Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1905-06-01
NEW CERTIFICATE LAW
REASONS FOR THE MOST IMPORT.
ANT FEATURE OF THE PRO-
POSED MEASURE.

The Pennsylvania Child Labor Com
mittee Shows How the Present Law
Has Been Evaded BY INSCRIPTIONS
Parents and How This Evasion May
Be Avoided Hereafter.
The strongest feature of the bill pre-
rarcd by the Pennsylvania Child Labor
Committee is that which requires, in
addition to an affidavit before notary,
that all employment certificates shall
be issued by school secretaries and
principals and by deputy factory in
spectors.
This feature is made still stronger
by the clause which provides for
permanent record of these certificates.
Responsible manufacturers have long
realized the disadvantage of depending
on the affidavit of parents as to the
age of their children. One manufac-
turer said LAS to child labor, whose
fault is it, I should like to know, the
manufacturer the parents or the
childs? The parent perjures himself
by swearing before a magistrate or
notary that child is of legal age, and
presents q certificate to us, backed up
by voluble assurances of its accuracy.
| should like to know how we can be
held responsible for the employment
of a child"
The principal of school says that
employers at times refuse to take chill
dren without a certificate lin addition
to the regular certificate) from a teach
er that they are of legal age according
to the school records. When this hap
pens. the father or mother invariably
attempts to persuade the teacher TO
make statement at variance with her
record.
The above stories are not only typ
ical Of other stories on record, but they
will be at once recognized IS character
istic of human nature and the newt
able result of the provisions of the
present law
In short the employment certificate,
as now issued, is the effective and final
weapon of defense of a child who does
not want to go to school; of the par
ent disposed to exploit his children
for selfish purposes: of the employer
in search of cheap labor. The employ
ment certificate effectually defeats the
purposes of the compulsory school at
tendance law and the factory law as it
relates to children. Children of eight,
nine. ten, eleven and twelve years,
armed with employment certificates
which certify to their having reached
their thirteenth birthday, may wave
them in defiance at their teachers and
face with Indifference the truant Off
GERS or factory inspectors who at
tempt to enforce the laws--the laws
which compel school attendance up TO
thirteen years and prohibit the work
of children under that age.
School superintendents and other
school officials from all parts of Penn
sylvania are eager to see the present
law revised and the issuance of certili-
Gates placed in the hands of officials
who are interested in the education Of
the children. While the present law
is in operation, they realize that there
is no hope of stemming the tide of il
literacy Children are at work and out
OF school before they can read or write,
as direct result of false certificates.
The Philadelphia schools show ra-
pid decrease in school attendance fol-
lowing the first grade
Enrolment in public schools in 1897
1908: Grade l, 80, ,203; grade 2, 25,S23
79 per cent remaining; grade g. %, H.
&C per cent remaining: grade 4. 5000