The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-09-19
EMPLOYMENT of cHiLDREN


The act, of the General Assembly of
the State of Missouri, approved May
80, 1919, contains, among other SER
tions, the ,following:~,s ~ i .s.yi
Sec. 1715. "No child under the age
of fourteen years snail be employed,
permitted or suffered to work at or
be engaged in any gainful occupation
in this state; except that during the
hours when the puelic schools in the
district in which the child resides are
not in session, such child may work at
agricultural pursuits; and domestic
service and except as provided in Sec
tions 1726b, 1726c, and 17E6i." ...
Sec. 1715a. "No child over folr-
teen and under sixteen years of age
shall be employed, permitted or suf-
fered to work at or be engaged in any
gainful occupation in this state I'M
less such child has obtained an en-
ployment certificate as provided in
section 17t8 to 1924, inclusive; except
that such child may, without an EN-
ployment certificate, work in agricul-
tural pursuits and domestic service
during the hours when Thea public
schools in the district in which the
held resides are not in session; and
except in cases where special permit
is required as provided in sections
1726b, 1726c and 1726i."
Sec. 1717a. Every person, firm 1r
corporation employing minors be-
tween the ages Of fourteen and sixteen
years within this state shall keep two
complete lists containing the names,
ages and places of residence of all such
children employed, one on file, and one
conspicuously posted near the prin-
cipal entrance of the place or estab-
lishment in which such children are
employed.
Sec. 1717b. "The violation of any
of the provisions of this act shall be
deemed q m.sdemcanor and every
days violation shall constitute a sep
arate offense, and any person, firm or
corporation committing such violation
shall be punished by a fine Of not
more than 500, or by Imprisonment
in the county Jail not exceeding one
year, or by botn such fine and impris
onment."
The purpose of the above enact
mcnt is to prevent the employment Of
children Of school age during school
hours, in order that every child may
receive his birthright to an EDUCATION,
, and in order that the future citizen
ship of this country may be insured
against inefici2ncy AID immortality;
and it is an example of the efforts Of
the law-making body of this state to
rightly place the necessity for an ed
ucation above the temporal benefits Of
the Almight Dollar.
The parent who permits his child
to lose sight Of the benefits # an ed,
ucation by becoming enamored witt
with a desire, early in life, to pile W
money, is robbing his own child of It.
birthright to liberty and enlighten
ment: and is just as much to be con
demped as the class that our Saviol
referred to when he said, st wcr
well for him if a milestone wer
hanged about his neck, and he wer
thrown into the sea, rather than tina
he should cause one of these it'll
ones to stumble" And the employe
who permits himself to be the instru
ment or the contributing cause Of sucl
otfense need not expect to escape pros
ecution.
The law referred to above will b.
enforced in this county without fear
flavor or affection, where information
of violations can be obtained.
] Respectfully submitted,
! w. f. GOLFER,
! Prosecuting AttOrne