The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-12-19
Ways OF Connecting
School With Plantation
Continued from page 81

5. Does the child really benefit
financially, or is it his parents who
derive the benefit?
s. Does the plantation actually
benefit by employing children?
T. Would you recommend Saturday
work throughout the school-year?
s. In some places a system has
been devised whereby the child can
work after school hours. Would you
endorse such an arrangement?
g.. What are the mental effects on
the child who works in the fields?
l have answered these questions
somewhat after the following fashion:
l. There is a vast difference be-
tween child labor as practiced, and so
violently opposed, in city factories and
child labor in the cane fields of Ha-
wall. In the n case the child is
indoors, stopped, mentally oppressive
and therefore wrong. In the cane
field the children work in gangs, are
out of doors. They sing and joke and
find much to amuse them, most of
them apparently having as much fun
as they would playing. They begin
the day early and are usually through
with their work before noon, the prac.
tice being to give "ukupau'' work. l
do not believe that any child should
be kept in the field after 300 O'Clock
in the afternoon.
?. In only n or two cases have l
seen children doing work beyond their
physical ability. In these cases the
fault vas corrected without any diff
Guilty. In the beginning of the summer
it was necessary to discharge a num-
Der of the younger children. This was
done because l felt that they were not
strong enough for any plantation work
and consequently of no service to the
plantation, to say nothing of the physi-
cal injury they might be doing them
selves. In some parts of the planta-
ton it was possible to use younger
children than in other parts. This
was due to the nature of the work.
The kinds of work reserved for chill
dren were for the most part wedding,
picking kiawe beans, raking and burn
ing trash for the younger children.
The older children were given such
work as hoeing, cutting and planting
seed, irrigation work etc.
2 Doiobt mantle, .o,,o,o1 .l:z-z
which indicate special consideration
given children, among them (a) en-
ployment of Working Reserve officers
(b) employment of special lunas (c)
"ukupau" work (d) shorter hours (e)
half holidays Saturdays (f) July 4th
Working Reserve picnic Gall expenses
borne by plantation) (g)Working Re
serve badge (h) n years subscrip-
ton for the American Boy"
4. The benefit to the child through
organization is self evident. In many
cases the children would work even
if there were no Working Reserve. 1t
is to their advantage as well as to
the advantage of the plantation to
have them organized. For instance
the latter can learn the needs and
ability of the child workers better and
act accordingly.
B. In many cases, of course, the
child does not derive direct financial
benefit benefit from his work. But
such children are as a rule those who
would be forced to work by their par
ents eve if there were no Working
Reserve. The Reserve offers them a
measure Of protection and indirectly
they derive financial benefit even if
their parents do take their money.
6. l should say that the plantation
does benefit decidedly by employing
children. Children are able to do Ger
tain kinds of work better than grown
ups, such as wedding and planting
Their summer vacation m at the
time when this extra work must be
done.
z. AS a war emergency l urged Sat
urday work for children. Now, how
ever, l neither urge nor discourage it.
feeling that certain families need thu
financial aid of their children and tina.
usually the work is not particular!
trying. On the other hand, if there
is no special need of the money l d.
not believe that the child should b,
deprived of his Saturday recreation.
s, am absolutely opposed to after
school work. Regular school hours
to say nothing of extra hours il
Language Schools" are drain enough
upon the child's physical energy. Fore
ing more work from them would re
suit in defeating the ends we are aim
ing at.
8. l have noticed no difference il
H. -nInol vro,l- of ,Is1J,o- I-a.,.