The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-10-12
FIND OUT WHY
KIDS QUIT BOOKS
Iowa Commissioner Of Labor Makes
important Report In Regard
to educational
Problems.
FEW CLAIM NECESSITY
Far Greater Per Cent Give Dislike q,
Teachers az the Reason for
Their Quitting the
Rule Of Re.
FEW CLAIM NECESSITY

DIES MONIES, Iowa, Oct. 12.-Why
children leave school has been gone
into most thoroughly by the state
bureau Of labor statistics and chill
dren who hold work permits as re-
quired by the child labor law when
they quit school to work have been
looked up and their condition studied.
The results are shown in the report
which A. L. Urick, state labor COM
missioner. has just completed.
OF the number of boys and girls In
terviewed 1915 per cent of the total
claimed necessity as their reasons
for leaving school and taking en-
ployment. Dislike for schools was
the reason given by 1851 per cent.
Preference for some form OF work
was given as a reason by 1888 per
cent. Only two children in the en-
tire number left school to learn a
trade.
Only in a small number OF cases
considered were the children work
ing at the sort of employment they
would have chosen If they could have
made choice of occupations. The
great majority of those working took
the first job they could get.
1.-THE work in which they were
found can in great majority of
cases be said to be only temporary
makeshift to answer a call of neces-
sity. an excuse for leaving school,
to earn money during vacation, or a
parents desire to have the child
work." declares the report
keokuk Investigated.
The Investigations made by the
department were in the following
cities: Des Moines, Sioux City,
Davenport, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids,
Waterloo, Clinton, Burlington, OF
tumwa. Fort Dodge, Muscatine. Keo-
kult, Iowa City, Oskaloosa, Fort Mad
ison. Fairfield, and Washington. These
cities were chosen because OF the
comparatively large number OF work
permits issued in them. Three hun
dred and thirty boys and two hun.
dred and seventy girls were included
in the survey. It 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 establish.
ment, factory. mill shop. laundry,
slaughter house or packing house, on
in any store or mercantile establish
ment where more than eight persons
are employed, or in the operation of
any freight or passenger elevator, or
livery stable or garage, place Of
amusement, or in the distribution or
transmission of merchandise or mes.
sages."
Children who are between the ages
of IA and 16 may be employed in any
Of these occupations for eight hours
day, between a. m. and D. m.
and not exceeding forty-eight in any
one week, by securing work per-
NIT issued by the superintendent Of
schools or person authorized by
him. or If there be no such superin-
tendent then by person authorized
by the local school board.
Begin to Cult in Sixth Grade.
Commenting on the ages at which
children quit school the report says:
at will be noted that the large
number OF drop-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 104 boys and
1O2 girls.
"It is while the child is passing
through three grades that economic
pressure and dislike for school in
some form or other appear keenest.
Many parents feel that child hay
ing passed some one of these three
grades is sufficiently equipped and to