Show MUST ATTEND SCHOOL A race to avoid being the last las t state in the union to adopt compulsory education laws is apparently under way in the southern states according to reports received at the united states bureau of education there are now only three states without such laws florida having recently joined texas and south carolina arolina in adopting compulsory education by legislative enact j ment the three states still without laws are georgia georgianis mis sis sippi and alabama the new florida law provides that eliat on peli petition tion of one fourth of the electors of any special school district or county the county board of education shall call tin an elect election i on to determine v whether hather attendance shall be compulsory therein A three fifths majority vote is necessary for adoption children between 8 and 14 years of age are required to attend for at least 80 days each year unless exempt because of physical or mental menial disability because they live miles from and no transportation is provided because their services are required for forthe skip support port of a dependent family ai or because their parents are unable to provide books and clothing by the the law th the e county boards of aduca education tion are authorized to appoint attendance officers to enforce the law and to take a census of the children between 6 and 21 years of age although the florida law is thus has of the optional type it is a 1 clear recognition of the compi imury principle and is regarded as a real step in advance officials of the bureau of education point out that this years compulsory educational legislation is part of a big education al advance all along the line nearly all the state legislatures e in session during 1915 and a nd much uc h of the educational discussion that has been going on for several years crystallized into law the alabama legislature has rd reconvened convened for the summer session and much school legislation will be discussed including a compulsory education educato on law the fact that alabama does not meet again for four years makes it likely that georgia and mississippi may get ahead oa her in adopting compulsory legislation unless action is taken this year in the field of compulsory education throughout the united states it is believed that the next steps will have to do with the adoption of statewide state wide laws where optional laws now prevail the raising of the age limits in conformity with the best principles in child labor legislation jand and more enforcement of existing laws vf |