Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-17
is M|SUNDERSTOOD|
State Factory Inspector Finds
That Law on Child Employ
ment Is Violated Here.
CERTIFICATE is REQUIRED
Affidavit Must be Made Before Super.
intendent of Schools Regarding
Age of Children.

Owing to visit of one of the deputy
factory inspectors in the city this week
Superintendent Hayden is having oc-
casiOn to issue quite number of child
labor certificates. In some instances
parents are permitting their children
to work during the summer vacation
without first securing the proper certi-
ficate. This has come about in most
instances from a lack of knowledge
of the provisions of the law. The fac
tory inspector reports that he finds q
good many people who have the opin-
ion that during the school vacation i
is not necessary for child to have \
school and age certificate i'm order to
| be employed This is not correct, how
ever, as the law, in prescribing that
a school and age certificate shall be
obtained before child is employed, is
just as binding in the summer time as
any other season of the year
! The law under which these certifi-
Gates are required was passed by the
Legislature in 1908 and went into effect
on July OF that year. Since that time
there have been issued from Superin-
tendent Hayden's Office go certificates
to children between II and 16 years of
lage.
| Provisions of Law.
| The law requires that mo child un-
der the age of IA years shall be EN-
plOyed, permitted or suffered to work
at any gainful occupation in any thea
tier, concert hall or place of amuSe-
ment where intoxicating liquors are
sold or in any mercantile institution,
store, office. hotel, laundry. manufac-
turing establishment, bowling alley,
passenger OF freight elevator, factory
o. workshop or as messenger or driver
therefor. within this state" Also that
no child over the age of IA and under
the age of 10 years shall be hired Ar
employed or permitted TO work in any
of the several places of employment
previously listed unless there is first
produced and filed with the employer
the age and school certificate required
by THE statute
1t is made the duty of the Superin
tendent of public schools in each com
munity, or in communities where there
| is no superintendent, the duty of some
person authorized by the school board
to issue an age certificate to children
between the ages of IA and 1G years
upon sufficient proof that the applicant
is really ovel II and under 16 years
of age. ro
| Oath IN Required.
This proof of the age of the child is
lrequired to be taken in two ways.
First. the records of the public or par
ochial school last attended by the child
or a certificate of the birth or baptism
OF said child; and second. the sworn
statement of the parent as to the date
and place of the child's birth and his
or her age at the time that the certi-
ficate is issued. The superintendent of
schools is authorized to administed the
oath required by this law.
To obtain this certificate one of the
parents is required to call upon the
superintendent of schools. accompal-
led by the child; the parent to make
affidavit as TO the child's age and the
child in order that his description may
be filled, in upon the certificate.
This certificate may not be issued
to any child under II years of age, and
it is not needed by anyone over lG
Years of age provided that he can give
satisfactory evidence to his employer
that he is past 16 years of age.
1t is made the special duty of the
Estate foctory inspector to enforce the
provisions of the act and to prose-
Icute all violations of it before any
magistrate or court of competent juris-
ldiction i'm the state. The state factory
inspector together with % deputies. IS
appointed by the governor The pres
ent chief is Edgar T. Davies. whose
Office is in the Security building in
Chicago The deputy factory inspector
! who is at present calling upon bust
ness men in this city to see that the
provisions of the law are understood
and that they are being complied with
is Jacob F. Swank of Forreston. TIL,
. state factory inspector and his depu
ties are authorized to visit and inspec
all places of employment covered ,,
the statute.
Penalties for violation.
:. Penalties for the violation of thi
;, statute are prescribed both against tn
J. parent who permits his child to be en-
ployed in violation of the law, the pc,
i