Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-26
WHIMS AND NEEDS
PROMPT CHILDREN
IN QUITTING SCHOOL
35 Seek Sanction to Temi-
nate Education" Should
Worry Girl Explains.
Father Dead" Another.

Eighteen boys and seventeen girls APP
piled today at the headquarters Of the
Bureau of Compulsory Education, 1922
Cherry street, for legal permission to
terminate their school careers and begin
work in the stores or factories. Several
of the children we're questioned as to
the causes which made them ask for
labor certificates. The answers were re-
markable.
The first applicant was a little glrl,
whose wan face indicated she had never
known any other condition than poverty
and that heavy responsibilities had
checked her normal development.
my father was killed in a railroad
accident" she stammered, land ever
since that time my mother has had
hard time of it. She worked last year
as scrublady in an office building, but
the doctor told her that If she didn't
want to die and leave us kids all alone
she's better give UP that Job So she
did. And now Jimmie, that's my oldest
brother, who always made good money
working in a silk mill, is only working
half time, and It's up to me to go to
work"
Edward G., a robust lad of 1e, ap-
parently was delighted over his prospects.
Either l was dumb or else l was lazy"
he confessed. Anyway, 1 never was
any good, in school. Half the time 1
didn't get promoted, and my father thinks
I'd be better off at work My mother
thinks so, too, and my uncle says I'll
make good mechanic. l was always
handy with nails and hammers and things
like that. I can make furniture, and
nobody ever taught me, either.
When anything gets broken around
the house can fix it. So I'm going to
work as carpenters apprentice. I'm
going to get 50 a week and I am going
to pay dollar board every week, too.
Maybe I amt glad"
TEACHER A "TYRANT"
am going to quit school because
don't like my teacher was the answer
of plump, snub-nosed little girl. "She
always had a spite on me and she knows
it, too. When anything went wrong she
L
didn't tell the truth and I was stupid
and I was always coming to school late
and had dirty hands and that I never
studied, and, oh, you ought TO hear all
the nasty things she use to say about
me. But l don't care. I am going to
quit, and now wonder who she's going
to pick at. I have Job as a cash girl"
,l,f,,
optimistic girl. II got a job in a rib
bon factory. and maybe they'll like me
and give me raise and maybe they
won't. Maybe I won't like them and then
I'll quit I'm going to take a chance. l
should worry"
Pop says II I want spending money
I'll have TO work for it." was the reason
given by 14-year-old Charles L. He says
he's tired of handing out coin to me all
the time and If l want TO go to movies
I can earn the money for It. He got me
n good lob at S a week In stocking
mill"
HARD TIMES, BOYS REASON.
81 amt got a job yet" conf1ded Sam
uel T, but I'll have to go TO work.
| Hard times has struck our house and
my father and Oldest brother are out
OF work. So guess I have a right to
| earn something for the family. I'm
| half glad I'm going to quit school, be-
cause when Pm working I can go out
at nights, but I'm sorry that I'll have
! TO quit my education. They say you
! can't ever amount 10 anything without
an education. Anyway, the teacher gave
| me some old books to keep and when !
get time after have a job I am going
! to study up"
| Henry r. had decided upon an expert
mcnt II am going to quit school for
/ n while. anyway" he said. "and | think
IN go to work as an office boy If
like IL I'll stick and If l don't I'll go
back to school. I'm young yet and l
got plenty time to try things out When
! I'm a man I want to be prize fighter,
but the fellows tell me I'm too young
for that yet"
All of the applicants were between the
ages of "A and 16. Children younger
than that cannot leave school and chill
! dren who have attained their 18th birth
day are not required to obtain labor
certificates. Remarkable differences
were noted in the height of the various
children. One boy was six feet tall and
another who stood near him, measured
but little more than the average child
Of 8,