The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-06
WAGE EARNING MOTHERS.

In seeking the source of the great
amount of juvenile delinquency and
crime said to exist in the country,
probably no more prolific field could
be found than in the homes presided
over by wage earning mothers.
Gainful employment of mothers of
young children frequently means that
the children receive inadequate care
during the day, or no care at all, ac-
cording to report entitled, Children
of Wage Earning Mothers, a Study Of
a Selected Group in Chicago" just
made public by the United States de-
partment of labor thru the childrens
bureau. other conditions found in
clude retarded school progress of the
children. over-fatigue and ill-health Of
the mothers-with consequent loss to
the children-and in some instances
overwork by children who had the re-
sponsibfity for household tasks be-
yond their strength.
The report presents the results of
study of s4s families of working
mothers, in which were 2.O66 children
under the age of IA years. The group
included families known to the Chi
cago United Charities and to the day
nurseries. and included also a special
group OF PIP colored families. It was
found that the problem of the en-
ployment of mothers had to do with
both normal and broken families
Where the father was a member of
the family group and worked regular
ly his earnings were. in the great ma
jority Of cases. inadequate for the
family support
The forty-five day nurseries in Chi
cago at the time of the study did not
maintain uniformly high standards
with respect to sanitation and child
care and training; many of them had
not provided adequately for the care
and training of the older children.
or the 1928 children who were not
cared for in day nurseries. at least n
fourth were left with no provision for
their care aside from that made in
the schools.
The report emphasizes the skill in
planning and management shown by
many of the women in carrying the
triple burden of wage Garner, house
keeper and mother, and states that a
large proportion were doing THEM
housework without assistance More
than half OF $50 mothers whose
household arrangements were known
were doing all the washing and the
cooking; the mothers in general
showed a tendency to sacrifice them
selves in order to save the children
from tasks too heavy for their years
Measures for reducing the necessity
for wage earning by mothers of young
children, the report states, include i'm
proved economic conditions that will
make the fathers earnings more
nearly adequate: training of mothers
in household management and the
care of children; preserving the nor
NAL family group thru movements for
the prevention OF accident and the
promotion OF health; and providing
substitutes for the fathers support
when he is dead or incapacitated, by
means of mothers pensions and aid
from social agencies Special protection
needed by children OF wage-earning
motaers. the report points out, include
more adequate provision, thru the
nurseries or thru the schools, for the
care OF school children outside school
hours; higher standards of sanitation
and care on the part of the nurseries;
and the protection OF the mother
from over-fatigue and i'll health