COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81893, 24 November 1906, Page 2

COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

HOW IT IS ENFORCED.

Despite (lie liequcnt explanations ' "I wic -aw an the, puint, by Uuj ijeucn '* '■ by tl ] e Pioss, and despite t-iie •'umcrous fines and prosecutions, .flts still persist in coining before tlio Court charged with not, Having sent Uieir children lo school as x'eouired by th« iiw. Friday saw a whole batch oi cases introduced to the New I lymoutli S.M. Court by the Truant Inspector. It was the same old story In most cases. The child had been Ui> oi) hurt himself# or parent liad not known the Act. In one 01 two instances was given the frank avowal that the pupil had been "kept homo' to assist in the work. Now, although the Be.nch or the Inspector may fully sympathise with parents, the law is practically inflexible. The law provides that where a school jS opened ten times in a \vt/ek, every child between the ages of seven and fourteen years must attend school not less than eight times that is, on eight half-days in that week. Tho child must attend not i-bss than six times in a week, when the school is open eight limes, and tour times when the school opens six times, morning, and afternoon attendances being separately counted. It is provided also that a parent may obtain a certificate exempting the child from attendance in whole 01' ill part. The certificate may be panted by chairman or secretary of 'tho school dommittee., or from the head teacher, upon the parent showing satisfactorily that the child would have to walk more than two null's if under ten, and three miles if over ten years; or that tile child is under efficient and rcgu.'ar instruction elsewhere; or that tii e child is unable to attend school by reason of sickness, danger of infection, tempoiajy or permanent infirmity, or uther sufficient cause; or that the road by which the child has to travel is not sufficiency passable; or that die child has reached a standard of education prescribed as the standard -f exemption.

It must be understood that the certificate must be procured at the time of the absence from school in order io ensure that the name of the absentee - s hall not be given to the inspector for his attention. It is not sufficient to say, when prosecuted, that 'he child was sick. If an exemption certificate has not been obtained.then the production of a medical certificate is necessary to prevent the infliction of a fine. Bub, as Mr Hutchison, S.M., remarked on Friday, parents have had this dinned into them time and again, and stiil allow we chUdrcn to miss school, and are caieless on the matter until brought Ito Court. Let's jiisten to the proceedI wig#.

Here is a case of a parent who produces a medical certificate to explain .he reason of absence. Had the parent obtained an exemption certificate and forwarded it to tlie school teachu', ho need not have had his name on a summons or lost Iks time in attending Court. The charge was ivithdrawn. Two case's were quickly disposed of, fined 2/6 on each charge. fhe next defendant was represented by his wife, who had to add "to her wifely and matel'nal duties the defence of her husband in Court and tht explanation of th c absence of iier wee 'uns from school. "I have to take in sewing l ," she said, "and. if I can't have one of the chi.dren home sometimes to help me, they'll have no clothes to go in, and that'll be worse." The S-M. wanted to know where the husband was. He was answerable, not the wife. After quietening the little urchin who had gown tired of the Court and its predicts, the mother with babe 111 arms replied, ''He's like a good many more ; he drinks half what he earns, and he says he doesn't keep them home, it's me; so 1 have to come." Fined 2/6 and costs 011 each information.

The next delinquent hailed from

I Kitzroy, and in answer to the Bencn, -said knew the boy was at home for three liaJ days, and would have gone to school for the rest of the week out hte horse fell on him and gave him a nasty shaking. The magistrate wondered that the inspector Had picked on this week with on.y one abpolice, when m°rc serious absences were seen on the school register,, and if the father could establish the story of the fall from the horse he would dismiss the charge. He believed in regular attendance, ,but was not going to insist on a boy going to school after a spili from his horse.

I'lie magistrate over-ruled an objection by tlio inspector that when the norse fell the boy was not oil his way to school. The case was adjourned to Monday week, December 3rd, to unable proof to be brought. On tho next case there were four informations, and tho father stated 'lie boy complained of had been sick tor a week. The school register, nowever, showed that the boy had attended a certain number of days in each week, and then the defendant said tile bay liad been regularly sent to school, but perhaps lie did not go. The inspector thought this lad "played the wag," whereas his brother had put up almost a record attendance. Two informations withdrawn ; fines of 2/,6 on e a( ;li of the other two,

■ The parent charged in the sucj cceding information said he had unr derstood he had the right to keejo the ! children from school on two days of the week. It cost him j/(j to find that the law allo\ys two absences only not two days of absence. Another man said ho knew nothing about his youngsters' schooling at the time, for ho was away Hum home. He had no chance now :)£ finding" out, for the mother was absent. "But I don't mind paying the half-crown; he must have been til, I suppose." "Well, pay it, then," said the magistrate, "A''e you a solicitor?" asked the Bench of tho old man w r ho came forward to appear for one defendant. 'No, your Honor, "but she's too i.l; got inlluenza awful bad." "Who, the defendant' "Oh, no, your Honfi'; he'd lose a day, and liis wJfo was coming. The little one's been very til, your Honor." The S.M. was dearly puzzled, but gradually things

ue,ared up, and the old man st<pd in ;tte light" of the defendant's fatiier-ui-law,' the grandfather of the' three youngsters who had been too freiiuentjy marked absent from tiie L-onvi-nt school. He produced a itjctor's certificate concerning one girl and described to a patient ifoncli the agonies suffered by another from toothache, adding that another doctor had advised the mother not to send tho child to school when so suffering. "But doctors know nothing about the School Attendance Act," «iid the S.M. "And then, y-.ur Honor, sometimes it rained, and tho poor little things wotild ggt wet." So eloquentty did tiie old man plead, and so readily prom.se tD produce a doctor's certificate, that judgmentwas held over unti! December 3rd, "and," added the magistrate, "for Heaven's sake send the children to school." "1 will," was (he solemn rejoinder, for all the world like u marriage vow. Summed up, the following parents were mulcted in fines far neglecting to give their children full advantage of the education provided by the country: F. Bayly, John Loveridge, J. llui'lc, B. Fox, E. Coburn, and J, Kenniugton.