EDUCATION 



1949 



EDUCATION 











attendance laws have been particularly neces- 

 sary because of the tendency to employ chil- 

 dren in mines, factories and large stores and 

 to exploit them at home. In large cities it is 

 comparatively easy to enforce the laws, but in 

 the country and in smaller towns it is often 

 very difficult. Probably some of the worst 

 examples of child exploitation may be found 

 on farms. 



Compulsory attendance laws are enforced 

 by truant officers who are appointed by the 

 local boards of education. These officers 

 usually have the authority to arrest and com- 

 mit to school any child to whom the law ap- 

 plies. If, after warning, the parents do not 

 keep their children in school, the officer has 



Republlshed by permission. 



authority to arrest the parents and bring them 

 before the local court for trial. 



Within the last few years it has become plain 

 that three or four different types of school are 

 necessary in any city which is determined to 

 carry out the compulsory attendance law. 

 There must be special institutions for those 

 pupils who have become incorrigible and whose 

 parents have lost control of them, because the 

 attendance of such children in the ordinary 

 school is harmful to the other pupils. A modifi- 

 cation of such an institution, in the form of a 

 day school which would add to the ordinary 

 school course enough interesting play and 

 work to keep the child busy all day and pre- 

 vent his being on the streets, could take care 



