Neglecting to send Children to School - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Neglecting to send Children to School

John HARKER of Abbey Town, was summoned for neglecting to send his daughter to school.

Defendant did not appear, but his wife, Elizabeth HARKER, appeared to answer the charge. Mr. BENSON appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Isaac BECTON, School Attendance Officer for Holme Cultram, appeared to prove the case.

Mr. BECTON proved that the child had not attended on certain dates, and said that she had only attended 48 times out of a possible 109. She was only in the third standard although she was 12 years of age.

The girl’s mother said that the father had had very little work, and the girl was kept at home sometimes to look after the children and let her, (the mother) get out to do a day’s work.

Sir Robert BRISCO said the working of the Education Act cost the country a great deal of money, and it was very difficult for parents to educate their children in many cases. The Bench, knowing these things, would adjourn the case for a month, in order to see if the defendant made any effort to send the girl to school.
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Mrs. Pattinson WILLS, of Little Bampton, was charged with neglecting to send two of her children - Maria Pattinson WILLS and Mary Elizabeth WILLS, aged 9 and 7 respectively - to school. Mr. BENSON appeared to prosecute, and Mr. T. MOORE, School Attendance Officer, to prove the case.

Mr. BENSON said that these were two of the first cases that had been brought, and they were brought to show the public that the School Attendance Committee were going to carry out the provisions of the law. The children had been at school only nine times out of a possible 200 attendances.

In defence, Mrs. WILLS said that she had always taught her children herself, and they were as far forward as any children their age, and might be examined by any Government Inspector that they were up to the mark. She sent them to school and then they got holiday, and after that they were ill. The children were fond of going to school, and did not let the weather prevent them when they were well, but they had had bad health.

The Bench adjourned the case for a month in order to see if she would send her children to school, as she said she was now sending them.