Comments on: American Child Labour c.1900-1937, by Lewis Wickes Hines http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/ The past is a foreign country. This is your passport. Sat, 19 Nov 2024 04:13:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bob FairPlay http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-65616 Bob FairPlay Wed, 21 Sep 2024 10:27:18 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-65616 STOP AND THINK? At first glance we might deplore these photos, we might 'tut-tut' at what went on, but, and this is highly important, all these wonderful children [loveable one and all] are indirectly being groomed in family care, love and responsibilty, duty to the community and the value of their own labor and its monetary rewards. By age 11-14 they were maturing adults who possessed values we sorely need today. I would argue that child labor is worth its worth in gold! as an alternative form of education. And a child who went through this without flinching was twice the man or woman he would have been if he/she had not undergone it. Its all well and good talking schools, talking better education but useless if the child wants a job, is worried about lack of money and food, and wants to rush into manhood. I am not advocating child slavery, nor working in mines, but to the use of common-sense methods to encourage children to better themselves in the easiest way possible. The writer was a child worker, 70 hours a week for 4 years. It did him no harm and helped to feed his brothers and sisters. STOP AND THINK?

At first glance we might deplore these photos, we might ‘tut-tut’ at what went on, but, and this is highly important, all these wonderful children [loveable one and all] are indirectly being groomed in family care, love and responsibilty, duty to the community and the value of their own labor and its monetary rewards. By age 11-14 they were maturing adults who possessed values we sorely need today. I would argue that child labor is worth its worth in gold! as an alternative form of education. And a child who went through this without flinching was twice the man or woman he would have been if he/she had not undergone it. Its all well and good talking schools, talking better education but useless if the child wants a job, is worried about lack of money and food, and wants to rush into manhood. I am not advocating child slavery, nor working in mines, but to the use of common-sense methods to encourage children to better themselves in the easiest way possible. The writer was a child worker, 70 hours a week for 4 years. It did him no harm and helped to feed his brothers and sisters.

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By: Elroy http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-56109 Elroy Fri, 22 Jul 2024 00:53:52 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-56109 Everything changes, but it all stays relative. Do I make more money now as a blue collar worker than a person fifty years ago? Of course. Have times changed? As I stated above "We've come pretty far". I've even noticed the major historical changes that have improved my safety at work. I have worked in factories, on boats, as a welder, in the field of construction and woodworking for a long time now. I agree with your thoughts on finding a rewarding profession. However, to assume that all a person has to do in life is work hard to succeed is to assume that everyone starts out on equal playing fields, and that we can strip away all possible variables. I believe success is measured differently; "Did you stay out of jail? Did you stay alive? Now you have a regular job breaking rocks...well done." We should try not to use our own lives as a model of how others should lead theirs. Most large companies strive to keep similar management, not laborers. Laborers are now, and have always been replaceable. I don't believe I'm necessarily optimistic or pessimistic, and I'm surely not blaming anyone for anything. Nor do I hold ill will toward others views. I merely feel that peoples opinions may differ, which is okay. Understanding others will help us all move forward in a positive manner. Everything changes, but it all stays relative. Do I make more money now as a blue collar worker than a person fifty years ago? Of course. Have times changed? As I stated above “We’ve come pretty far”. I’ve even noticed the major historical changes that have improved my safety at work. I have worked in factories, on boats, as a welder, in the field of construction and woodworking for a long time now.

I agree with your thoughts on finding a rewarding profession. However, to assume that all a person has to do in life is work hard to succeed is to assume that everyone starts out on equal playing fields, and that we can strip away all possible variables. I believe success is measured differently; “Did you stay out of jail? Did you stay alive? Now you have a regular job breaking rocks…well done.” We should try not to use our own lives as a model of how others should lead theirs.

Most large companies strive to keep similar management, not laborers. Laborers are now, and have always been replaceable.

I don’t believe I’m necessarily optimistic or pessimistic, and I’m surely not blaming anyone for anything. Nor do I hold ill will toward others views. I merely feel that peoples opinions may differ, which is okay. Understanding others will help us all move forward in a positive manner.

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By: Elroy http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-55848 Elroy Tue, 19 Jul 2024 05:07:47 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-55848 I think we've come pretty far from the days of young children working barefoot in a belt driven mill, and climbing on unguarded machinery. These portraits are a glimpse into a past where Italians, woman, blacks, children (etc.) were not afforded any rights. But... as much as I like to think that civil rights have evolved I'm stuck with the thought that 100 years from now people will be looking at photos of protesters holding signs that read "God hates Fags". Although the age and pay scale may have changed from the above photos the work has stayed somewhat the same. We're still mining, working in factories or serving big businesses that don't offer competitive wages or even health care. (Just thought I'd jump in on the fun here!) Beautiful photos. I think we’ve come pretty far from the days of young children working barefoot in a belt driven mill, and climbing on unguarded machinery. These portraits are a glimpse into a past where Italians, woman, blacks, children (etc.) were not afforded any rights. But… as much as I like to think that civil rights have evolved I’m stuck with the thought that 100 years from now people will be looking at photos of protesters holding signs that read “God hates Fags”.

Although the age and pay scale may have changed from the above photos the work has stayed somewhat the same. We’re still mining, working in factories or serving big businesses that don’t offer competitive wages or even health care. (Just thought I’d jump in on the fun here!)

Beautiful photos.

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By: David http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-47685 David Sat, 11 Jun 2024 17:42:53 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-47685 [quote]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/25/paul-lepage-maine-child-labor-laws_n_853503.html I found that without even trying.[/quote] And if you'd read the article you'd know that it's not about "repealing child labor laws and shutting down schools." Allowing 16-17 year olds to work until 11 PM instead of 10 PM on school nights is hardly bringing back sweatshops. [quote]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/25/paul-lepage-maine-child-labor-laws_n_853503.html

I found that without even trying.[/quote]

And if you’d read the article you’d know that it’s not about “repealing child labor laws and shutting down schools.”

Allowing 16-17 year olds to work until 11 PM instead of 10 PM on school nights is hardly bringing back sweatshops.

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By: Kate http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-47277 Kate Mon, 06 Jun 2024 21:17:09 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-47277 I have a good friend who is in his late sixties and grew up in Maine in a poor family of 13. His mother would take the entire family out during the summer months, everyday to dig for clams. He was also forced to labor everyday around the house, all day, everyday, either for his mother or for his father who had laboring work for him to do as well. He quit school at the ninth grade, said he "gave up" because he could never pay attention anyway as he was constantly tired in school and had a hearing deficit due to untreated chronic ear infections. The pain this man feels to this very day is extreme. He doesn't know how to enjoy himself, how to relax and play, is highly sensitive to being "bossed" by others, is resentful and angry nearly all the time. He knows sees children play and always reminisces about how he had to work and toil while his peers played and went to school. And compared to the children pictured here, his life was ideal. Child labor is child abuse. Period. David A. : You are an idiot and you can go straight to hell. I have a good friend who is in his late sixties and grew up in Maine in a poor family of 13. His mother would take the entire family out during the summer months, everyday to dig for clams. He was also forced to labor everyday around the house, all day, everyday, either for his mother or for his father who had laboring work for him to do as well.

He quit school at the ninth grade, said he “gave up” because he could never pay attention anyway as he was constantly tired in school and had a hearing deficit due to untreated chronic ear infections.

The pain this man feels to this very day is extreme. He doesn’t know how to enjoy himself, how to relax and play, is highly sensitive to being “bossed” by others, is resentful and angry nearly all the time. He knows sees children play and always reminisces about how he had to work and toil while his peers played and went to school.

And compared to the children pictured here, his life was ideal.

Child labor is child abuse. Period. David A. : You are an idiot and you can go straight to hell.

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By: Devlicious http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/american-child-labour-c-1900-1937/#comment-46595 Devlicious Mon, 30 May 2024 10:22:25 +0000 http://howtobearetronaut.com/?p=16140#comment-46595 That was the time... i guess in a developing country there will always be a fase of child labour... Now we find it to be terrible, then it was quite normal... That was the time… i guess in a developing country there will always be a fase of child labour…
Now we find it to be terrible, then it was quite normal…

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