Report of Cases Determined in the Supreme Court of Appeals of the State of West Virginia Volume 29 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ...v. Parrott, 1 N. H. 28.) None have ever disputed, that this absolute right of the father to the child s labor extends till the child is fourteen years old. But the authorities very generally and, it seems to me, justly extend this right of the father through the whole minority of the child, that is, till he reaches the age of twenty one, when the child is legally emancipated from the father s control. This seems to me but reasonable, as thereby the law sets off some years, when the child may be useful, against many preceding years, when he is entirely helpless and a charge upon the father. This right of the father to his minor child s services is well illustrated by the following cases, which bear more or less resem blance to the case before us: In Monughan v. School District, 28 Wis. 104. Cole, Judge, says: Is there any difiiculty in the way of the father maintaining this action? The daughter was employed by the officers of the district to teach a district-school. A written contract was entered into, by which it was agreed, she should teach the school for four months and should be paid twenty five dollars a month for her services. The father was present when the contract was entered into and assented to his daughter entering into it. The contract has been performed on her part-. But it is claimed, that by the school-laws a minor is competent to contract as a school teacher, and therefore such contract may be enforced by the minor the same as by an adult. It is conceded, that the parent has the right to prevent his minor child from teaching, but assenting to her teaching he, it is argued, must be held to the assent to the contracting with all its legal consequences. This is the argument. Is it satisfactory ...