The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-10-14

l,:of Of Ex-President woodrow Wilson
vas enjoying an afternoon auto spun
her car travelling at so niles an noT
+ .Ca.iMren Not attending School.
tEditor. Daily Item:
& /. have. been, informed by a re-
liable and Representative gentleman
soa this city stfat:it isSreported that
there gre some. children lin this
city and in this county in the rural
fschoel districts, who arefbeIng Kept
away from school because their
parents nave not the money with
which to. purchase school books.
I do not know whether this is
true or not, and If it is true, to
what extent this deplorable con-
ditien Of affairs exists. If it is not
true, then the reports ought to be
corrected. and if It is true. why it
seems to me that the paen and
women of Sumter and Sumter
county ought to get busy doing
I something about it.
It matters not what the condi-
ton of city or county might be.
whether we are experiencing
! hard tines or in the midst of
normal prosperity, the God-given
right of every boy and every girl
TO. an opportunity of securing an
/: education should not be overlook
| cd. T am satisfied that if an in.
! vestigation is made through the
! proper authorities, If there he any
! regularly delegated official aut!lori-
!, ties in this county charged with the
/ duties Of looking after the attend
ance Of our children in our schools.
/! and sue hinyestigation ,discloses the
existence of any such conditions as
/! are reported. whether the NUM-
! bers Of such children be great or
! sn9alI.s that the citizens OF, Sumter
fand, Sumter county, through their
/ legislative delegation and Sumter
City Board OF. Education. will take
the necessary steps Immediately
! to see. that books. are provided,
/: either by the city and county au
j thorities, for. by popular contribu-
tons for that purpose. It might be
/; now, as It has ever been the case
4 that some unfortunate. boys and
girls in the absence Of a truant OF
] ficer to enforce the compulsory at
tendance laws, which were enact
led to protect helpless children. are
(; the victims Of ignorant. carless, or
{! Indifferent parents, who are 100
stingy to assist in giving their chill
! dren an education. even when the
state. city. and county provide
ample educational facilities at the
expense of the taxpayers.
I Ne doubt Some will say that
am "butting in" on some school
officials duties or preregatives, but
!. I do not intend to do so.
About the only way find out
J whether this report is correct or
/ not is to resort to the We'll es-
1
evil or correcting same or running
I; down erroneous reports about pub
+ lie matters, is to publish the same.
: What is. everybody's business is
in a great many instances nobodys
business, while at tines what is
nobody's business Is. nearly every
body business. 1t VIII not hurt
l.anyone If those who are charged
With the duties. if anyone is so
vested With such duties. Will jnves-
tigate this report. If it be found
ito, be correct. then let them ,e-
port the facts and somebod. Will
! surely get busy seeing that books
are provided in some way for The
children, either by enforcement of
the compulsory attendance laws,
III such enforcement be necessary
J or by appropriations or by cor
/! t,ibutions. Personally, am will
ing to Go my part in any move
n9ent which Will. through inves-
tigaiion, find oat whether there are
any children who are being kept
i out OF school for any reasons
; whatsoever, and 20 help get them in
. the schools. Il anyone feels that /
! ought to work as we'll as kick. be-
cause, like the Elule. kickers ought
| tu be as able to work as to kick.
j | can DO both when have to.
E /. Reardon.
(The compulsory school attend
ance law. as amended. requires the
, trustees of the respective school dis
tricts to enforce the provisions OF
the law, except in counties that
| employ (; school attendance officer.
; Until this year Sumter county has
employed an attendance officer
who actively enforced the law. hut
sl1is officer has been dispensed with.
aGS if the law is enforced in fu-
,lIre. it must be done by the trus-
teeO.
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