The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-08-10
the place afford for the young peo-

pie?
Cummins: Some nickelet picture
shows, poolrooms. and the Holy Ghost
dance hall, rented for lodge parties.
But the dances for the foreigners are
rare.
Roosevelt: Are there any libraries?
Cummings None except some cir
culating book shelves in drug stores.
Roosevelt: Is there working age
law In effect for children now and Is
IL observed?
Cummings: There Ia a fourteen
year age law. and I believe II is OBJ
served, at least by all the children
that have to do with.
Roosevelt: How do the children OF
foreign parentage do In school? Are
they as apt at learning as the Amer
lean children?
Cummings: wouldn't know the
difference. Where the foreigners do
not COLOMBO and the children have a
chance 10 learn English they are very
quick to learn.
Greek Boy Leads.
Here Supt Cummings interrupted
the account with: why, out OF As
children In our seventh grade the first
place this year was held by Greek
boy! forgot to tell that to Col. Roose-
Welt. But told him they were taken
out of school as a rule the minute
they were IA and put to work In
cur high school class this year only
four boys were graduated. Some
years there have not been any. They
go to work, the boys In the breakers,
the girls in the mills. at work so close
and exacting that II we gave anything
as hard In school we would be called
cruel.
THAT watching OF threads, that con-
slant alertness and tension Is printed
on the girls faces In hard and drawn
features. They look old at twenty.
Col Roosevelt's question about libra
ries prompted me to stop to talk 10
two breaker boys I met at Jessup,
town farther along the rut-broken,
dusty main road.
The little chaps, JOS Mccormick
and John Canannra, didn't stop 10
talk or play ball along the way. Inelr
tramp, tramp was as serious and man
ly as the big dinner buckets they car
ried.
They said they were fourteen.
s'What grade were you In when you
stopped SCHOOL, | asked.
Fifth" said John. Sixth said
Joseph. And both said they couldn't
go back again. Then they wrote their
names for me, to show how well they
could write.
did you ever read Tom Sawyer
| asked.
The two miniature men looked at
each other queerly.
did you ever read book?' / ask
ed them.
IT nexer read a book said Joseph.
John didn't either. Did your" turning
or his partner.
Nope" said John. There's IL
brary ND the street, but the man he
won't let us kids In. He says we get
in the way Of the men playing pool
and get the books dirty, and maybe
we wouldn't bring 'em back
eGee, I'D Like to Read!"
Would you like to read book?'
asked.
"All about sailor men? Gee, I'd like
TO read one about sailors" said Joseph.
And the army men, the ones that
fight the big wars" put in John. DO
you think President Roosevelt will get
'em for us?''
Col Roosevelt also visited Father
p. j.. Murphy. pastor OF st. Patrick's
church at ELEPHANT. Father Murphy
has been at ELEPHANT 20 years, and
knows social conditions there perhaps
better than anyone else.
Col. Roosevelt asked me about the
character OF the mine workers here"
he said
81 told him they were so different
from the usual impression that gets
about, and that it had been IA years
since the town marshal had been call
ed out to settle fight among foreign
crs.
What do you think Of dancing for
the young people?" he asked me next.
Il said | favored dancing when the
halls were not connected with saloons
and the dancers went home at II
o'clock. after the serving of lunch.
"At that the colonePs fist came
down on the arm Of the chair.
That's just where stand he said.