CHILD LABOR
The subject of Child Labor is one of the vital questions of to-day, and
every woman should study and know the conditions, particularly in her
own State. Begin with an introductory paper on child labor in the mills
of England in the nineteenth century. Read from Mrs. Browning's "Cry of
the Children."
Study the present conditions in America; the mining, canning,
glass-blowing, and factory work occupations, particularly in the South;
the tenement-house trades, such as nut-shelling and the making of
artificial flowers. Discuss the many evils to which the children are
exposed, the lack of rest and exercise, the unsanitary surroundings.
Study the street trades; boot-blacking, newspaper selling, peddling, and
the work of the messenger boy; also that of the child on the stage, the
conditions under which he must work; the legislation governing these,
and the enforcement of the laws.
Take up the causes of child labor, the poverty, and the need to increase
the family income; the employer's attitude toward child labor; the
indifference to school. Discuss, How can the school obtain and hold the
child? and the vital importance of education. Find out whether the
compulsory education law is enforced in your own locality. Speak of the
teaching of trades in schools; industrial education by the State; the
economic value of education. Read and discuss the state laws on child
labor. Are they enforced? Should public opinion against child labor be
aroused? Read the reports of exhibitions: Could the club have some sort
of an exhibit?
I--THE FAR-REACHING EFFECTS
The effects of child labor are of far-reaching importance. Read the
statistics of accident and disease, the stunting of growth, the effect
on the child's mentality and morals from articles in Survey. What
percentage of child criminals come from the laboring classes? The effect
of child labor on the home should be discussed, its tendency to
disintegrate; note the physical deterioration, and the unfitness for
parenthood in the child who has labored, the loss of vital force in the
children mentally and physically in the following generations, and the
lowering of standards of American citizenship which must follow.
On each point have readings from pamphlets published by the National
Child Labor Committee, 105 East Twenty-second Street, New York City,
which will be sent to any one who writes and asks for them. The
following will be especially helpful: Child Employing Industries, Child
Labor, Child Problems, Child Workers of the Nation, Compulsory Education
in the South.
The _Survey_ has quantities of articles on all the topics. In addition,
read from these books:
"Child Labor in City Streets," E. N. Clopper. (Macmillan.) "The Cry of
the Children," Mrs. B. Van Vorst. (Moffat, Yard.) "Solution of the Child
Labor Problem," S. Nearing. (Moffat, Yard.) "The Children in the
Shadow," E. K. Coulter. (McBride, Nast & Co.) "Through the Mill," F. K.
Brown. (Pilgrim Press, Boston.) "Juvenile Offenders," W. D. Morrison.
(Appleton.)