Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-07
LABOR COMMISSIONER CON.
cLuDES INQUIRY INTO WHY
CHILDREN QUIT SCHOOL.
ONLY TWO IN ENTIRE
NUMBER LEARNING TRADES
Accept Employment as Makeshift to
Meet Calls Of Necessity Report
Shows Youths Begin to Quit Schools
in Sixth Grade-Numaer lner eases
in Succeeding Grades.
Special to Times Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
leave school has been gone into most
thoroly by the state bureau OF labor
permits as required by the child labor
law when they quit school to work have
been looked up and their conditions
studied. The results are shown in the
report which A. l.. Trick, state labor
commissioner, has just completed.
OF the number of boys and girls in
terviewed 1875 per cent of the total
claimed necessity as their reasons for
leaving school and taking employment.
Dislike for school was the reason given
by 1851 per cent. Preference for some
form OF work was given as reason by
1888 per cent. Only two children in
the entire number left school to learn
l. trade.
Only in small number of cases con-
the sort of employment they would
have chosen if they could have made a
choice of occupations. The great ma
jority of those working took the first
job they could get
The work in which they were found
can in a great majority of cases be
said to be only temporary makeshift
to answer 4 cali Of necessity, an excuse
for leaving school, to earn money dur
ing vacation. or parents desire to
have the child work." declares the re-
port.
The Investigations made by the de-
partment were in the following cities:
Des Moines, Sioux City. Davenport, Du-
b1Gue, Cedar Rapids. Waterloo, Clinton,
Burlington, Ottumwa. Fort Dodge, Mus
catine, Keokuk, Iowa City, Oskaloosa.
Fort Madison. Fairfield and Washing
ton These cities were chosen because
of the comparatively large number OF
work permits issued in them. Three
hundred and thirty boys and two hun
dred and seventy girls were included in
the survey. 1t is explained that this is
not the entire number holding work
permits but only those that could be
reached within the brief time available
for the work.
The present child labor law in Iowa
prohibits the employment of children
under fourteen years of age. with or
without compensation in the following
occupations:
Mine, manufacturing establishment,
factory, mill. shop, laundry. slaughter
house or packing house, or in any store
or mercantile establishment where more
than eight persons are employed. or in
the operation of any freight or passen
ger elevator, or livery stable or garage.
place of amusement, or in the distribu-
ton or transmission of merchandise or
messages"
Children who are between the ages
of fourteen and sixteen may be en-
pioyed in any Of these occupations for
eight hours day. between Z a. m. and
D. m. and not exceeding forty eight
hours in any one week, by securing
work permit issued by the superintend-
ent of schools or person authorized
by him, or If there be no such superin-
tendent then by a person authorized by
the local school board
Begin to Quit In Sixth Grade.
Commenting on the ages at which
children quit school the report says:
1T will be noted that the large num-
Der of drop-o outs begin at the sixth
grade, fifty-six boys and forty girls,
grow larger with the seventh grade,
eighty-seven boys and seventy-one
girls. and attain maximum at the
eighth grade with one hundred and four
boys and one hundred and two girls.
ut Is while the child is passing thru
these three grades that economic pres
sure and dislike for school in some form
or other appear keenest. Many parents
feel that a child having passed some
one of these three grades is sufficient
" equipped and to continue longer In
school is q waste Of time.
THE child passing thru these grades
is Just at the age when life takes on
new aspect. the passing from childhood
to the age of maturity. An enlarged
view of life is manifesting itself the
trend of which may be influenced by
many things. The conditions and en-
vironments of home undoubtedly have
strong influence"