Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-28
.TRUANCy DISPUTE
LAID TO CONFLICT
OF PHILOSOPHERS
Judge Sellers Holds Children
Should Bear Their Own
Responsibilities.
BETTER COURT SUPPORT
ASKED BY MISS BENTLEY
Columbia Pupils Disappearance Is
Cause of Latest Flare-up
in Controversy.

Opposing PHILOSOPHERS in child well
fare problems were revealed today as
the leading factor in the long Standing
differences between Judge Kathryn
Sellers OF the District Juvenile Court
and Miss Fay L. Bentley, director Of
school attendance and work permits in
the police schools, who Is directly re-
sponsible for the Enforcement Of the
school attendance law.
While Judge Sellers frankly opposes
the present school attendance law,
which holds parents responsible for their
childrens attendance at school, because,
she declares, Children are human be-
ings who should bear their own respon-
sibilities," Miss Bentley supports the
legislation on the ground that ''truancy"
Is only one overt act" committed by
q child generally as q result Of negli-
gent, careless home training.
The latest fsre-up of differences be-
tween Judge Sellers and the school at
tendance office came with the disap-
pearance five days ago Of Minna Pohlig,
14-year-old Columbia Junior High
School student. School authorities,
! however, today declared there was no
connection between the Pohlig. case and
Judge Sellers latest criticism Of the law.
Views Are Expressed.
Judge Sellers today named an urgent
need for additional school attendance
officers and recognition Of the fact that
school children are human beings as
outstanding factors In any proposed re-
form of the method of handling that
form of juvenile delinquency.
At the same time, Judge Sellers de-
clared that the school attendance Of
fee is not entirely to blame for any lax
ness in forcing children TO attend class.
hat hn
school attendance Office had received
better support at the Juvenile Court
during the first year Of the laws oper-
alton, there would be less truancy today.
Our school attendance law Is ade-
quate and proper" Miss Bentley de-
clared. 1T Is almost identical with the
school attendance laws Of other leading
cities and II enforced it would be ample
to cope with our situation"
Except where there Is a physical or
mental deficiency, Miss Bentley believes,
truancy Is the result Of parents lack
Of discipline and control.
Holds Parents Responsible.
"There are cases of children staying
away from school when their parents
make every effort to send them" Miss
Bentley admitted. There generally Is
something radically wrong either with
the mental equipment or the physical
condition of the child which makes
them subjects for psychiatrtsts, but
these are comparatively few.
II really believe that in most cases q
child's staying away from school with
out real cause Is the result of negligent
home discipline and Is the parents real
responsibility"
So far as the case of the Pohlig girl is
concerned. Miss Bentley said there was
no connection between her disappear
ance and any Juvenile Court action.
The child had been absent from Co
lumbia Junior High School great deal
because of alleged illness, according to
formal excuses made by the girls
grandmother, with whom she lived. The
grandmother refused to divulge the
whereabouts Of the girls father and the
school attendance ONCE has been I'M
able to communicate with him. AS soon
as three days unauthorized absence,
however, were reported last week, Miss
Bentley wrote a letter to the girls
father, requesting him to communicate
with her. The letter was mailed to the
grandmother's address last week and o
day later the child was reported miss
ing from home. Meanwhile Miss Bent
ley has heard nothing from the father.
Judge Sellers objection to the school
attendance lew Is not new, she pointed
out today. Her annual reports have
carried recommendation for change In
the legislation for the past four years.