District committee planned to get be-
hind this measure and put 1t throogh
drafted at the request Of the Senate
District subcommittee on schools,
which recently conducted extensive
hearings on the school situation IN
the District.
The bill is designed to give the
District q model compulsory school
attendance law. 1t is intended 70
work in conjunction with the present
child labor law Of the District; but
does not seek to make amendments to
the child labor law.
Under the provisions Of the bill
every parent, guardian or other per-
son residing permanently or tempo
rarily in the District who has charge
of q child between the ages OF seven
ana ana nfteen years. - shall L. Ss"ss tn the ss
q public school or in private or
parochial school or instructed pri-
vately during the school year.
Provision for Workers.
1t is provided that any child be-
tween fourteen and sixteen years Of
age. who has completed satisfactorily
the eighth-grade course Of study In
in other schools, may be excused by
the superintendent of schools from
further attendance, provided he u
actually. legally employed.
The bill provides that a daily record
Of attendance Of all children between
seven and sixteen years of age shall be
Kept BY the teachers Of every public.
private or parochial school and by
every teacher giving instructions pri-
vately. This record shall at all times
be open to the school attendance Of
ficers.
1t shall be the duty Of every prin-
ctpal of a school or private teacher to
report to the department Of school at
tendance and work permits, created
under this act, the name of any child
between the ages Of seven and sixteen
IN his school whenever the child has
been absent from school two day ses-
sions or four one-half day sessions in
reason for such absence, as far as is
known.
Permit for Absenee.
The board of education is author
ICED to issue a certificate excusing
from attendance at school a child who
upon examination Is reported to b
unable mentally or physically to prof.
1t from attendance at school. How
ever. IL such a child may benef1t from
specialized instruction he shall at
tend a typical. ungraded or other spe-
Nia NIoS Aol <N tie
1t shall be the duty Of the department
OF school attendance and work permits
to cause to be made a complete census
of all children between the ages Of three
and eighteen. permanently or tenn
porarily residing in the District Of
or as soon thereafter as practicable.
and annually thereafter. Provision 10
m ade that this census shall be amend
ed from day to day as changes Of resi-
dence occur among the children and
as other children come within the
ages prescribed or shall become resi-
dents Of the District
Any parent. guardian. principal or
teacher of child at three and under
eighteen years OF age who withholds
Information or makes q false state
ment concerning the age of school
wilfuiiy neglects or refuses to answer
any inquiry lawfully made or to COM
ply with the requirements Of the
act shall be guilty Of q misdemeanor
and upon conviction shall be fined not
more than $50.
Any parent or guardian Of Q child
between the ages Of seven and six
ten who Is unlawfully absent from
public or private school. or private
instruction, shall be guilty Of . mis-
demeanor and upon conviction of
failure to keep the child regularly At
school shall be punished by q fine
Of $40 or by commitment to jail for
i've days or both. It is provided that
each two days that q child remains
away from school unlawfully shall
constitute q separate offense.
The department Of school attend
ance and work permits created by the
bill under the board Of education shall
be empowered to carry out the pro-
visions Of the act. The board Of edu-
cation is authorized and directed to
appoint q director o. this new de-
partment whose rank shall corre-
spond to that Of other directors. who
serve as officers Of the board Of edu-
cation; also to appoint such q num-
ber of attendance officers, inspectors,
clerks, etc, as shall be necessary to
carry out the provisions Of the act.
These appointments, other than the
director, shall be made from q list OF
applicants obtained from open COM
petitive examination.
The bill provides that there shall
be appropriated the sum OF $30.000 for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1922.
to carry into effect the provisions OF
this act. The act is to take effect
July l, 1921.