Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday December 20, 1911 Report on Child Labor in Mississippi by E. N. Clopper, Part II
From The Hattiesburg News (Mississippi) of December 18, 1911:
CHILD LABOR IN MISSISSIPPI ———————- By E. N. CLOPPER, Mississippi Valley Secretary National Child Labor Committee.
III.Why Mississippi Should Adopt the Uniform Child Labor Law.
[Part II of II]
Oyster Shuckers, Beloxi, Mississippi, by Lewis Hine Children as young as ages 3 and 5 years old.
A uniform child labor law was adopted by the United Stales commissioners on uniform laws at their twenty-first annual meeting in Boston, Aug. 25 and 26, 1911, upon the report of their special committee, a distinguished member of which was the Hon. A. T. Stovall of Mississippi. It embodies the best provisions of the child labor laws already in existence in several states.
The uniform child labor law may be summarized thus:
The law prescribes a general age limit of fourteen for practically all employment, except agriculture and domestic service, and for all occupations during the hours when the public schools in the district in which the child resides are in session; an age limit of twelve for newsboys; an age limit of sixteen for certain specified occupations dangerous to life or limb or injuries to the health or morals of the child, the specified occupations to be increased upon order of the state board of health; an age limit of eighteen for children in specified extra hazardous occupations; an age limit of twenty-one for employment of boys in saloons, the employment of girls in mines or quarries, in oiling or cleaning machinery in motion or in any occupation where this employment compels them to remain standing constantly; an eight hour day for boys under sixteen and girls under eighteen, with a fifty-four hour week for boys under eighteen and girls under twenty-one; an age limit of twenty-one for boys in the night messenger service.
Certificates of employment are to be issued by the superintendent schools or by a person authorized by him in writing.
The adoption of this uniform child labor law in its entirety by the state of Mississippi would not only cure the evils of child labor from which the state is now suffering, but would prevent greater evils in the future development and progress of the state, so that industry would be built upon a secure foundation and the children, the future citizens of the state, be fully protected.
Why should not a southern state, why should not Mississippi, with its traditions of high statesmanship, be the first to put this model child labor law into effect?
Title: Oyster shuckers at work in Barataria Canning Company. Small girls working on right of photo are Gertrude Kron, five years old, Pauline —, eight years old. Note the face of little Mildred Kron, near center of photo, three years old, works every day, mother said. Also small boy on left of photo who has dropped an oyster. See also photos 1973, 1977, 1997, 1976. Location: Biloxi, Mississippi.
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