Truancy and non-attendance in the Chicago schools : a study of the social aspects of the compulsory education and child labor legislation of Illinois / by Edith Abbott and Sophonisba P. Breckinridge.

  • Abbott, Edith, 1876-1957.
Date:
[1917], ©1917
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Truancy and non-attendance in the Chicago schools : a study of the social aspects of the compulsory education and child labor legislation of Illinois / by Edith Abbott and Sophonisba P. Breckinridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “impractical and inexpedient” because of the mental and physical condition of the child? What constitutes ee TLECOSGIL yay of employment in the case of the fourteen- or fifteen-year-old child? A clear and universally accepted definition of these terms is essential to an effective enforcement of the law. And, yet, there are at present substantially no general principles governing the interpretation of these clauses. For a failure, however, to perform the duty of securing the attendance of the child who is not exempt, the Illinois Statute provides that “the parent is liable to prosecution and shall forfeit not less than $5 nor more than $20 (with or without costs) and may be committed until payment is made.” For misstatement as to the age of the child, which the parent is under duty to make known correctly, there may also be prosecution and imposition of a forfeit of from $3 to $20, without commitment. Prosecutions for these offenses in those cities in which there is a Municipal Court are held before the appropriate branch of that court,’ before which are also brought hon-supporting parents and _ those who contribute to the dependency and delinquency of their children. The machinery which has been developed in Chicago for enforcing the compulsory education law may briefly be described as follows: The officers of the Compulsory Education Depart- ment are assigned to schools, at which they call periodically for reports concerning the attendance of children duly enrolled. If they receive from the principals reports of absence or if by such other agencies as the United Charities their attention is called to the fact that certain children are either not enrolled or are irregular in their attendance, notices are sent and visits to the homes are made. In 101 3-14, for example, 58,064 such * Illinois Revised Statutes, chap. 37, Sec. 205, par. 3, 5. In Chicago since April 3, 1911, these prosecutions are brought before the Court of Domestic Relations.