The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-18
some SAD CASES
Of CHILD LABOR
Minot Parents Unable to
Support Families Without
Held of Children.

Minot, n. D., Nov. 1S.-That boys
under IA and IS. years Of age were
contributing to the support of their
families and were thus deprived OF the
privilege of securing an education was
brought out in justice court before
Judge William Murray. when four
parents, two fathers and two mothers.
were brought into court on warrants
charging them with having failed to
educate their children.
The arrests followed the report of
Superintendent S. Henry Wolfe. made
to the school board at a meeting held
last week. in which MIR. Wolfe stated
that a large number of children of
school age. that is between the ages
of s and 16 years. We're not in school.
and that some of them were earning
money which went to the support of
their families. The board ordered an
investigation and the arrests Of the
parents followed.
Sobbing as if her heart would break.
one mother, a widow oman who has
made a brave struggle to support her
family of little Ones. since the death
of her husband some years ago.. told
her story to the authorities. Her lit
tie boy, she said. did not have decent
clothes to wear to school and so was
WIZ IlIC 10 ii " IA
that he might earn enough to buy the
necessary clothes. She said he had in
tended starting to school the first of
next month. and that she hadn't been
able TO buy clothes for him so that he
might. start earlier. She promised.
however. I ge. the children into
school neXt week.
Husband Deserted Family.
The other mother, too, felt keenly
her inability to send her little boy to
school. a lad of less than Is years
and small for his age. Her II year
old daughter. she explained, was earn
ing $1.25 a day, but that she herself
was unable to. work because of heart
trouble and the little family was en-
tirely dependent upon the earnings
of the little son and the young daugh-
ter. Her husband she said had left her
last ..Inne and she did not know where
he was. Efforts will be made to get
some assistance for her from the coun-
ty authorities.
One of the fathers explained to the
court that his little hoy was obliged to
remain at home and care for the
younger children while the mother
went out to work. He was employed
at 1928 per day but when things
freeze up about December, he fears he
will be thrown out of employment.
The last words the mother told her
husband as he left the house for work.
was that they would have to try and
keep the lad at home until the middle
of December SO that she could work
until that time and thus get a little
saved up to tide them over the winter
months when there was little to earn.
The other father stated that his
younger boy was out on account of ill
health while the help of the older was
needed in support of the family. He
had six children, he said. and the boy
was earning $4,000 to $500 a month
and the money was badly needed.
The cases against the four defend
ants were continued for thirty days
and in the meantime the school au-
thorities and the parents will make
efforts to arrange for the children's
education SO that neither the children
nor the parents will suffer thereby.