The times., 1899-11-13

] PROVIDENCE, r. l.. Nov 12-Iu this
city Jhe rather contradictory state OF ar
fairs exist whereby prosperity and an
abundance Of work for all classes Of labor
have resulted In robbing the schools Of their
pupils. and putting teachers out Of employ
meut.
! Providence is a manufacturing centre. and
in the factories-wooleu. cotton. soapine.
rubber, and jeweIry-great numbers of
children are employed. State laws relating
to the employment of children are rather
loose
The foreign element attracted to the town
by the prospect of work for children, as
well as adults, is very large Iliiterate
| foreigners have almost driven Americans
from the field. There are great numbers
Of French Canadians. None of these speak
English when they come, and few learn
| the language afterward. They, like the
other foreigners. are blessed with large
families. As soon as a child reaches the
lawful age it is put to work in one of the
factories
! half the jewelry in the country is made
IN providence, and it provides much light
labor that can be proftably performed only
by children. About 1000 children between
the ages OF twelve and fifteen years are en-
| pioyed in the factories constantly These
chidren are paid an average of 81 for sixty
| hours work, which goes to the heads of the
families to which they belong.
| According to the Eleventh United States
census Rhode Island has a larger. percent
/ age OF illiterates than any other Northern
| otate, ana this, too, with a greaer wealth
i per capita. Rhode Island by law allows
parents to compel their children of any age
| TO labor, outside of factories. thirty-two
weeks in the year; allows them 10 compel
iaDor without restriction thirty-two weeks
| IN each year in case Of children twelve to
| fourteen years of age inclusive, and allows
them to compel such labor without restric-
ton during the entire time in cases of mi
/ nors fifteen years OF age and over.
In the city Of Providence every person
/ haYlng control of any child between seven
and fifteen years Of age is required to send
/ the child to school regularly during all the
{ time the public schools are in session nm
less the child is lawfully employed No
! chlld under twelve years Of age is permit
! ted to work in any factory or shop. and no
| child between twelve and fifteen years OF
/ age can be lawfully employed unless II has
! attended school at least the whole Of one
school term in the year preceding.
| providence maintains for the education
or these child laborers twenty-three even
| ing schools at a cost of about $40 900 a
! year. These schools are open twenty weeks
IN winter, and the branches taught are
arithmetic, grammar, geography. spelling
and writing. There is also a night high
school.
| The evening schools are open five even
ings in the week. and the annual average
! attendance has been about 5000 pupils.
| Many Of the factory operatives cannot at
| tend school five nights in the week the
/ average being probably three nights each
week for each pupil.
! The schools opened auspiciously In Sep
tember with an unusually large attendance
/ OF men, women, and children. Soon the
attendance began TO fall off slightly then
more perceptibly until at last some of
| the classes became so depleted that the
| remnants Of them were merged into other
| classes and the teachers were dismissed
and the rooms closed.
| Nearly all the factories are working
| overtime, and employing all the extra help
! they can get Night work is paid in ex-
| cess of day work and the parents of many
| children compelled them TO lay off certain
hours in the day and work at night. Most
| of the men worked all day and overtime
! also for the extra wages they could make
| The prospect of greatly increased earn
| ings outweighed the desire for education
or fear of the truant officer, and the even
| ing school pupils deserted their studies
! for the pay roll.