Monroe: Progress and Proinoiion 



15 



they fail to respond satisfactorily and the school asks them 

 to repeat the work of the year, the expense of the instruc- 

 tion for that year has been largely wasted, and, more impor- 

 tant, pupils' time and efforts have also been largely wasted. 

 The extent to which children respond in a manner which 

 the school considers satisfactory is indicated by the progress 

 of the children thru the several grades. 



I. THE ELIMINATION OF PUPILS 



Legal Provisions for Compulsory Attendance. The school 

 laws of the state of Indiana provide for compulsory attend- 

 ance as follows: 



1. It shall be the duty of every parent, guardian, or other person, 

 in the state of Indiana, having the control or charge of any child, to 

 cause such child to attend regularly a public, private, or parochial day- 

 school, or two or more of such schools, during each school year for a 

 term or period not shorter than that of the common schools of the 

 school corporation in this state where the child resides. This section 

 shall apply to every child not physically or mentally disqualified as 

 hereinafter provided, who shall be of the age of seven years and of not 

 more than the age of fourteen years, and shall apply to every child of 

 fourteen years or more and not more than sixteen years of age, who 

 is not actually and regularly employed, during the hours of the common 

 school of such school corporation, in a useful employment or service, or 

 is not lawfully employed in a gainful service agreeably to the provisions 

 of this act concerning the employment of children in gainful occupations. 



2. No child under sixteen years of age who under the provisions of 

 this act would otherwise be required to attend school, shall be employed 

 in any occupation during hours wherein the common schools at the 

 residence of the child are in session, unless the child shall have attained 

 the age of fourteen years and shall have procured a certificate from 

 the executive officer of the common school corporation of which the child 

 is a resident, or some person designated by him, showing the age, date 

 and place of birth, if known, or ascertainable, of such child and showing 

 that the child has passed the fifth grade in the common schools, or its 

 equivalent.^ 



Upon the basis of these provisions we may expect that 

 from the age of seven up to the age of fourteen all children 

 who are physically and mentally fit will be in some school. 

 From fourteen to sixteen a certain per cent will be excused, 

 and after a child becomes sixteen his attendance is entirely 

 voluntary. 



2 "Laws of Indiana relating to the Public School System," 1917, pages 263 and 264, 



