The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-14
The Newsboys stood the Test.

The newsboy appears to the man
who buys a paper from him on the
street to be rather husky little fell
low with strong lungs, keen wit, an
air of sophistication in city ways and
the possible making of good sales
man. The Department of Education,
desiring something more definite than
this casual impression, has made a
pretty thorough study of this youth
full merchant, principally because of
the attempt TO raise the age ut which
he may sell papers from II to IA
years. Among other things the de-
partment sought to discover facts
about the boys home life, the condi-
lions that made street work necessary,
his earnings and the effect of the
work upon his morals, conduct and
habits. The result Of this investiga-
ton has just been published in the
report of the Bureau of Attendance.
In the last school year considered
in the report, 1917-1S, the number OF
newsboy permits issued was 2,947,
which was about 800 fewer than in
the preceding school year and almost
1000 fewer than in 1915-16. The At
tendance Bureau officers took 1000
boys, whose names they obtained from
district registers of permits, and made
them the basis of the investigation.
Eighty per cent. of the boys were Of
foreign parentage, Italian being frs,
and Russian second. OF the entire
group of 1000 only 1913 were native
born. Fifty per cent. were between
u and 10 years, and more than three
fourths were less than 1874. Com
menting on this the report says: "We
cannot successfully propose legislation
for raising the age to il years at
which boys would be permitted to sell
newspapers when by so doing 90 per
cent of these now engaged in the
work would be eliminated"
The reason for procuring a news
boy permit, as stated by the parents,
in 654 cases was either "to augment
the family income" or ito provide
necessities for the boy; In the re-
naming cases the reason was to
keep the boy employed or to provide
him with money. In most Of the 654
cases the family consisted of from five
to ten persons and the income was
less than $50 weekly; i'm the other
cases the family income was more
than this amount. The earnings of
many Of the boys were less than "a
cents a day, but at least ITO made be-
tween so and "A cents daily. This
gain of SO or $3.50 from six after
moons in a week made an addition to
family income of less than $50 "by
no means TO be despised."
Only In nineteen cases Of the group
Of 1000 was It admitted that the boys
we're more difficult TO handle after
working as newsboys than they were
before. The question Of the moral
effect Of the work was one of the
most puzzling to solve. An investi-
CATION made by representative of
the New York Child Labor Commit
tee, referred to In the report, indi-
Gated result somewhat different
from that Of the Attendance Bureau
officers, who based their reports upon
the statements Of the boys parents
This testimony was overwhelmingly
that the effect Of his trade upon the
newsboy does not make him more
difficult TO control. that he does not
acquire bad habits or bad companions
or extrayagant tastes.
The report says while there may be
wide difference Of opinion as to
the effect Of their work on the great