Chapter 3054. Providing for compulsory education in the District of Columbia
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CHAP. 3054.— An Act Providing for compulsory education in the District of Columbia. June 8, 1906. [[S. 1243](/us/bill/34/s/1243).] [[Public, No. 203](/us/pl/34/203).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That every parent, guardian,District of Columbia.Compulsory education of children between ages of eight and fourteen in. or other person residing in the District of Columbia having charge and control of a child between the ages of eight and fourteen years shall cause such child to be regularly instructed in the elementary branches of knowledge, including reading, writing.
English grammar, geography, and arithmetic, and pursuant to this end every such parent, guardian, or other person aforesaid shall cause, any child under the charge and control of such person to attend some public, private, or parochial school during the period of each year the public schools in the District are in session, on the customary days and during the customary hours of the school term. No child shall be credited withCertificate of attendance required. attendance upon a private or parochial school unless the attendance officer hereinafter provided for receives a certificate of attendance signed by the person in charge of such school.
A child between theConditions upon which school attendance may be excused. ages aforesaid may be excused from school attendance or instruction upon presentation of satisfactory evidence to the superintendent of schools that such child is being or has been within said year instructed a like period of time in the branches taught in the public schools, or that such child has acquired these branches of learning, or that the physical or mental condition of such child is such as to render such attendance or instruction inexpedient or impracticable.
Sec. 2. That if any person having under control a child, as describedWritten notice to parents. etc., in case of nonattendance. in section one, shall neglect for three day sessions or six half-day sessions, within any period of five months to cause such child to attend school, a written notice shall be sent to such person by an attendance officer, hereinafter provided for, informing him that the attendance of the child under the control of such person is required at school within a period of three days.
If such child is not excused as provided for inPunishment for neglect to comply with notice. section one, and is not in school within three days, prosecution shall be begun in the. police court by an officer empowered under this Act against the parent or other person in control of the child, and upon conviction the parent or other person in control of the child shall be punished for each and every offense by a fine of not more than twenty dollars. 220 Sec. 3. Habitual truants.That any child between the ages of eight and fourteen who is an habitual truant, who is willfully and habitually absent from school, or who can not be controlled by the regular school discipline while in attendance upon school, shall be committed by the board of Ungraded schools for instruction of.education to a special or ungraded school for instruction.
The board of education may set apart school buildings or special rooms in a school building for the establishment of ungraded schools to provide, under a qualified teacher, for the instruction of habitual truants or for pupils who can not be controlled by the regular school discipline while in attendance upon school, and such children may be restricted to such schools for instruction until satisfactory evidence of improvement is Restoration to graded schools.furnished the board of education by the teacher in charge whereupon such child may be restored to a graded school in the district in which he resides.
Sec. 4. Appointment of truant officers. etc.The board of education of the District of Columbia is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to appoint two truant officers at a salary of six hundred dollars per annum each, who, together with the inspectors provided for in the bill to regulate the employment *Ante,* p. 73.of child labor and the probation officers provided for in the bill establishing a juvenile court shall under the direction of the board of education carry out the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 5. Punishment for abetting truancy.That any person who induces or attempts to induce any child to be absent unlawfully from school, or who knowingly employs or harbors while school is in session any child absent unlawfully from school, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished by a tine of not more than twenty dollars. Sec. 6. Duties of truant officers.That the officers empowered under this Act shall visit any place or establishment where minor children are employed to ascertain whether the provisions of this law are duly complied with, and shall as often as twice a year demand from all employers of such children a list of children employed, with their names and ages.
Sec. 7. Punishment for false statements of age. etc.That any parent or other person who makes a false statement concerning the age or school attendance of a child between the ages of eight and fourteen who is under his control, such false statement being made with intent to deceive under this Act, shall upon conviction thereof be punished by a tine not to exceed twenty dollars. Sec. 8. Effect.That this Act shall take effect on July first, nineteen hundred and six. Sec. 9. Repeal.That all Acts and parts of Acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
Approved, June 8, 1906.