Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-24
Chill LOREN UNDER "A
MISS SCHOOL HERE
BY SCORES, He SAYS
Lack of Attendance Officers in
Wilmington Raped by Inspect
or Before Labor Commission.
10 HOUR LAW VIOLATED

Proof that scores OF children. both
boys and girls. under the age OF fourteen
years arc dling away valuable time
outside the schoolroom contrary 70 State
law, through the absence here oi at
tendance officers TO keep tabs on the
delinuuents, denial that Delaware IS
undtIy ahead of other Statesin she en-
ployment of child Ia Dor, and a report that
fifty-seven violations we're found In four
months against the ten-hour law govern
ing the employment Of women and chill
dren were features OF two reports laid
before the Labor Commission of Del
aware at meeting held this afternoon in
the Office OF Charles Warner in the Odd
Fellows Building
Charles A. Hagner, State child labor
inspector, who called attention to the
large number of children Of school age
roaming the streets, also reported that
general certificates for employment 70 the
number OF SOL were granted during the
past five months to children OF Whining
ton. and lO6 10 children from rural New
Castle. Kent and Sussex counties This
is an increase of 116 over April | of this
year.
cRIrCIsEs PARENTS.
While MIR. Hagner praised the spirit of
cooperation shown by indus rial con-
Germs. parents, and the children as well,
came in for criticism. The desire to nd
themselves of what they deem burden
their employment certihcate-leads them
to claim children are more than 16 years
Of age the age when they no longer need
certificate of employment.
Mis- NJ Edna Palmer, inspector OF
the 10-hour and sanitary law for women
employ t. declared that virtually all
the violations of these statutes she had
found were confined to restaurants, hotels
and confectionery stores run by foreigners.
She said that the educational crusade
which the labor commissioner has lnau-
gurated To teach what the law requires
is cheerfully being followed by these
foreigners
MANY oUT or SCHOOL.
officers the report says:
''The Delaware Child Labor law
provides that children must be Ii years
Of age and must have completed a course
OF study equivalent TO five yearly grades
in our public schools in spelling, reading.
writing, arithmetic, geography, history
Of the United States and in the English
language before a general employment
certificate can be obtained In looking
back over the nine months of my work as
State Child Labor Inspector, the thought
often comes 10 me has Wilmington
done its full duty in looking after the
education of its cmdrcn?' While on
inspection trips about the city, ] am
confronted in nearly every section with
children of school age and during school
hours
Questioning brings the information,
that Il didn't go 10 school because
had 10 go 10 the store i had TO stay
home to mind my little brother, who
in this instance was halt block away
PLAYING with another child, j was late
for school, etc The children who apply
at the Office OF the Labor Commission
OF Delaware for employment certificates,
having reached IA years Of age and who
must be refused because they have not
completed five year grades at school,
undoubtedly in the majority Of instances
are like those quoted above.
CITIZENS SEEM INDIFFERENT
1T is this class apparently more than
any other, that have 10 enter the labor
world because Of financial conditions in
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