The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-01
SHOULD CHILDREN
LEAVE SCHOOL
QUESTION rs OFTEN FULFILLING
TO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
More Than Two Hundred Applications
for Child Labor Permits Have Been
Investigated and Passed Upon Since
Opening of Public Schools-Requests
Often Justified, Sometimes Deceptive.

Since the opening of the city schools
the Associated Charities has been called
upon to investigate and pass on more
/ than 200 applications for child labor
permits. In making this investigation
I the association is not working in any
!. official capacity, but acts merely as the
agent of the board Of education. I'm
der the present child-labor law the
power to grant permits is vested IN the
school board, which has the power to
I delegate it to the superintendent, who
in turn can delegate his authority to
! the school principals under him. When
1 requests for child-labor permits come
! before the school principals they ask
the association to investigate the case
!. and advise them whether or not per-
. nit should be issued.
| The motives and causes back of
these applications for child-labor per-
mits make an interesting study says
! Edwin D. Solenberger, secretary and
manager of the Associated Charities.
Z cat first thought one might think that
I ious to profit from the labor of their
children, and this is too often the case.
d On the other hand, it is frequently the
. children who urge their parents to make
the application. With children of GER
] tain classes a Job of any sort is looked
boy Of IA who can leave school and go
s to work feels that he has left child
1 hood behind him. He can don. long
& trousers smoke cigarets,, have girl
I and lea d what he considers a man s
= life. It is the same with the girls. AL
most invariably they use their first
4 earnings, to purchase a large, hat and
and become young ladies'
"We have to use great care in pass
ing on these cases for many times the
circumstances of the family are such
hot <h1 3c n1TorS n6
I'd for it's support. In many other cases
Il there is no reason why the child should
# be out of school. Very often the par
ents feel that they have worked long
& enough and wish to retire and depend
5 upon their children. These cases are
s parents develop pains and weaknesses
which are hard TO diagnose and mis-
+ represent their resources recklessly.
'.In one case a boy of IA had in
rags in a junk shop and we withdrew
y the permit, as the family was in no
need of the boys. earnings. Within a
!. month they had him out of school and
3 were around after another permit. This
class of parents have many hard
much incensed when a permit is re-
% fused. One woman unconsciously fol
lowed Herbert Spencer in arguing that
her children belonged to her and she
had right to do with them as she
pleased.
want and the child would be better of
in school we are able to find charitable
people who contribute the amount OF
the child $ wages in order that it may
L. remain in school, One cease ofathis sort
came up last week. ,.~ : ,
stances had daughter whom she hac
b made every effort to keep in schoo
: that she might become Il school teacher
Finally she was compelled to seek {
labor permit. We investigated the case
e and found that it would be better fol
child to remain in school. A certain
q charitable woman, who requested us tt
conceal her name, has agreed to con
tribute the amount that the girl Nigh
earn, 50 long as. she remains in school
In another caseswe were able to locat
only contributed the. amount of tn
II boys wages, but have undertaken t
= give him a good education in the high
er branches. j..
= cases is hard and sometimes unpleasant
: but it is never lacking in interest fro1
i either the sociological or the human;
tartan standpoint. By taking over thi
work from the school authorities W
can assist mateIeialEly IN H., the etfect Nv
quently secure relief for deservin
people whose difficulties would nc
= Otherwise come to our Knowledge
All the schools keep record of the
pupils and when. one fails to report
the fall at the school to which he ::
assigned, the principal investigates tn
s case and if the child is at work eitht
issues or refuses a labor permit upo
his own information or turns the cas-
over to the association for further il
! vestigation Thirty out Of the. sixt
! schools in the city are now turning a
] applications over to the Associate
& Charities.