make up time lost by a stoppage of machinery; and in no case may the hours of labor exceed sixty in a week.1 The intellectual welfare of children is secured by the education laws. The general duty of parents and those having the care of children is to bring them up in some honest employment and instruct them in reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, and United States history. All children between the ages of 73 and 16* must attend a public day school regularly during the hours and terms when the school of the district is in session, or while the school is in session where provision for instruction is made according to law; unless it can be shown that the child is elsewhere receiving regularly thorough instruction during the same hours and in the same subjects as the pupils of the public schools." Each week's failure to comply with this law is a distinct offense, punishable with a fine not exceeding $5. The penalty is not incurred if the child is destitute of suitable clothing and the parent or person having control of him is unable to provide it, or if his mental or physical condition renders his instruction inexpedient or impracticable. All the offenses concerning the same child must be charged as separate counts in one complaint. When there are two or more counts, sentence may be rendered on one or more counts and be suspended on the others. If at the end of twelve weeks from the date of the sentence it appears that the child has been attending school regularly, judgment on the other counts is not executed.1° 1§ 4691; 1887, c. 62, § 1; cf. 1867, c. 124, § 1. Vid. p. 270. 'From 1650. Vid. p. 52. 14 before 1885, c. 90, § 1. 1885, c. 90, § 1. 8 before 1899, c. 19. '1899, c. 19. § 2116; from 1885, c. 90, § 1. 1885, c. 90, § 3. 1887, c. 145, § 2. Attendance at a private school is not an equivalent unless a register of the attendance is kept in the manner prescribed for the public schools by the state board of education, and is open at all hours to inspection by the secretary and agents of the board; and unless the same reports are submitted from the school as are required from school visitors except in the matter of expense.1 From this law are excepted children between 14 and 16 while they are lawfully employed at labor at home or else where.2 This does not permit an enrolled scholar to be irregular in attendance or exempt him from any rule concerning such irregularity.3 teen. No child under sixteen may be employed in any mechanical, mercantile, or manufacturing establishment unless the employer obtains a certificate showing that he is over fourThis must be signed by the registrar of births, marriages, and deaths, or by the town clerk of the town where there is a public record of the child's birth, or by a teacher of the school last attended, or by the person having the custody of the register of said school. If the child was not born in the United States and has not attended school in Connecticut, one of the parents or the guardian may have the date of birth recorded by the registrar or town clerk where he resides. He must state under oath the date and place of the child's birth, and the registrar or clerk must demand any family record, passport, or other paper showing the age of the child.* of the child. If a child who has not attended school in Connecticut was born in the United States but no record of the date of birth can be obtained, or if the 1§ 2118; 1887, c. 146. '1895, c. 134. § 2116; from 1885, c. 90, § 2. Former laws were less strict. Cf. 1882, c. 80, § 3; 1887, c. 145, § I. § 4705; 1901, c. 110, § 1; cf. 1886, c. 124. 1842, c. 28, § 2, not cited elsewhere. For earliest law vid. records of the date of birth on the school registers for different years are inconsistent, or if a child has not attended school in Connecticut for a term of twelve weeks, the state board of education may investigate the case. If it appears that the child is over fourteen, the board may grant a certificate, which may be accepted in lieu of that just described. The parent or guardian must state under oath to the secretary or agent of the board the date and place of birth, and, upon request, exhibit any family records. or papers showing the age of the child.1 According to an earlier provision, no person between fourteen or sixteen who cannot read and write may be employed in a town where there are public evening schools, unless he can produce every school month of twenty days a certificate from the teacher of an evening school that he has attended the school eighteen 2 consecutive evenings in the current school month and is a regular attendant. One who employs a child contrary to this act may be fined not more than $50. Local school authorities may, by vote, declare that a child over fourteen and under sixteen has not education sufficient to warrant his leaving school to be employed. When they have so notified the parent or guardian of the child in writing, it becomes his duty to see that the child attends the school regularly while in session, until a leaving certificate has been granted by the same authorities stating that the education of the child is satisfactory; but the child may not be compelled to attend school after he reaches the age of sixteen. A violation results in a fine of $5 a week, as in the case of non-attendance by a child under fourteen." 1 1903, c. 75. § 2147; 1893. c. 227, § 3. 120, until 1895, c. 210, § 3. Evening schools for those over 14 must be maintained by any town or school district which contains 10,000 or more inhabitants (§ 2145). 1903, c. 29; § 2117. A fine of not more than $100 is imposed on any employer or person in charge of a place where children under sixteen are employed, if he does not keep on file the required certificates or show them, with the list of children employed, to an agent of the school authorities of the state, town, or district, when demanded during the usual business hours.1 Any person who, acting for himself or as agent for a mechanical, mercantile, or manufacturing establishment, employs or permits to be employed in such establishment any child under fourteen, or any child be tween fourteen and sixteen, contrary to the provisions just recited, is fined not more than $60. Each week of such illegal employment constitutes a distinct offense. No fine, however, is incurred if the employer obtains at the beginning and keeps on file during the employment the required certificate. A parent or person in charge of a child who makes a false statement regarding its age, with the intent to deceive a town clerk, registrar, or teacher, or who instructs a child to do it, is fined not more than $20.3 The school visitors or the town school committee in each town are required once or more every year to investigate the employment of children and report to the proper prosecuting authority any violation of the law. The local school authorities and the state board of education are required to enforce the laws relating to the employment of children under sixteen. The state board may appoint agents, under its control and supervision, for terms of not more than one year to secure such enforcement and may pay them not more than $5 a day for the time actually employed and '§ 2121; from 1842, c. 28, § 2. Cf. 1813., May, c. 2. Vid. p. 165. their necessary expenses.' The board may also direct them to enforce the laws requiring the attendance of children at school." TRUANCY LAWS To assist in securing an education for children there are laws against truancy. Each city and town may make regulations concerning habitual truants from school and children between the ages of seven and sixteen years wandering about . . ., having no lawful occupation, nor attending school, and growing up in ignorance; and may make such by-laws, respecting such children, as shall conduce to their welfare and to public order, imposing penalties, not exceeding twenty dollars for any one breach thereof. Every town and the mayor and aldermen of every city having such by-laws appoints annually three or more persons who alone prosecute violations thereof. All warrants issued upon such prosecutions are returnable before any justice of the peace or judge of the city or police court.* Selectmen may appoint committees of school districts, janitors of school buildings, and other persons on the nomination of the school visitors or district boards of education, special constables. They have power in the town of residence and in adjoining towns, when offenders have escaped thither, to make arrests for truancy, for wandering during school hours beyond the control of parents or guardians, for disturbance of schools and school meetings, and for damage to school property, and to serve criminal process in such cases.* 11886, c. 124. § 3. '§ 4707; 1887, c. 23. 'Up to 1902 the by-laws had to be approved by the superior court. §§ 2122, 2123; 1865, c. 51. § 1840; 1882, c. 40. |