New-York tribune., 1902-07-01
THEIR "WORKING PAPERS" "
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN APPLY TO
BOARD OF HEALTH TO WORK
DURING VACATION

f'This-is-a-ine-day." With pen tightly grasped
n nervous little fists, with the tips of small tongues
anxiousy protruding. long line of little boys and
girls wrote this simple screed the Board of
Health Building yesterday. They stood up
write and never did they handle the pen with
more anxious care. for did not their working
papers partially depend upon the appearance Of
this sentence?
Sometimes il came out "thes isa find dag" or
words to that effect, but they did the best they
could, and so long as it comprehensive it
went through
It certainly a busy day at the big building
at Fffty-ffth-st. and Sixth-ave. 1t is estimated
that five thousand children take out their work
sng papers" every summer, and from the looks Of
things in that vicinity they apparently all
there. Each had mother father apiece with
them, making ten thousand in all The pavement
at the side of the building a solid of
humanity, which sent into the basement in re-
lays Of a thousand at a time.
Inside company of perspiring sat around a
long table, and asked questions and wrote. and
wrote and asked more questions, and ever and anon
they and shouted:
stand back there; give us a little air; you won't
get out no quicker by smotherin' us!"
Then they mopped their brows with their hand
kerchiefs and tucked them top of their collars
and began
Are you this chlid's mother?"
Sometimes 1t not the mother. Sometimes It
aunt who brought down her niece or
nephew, friendly soul from a tenement house
WIN 4leu Drought aIOnB al the cHIiQIen III Hei
block out of neighborly kindness
DO you think give out papers in job lots,
madam? DO you think you swear in children
by wholesale here?" inquired inspector in a
fatgued way.
Children Of twelve must ha1 4 certificate from
the department before they work in mercantile
establishments during he summer vacations. Chill
dren of fourteen must have certificates setting
forth this fact and the fact that they have been
in school during the previous year before they can
go TO work regularly. Then they have to demon
strate the fact that they read and write Eng
lish before the certificate is granted.
Most OF the children yesterday dressed in
their best. as II for picnic excursion. An
italian father came with two Young girls. both
picturesquey beautiful, in bright red frocks, their
long black curls and their great black eyes appro-
priately framed In broad brimmed straw hats
weighed down by brilliant scarlet poppes Gay
little gowns Of this kind touched elbows with the
Italian mother, with her shawl and long earrings.
the old fashioned Jewish woman with her orthO-
dox wig. Often the child translated the inspector
questions 10 the parent.
the Office cannot turn out more than 600 700
papers in day. ii will take ten days clear
them all up. and thousands will return day after
day. once in while there is an attempt to swear
in child whom the inspector considers under age.
II the child born in NewYork they send up
the Bureau Of Vital Statistics for its birth
certificate. II born in the old country they some
times require the parent to send there for copy
Of the birth certificate. Sometimes they weigh the
child and the inspector his judgment in regard
TO size and apparent age.