§18-8-10. Compulsory education of deaf and blind; offenses; penalties; names of deaf and blind.

Every parent, guardian or other person having control of any mentally normal minor over six years of age, who is defective in sight or hearing to the extent that he cannot be benefited by instruction in the public schools, shall be required to send such minor to the West Virginia schools for the deaf and the blind at Romney. Such minor shall continue to attend such schools for a term of at least thirty-six weeks each year until he has completed the course of instruction prescribed for such schools by the state Board of Education, or has been discharged by the superintendent of said school.

Any such deaf or blind minor shall be exempt from attendance at said schools for any of the following reasons: (a) Instruction by a private tutor or in another school approved by the state Board of Education for a time equal to that required by the first paragraph of this section; (b) physical incapacity for school work; (c) any other reason deemed good and sufficient by the superintendent of such schools, with the approval of the state Board of Education.

Any parent, guardian or other persons in charge of such minor or minors who fails or refuses to comply with the requirements of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than ten nor more than $30 for each offense. Failure for the period of one week within the school year to send such minor to school shall constitute an offense: Provided, That the time necessary for such minor to travel from his home to the school shall not be counted as time absent from school.

Any person who induces or attempts to induce such blind or deaf minor to absent himself from school, or who employs or harbors such minor unlawfully, while said school is in session, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than twenty nor more than $50 for each offense.

It shall be the duty of school attendance directors and assistants, prosecuting attorneys, and any special attendance directors appointed by said school for the deaf and the blind to enforce the provisions of this section.

The county superintendent of schools shall furnish to the superintendents of the state-supported schools for the deaf and/or blind and to the state Superintendent of Schools the names of persons in his county between the ages of six and eighteen reported to him to be deaf and blind with the names and addresses of their parents or guardians.