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Edith Abbott and Sophonisba P. Breckinridge. "Table Showing In Parallel Columns The Development of the Compulsory Education and Child Labor Laws of Illinois, 1870-1916." Appendix V in Truancy and Non-Attendance in the Chicago Schools. Chicago: University of

Truancy and Non-Attendance in the Chicago Schools

Appendix 5: Table Showing In Parallel Columns The Development of the Compulsory Education and Child Labor Laws of Illinois, 1870-1916

Edith Abbott and Sophonisba P. Breckinridge

Table of Contents | Previous

	Compulsory Education		Child Labor
		1872	An Act providing for the health and safety of persons employed in coal mines
			Age and Occupation. -- Employment of child under 14 in mines forbidden
			Enforcement. -- County surveyor ex-officio mine inspector.
		1877	An Act to amend act of 1872.
			Age and Occupation. -- Employment of child under 12 in mine forbidden.
			Enforcement. -- County board to appoint competent inspectors.
		1877	An Act to prevent and punish wrongs to children.
			Age and Occupation. -- Employment of child under 14 in occupation dangerous to morality, health, or life forbidden. Child so engaged may be taken into custody of court.
			Enforcement: -- No provision.

(441)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
		1879	An Act providing for the health and safety of persons employed in coal mining.
			Age and Occupation:-- Employment of child under 12 or illiterate boy under 14 forbidden. Certain occupations forbidden under 18.
			Enforcement: County board to appoint inspectors.
1883	An Act to secure to children the benefit of an elementary education	1883	An Act to amend act of 1879.
	Age limit. -- 8 - 14.		Age and occupation. -- Employment of child under 14 in mine forbidden
	Period of attendance. -- 12 weeks annually		Enforcement: -- Governor to appoint competent inspectors.
	Exemptions: -- Mental or physical inability; completion of required course; instruction at home or in private school; distance of two miles from public school.
	Enforcement: -- School directors and boards of education to prosecute offenders. Penalty, a fine of $5 to $20.
		1887	An Act to amend act of 1879 and amendatory act of 1883
			Age and Occupation.-- Employment of child under 14 in mine forbidden. Parent to make age affidavit.
			Enforcement.-- State inspectors.
1889	An Act concerning the education of children

(442)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
	Age limit: -- 7-14
	Period of attendance: -- 16 weeks annually, at least 10 to be consecutive, at school giving prescribed instruction in English.
	Exemption.-- Mental or physical inability; completion of course of study; instruction at home or in approved private school.
	Enforcement.-- Board of Education to appoint truant officers to apprehend children and to prosecute parents. Penalty prescribed for not securing attendance of child and for misstatement concerning age of child
		1891	An Act to prevent child labor.
			Age and Occupation.-- Employment of child under 13 in any store, shop, factory, or manufacturing establishment, forbidden; employed child must have school certificate.
			Exemption.-- If earnings are required to support aged or infirm relative.
			Enforcement.-- No provision.
1893	An Act concerning the education of children.	1893	An Act to regulate the manufacture of clothing, wearing apparel, and other articles in this state, and to provide for the appointment of state inspectors to enforce the same, and to
	Age limits.-- 7 to 14.
	Period of attendance.-- 16 weeks annually, at least 12 to be consecutive, at public or private day school.

(443)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
	Exemption.--Physical or mental inability; instruction elsewhere; excused for sufficient reason by competent court of record		make an appropriation therefor.
	Enforcement.-- Board of Education may appoint truant officers as in 1889. One member of board to be appointed to hear reasons for non-attendance.		Age and occupation.-- Employment of child under 14 in manufacturing establishment, factory, or workshop forbidden. Parent to make age affidavit for employed child between 14 and 16. Certificate of physical fitness may be required.
			Duty of employer.-- Must keep register of all employees under 16.
1897	An Act to promote attendance of children in schools and to prevent truancy.	1897	An Act to regulate the employment of children in the state of Illinois and to provide for the enforcement thereof.
	Age limits.-- 7 to 14.		Age and occupation.-- No child under 14 to work for wages. Extra hazardous employment forbidden for children under 16. Age affidavits required. Presence of child under 16 in work place prima facie evidence of employment.
	Period of attendance: 16 weeks annually, 12 to be consecutive, at public or private day school. Term for children under10 to commence with school year; for children over 10 not later than December 1.		Hours of labor.-- No child under 16 to work more than 10 hours a day, 60 hours a week.
	Exemptions.-- Mental or physical inability; instruction elsewhere; excused for sufficient reason by competent court of record.		Duty of employer.-- Must keep register of all employees under 16.

(444)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
			Enforcement.-- State factory inspectors.
1899	An Act to enable boards of education or boards of school trustees to establish and maintain parental or truant schools.	1899	An Act to revise the laws in relation to coal mines and subjects relating thereto and providing for the health and safety of persons employed therein.
	Establishment.-- Mandatory within two years in cities of 25,000 to 100,000 at any time by majority vote. No school to be at or near any penal institution.		Child labor provisions same as in act of 1887.
	Commitment.-- Child guilty of truancy or habitual violation of school rules may be committed by court, to be kept till 14, unless previously convicted of offense punishable by confinement in penal institution.
	Parole.-- To be granted if record is satisfactory. Child who violates parole to be returned to Parental School, and not to be paroled again for specified term. Principal of school attended by paroled child must report each month to Parental School.
	Miscellaneous.-- Incorrigible child may be transferred to reformatory. Parents to supply clothing. Rules of management in general same as for public schools.

(445)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
1903	An Act to amend the act of 1897.	1903	An Act to regulate the employment of children in the State of Illinois, and to provide for the enforcement thereof.
	Age limits. -- 7 to 14. Period of attendance.-- Public or private day school, for entire session; not less than 110 days of actual teaching.		Age and occupation.-- Employment of all children under 14, and of children between 14 and 16 at specified dangerous trades forbidden. Girls 14 to 16 not to do work requiring constant standing; children 14 to 16 must have age and school certificates; if illiterate must attend evening school. Presence of child under 16 in work place prima facie evidence of employment.
	Exemptions.-- Same as in act of 1987		Hours of labor.-- Children under 16 not to work more than 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week. Night work forbidden.
	Enforcement.-- Same as in act of 1987.		Duty of employer.-- Must keep register of all employees under 16.
			Enforcement.-- State factory inspectors.
1907	An Act to amend act of 1897 as amended in 1903

(446)

	CompulsoryEducation		ChildLabor
	Age limits.-- 7 to 16.
	Period of attendance. Same as in act of 1903.
	Exemptions.-- Mental or physical inability; instruction elsewhere; excused temporarily for cause by teachers; between 14 and 16 excused if necessarily and lawfully employed.
	Enforcement.-- Same as in act of 1903.
1909	An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools (Secs. 274, 275).
	Age limits.-- 7 to 16.
	Period of attendance.-- Public or private school for entire session; not less than six months of actual teaching
	Enforcement.-- Same as in act of 1907
		1911	An Act to revise the laws in relation to coal mines and subjects relating thereto, and providing for the health and safety of persons employed therein. (Child labor provision same as in act of 1905.)

Notes

No notes

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