South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-29
TO-DAY.
CHILD LABOR DAY

cording to the census in 1918 mil
lion and a half children from the
ages Of 10 to 10 years were engaged
in agricultural occupations. It IS
very unlikely that the number has
diminished since that time. 7 am
not going 70 say that all farm work
f. harmful for children or that all
children engaged in this work need
protection. but there are thousands
and thousands ~ children who are
being deprived Of the very funds-
rnentals OF a normal childhood and
that some are actually being exploit
"a even o. the factory and Cannery
children have been exploited and
that n r. time 70 turn our direction
% them ~ We expect % elevate the
standard Of rural life I'm America.
The sugar beet region. the cotton
country. the onion fields. the truck
gardens and the one crop tenant
areas have All contributed a goOdly
share OF the injury thrust on the
child laborer.
Rural child labor carries with II
virtual denial Of an education. II
interferes with schooling either as
cause or as an excuse for irregular
attic ldance and paves the way for IL
literacy. Probably IL will surprise
YOU 20 know that American Hitter
acy n predominantly a rural prob
lem and problem OF native-born
whites One out OF every 10 adults
I'm our cities cannot read or write,
but one out Of every five In our
rural districts cannot do these simple
basic things 10 is in the country
that our compulsory school attend
ance law is feebly enforced and that
child labor laws are wholly absent.
Many of our uliterates attended
school and learned 20 read and write
but 40 dcsuItory was their training
and so small in the aggregate that
they forgot soon what they had
learned Nothing less than com
pIete elementary school education is
the right OF every boy and girl in
America and the best safeguard Of
en.0cracy.
The majority Of working children
under 16 years Of age leave school
in the fifth and sixth grades. Such
early abandonment OF school is cost
~ from the standpoint of future
earning capacity. one Of the chief
costs OF premature sChOOl-leaying ls
the child labor ovcrturn. only one
half or the child laborers i'm Amer
lea are employed at any given time.
This shifting about from one job 10
another does not make for stability
IN later life. To prevent this early
leaving of school. we need in them
WALKING influence which would ap-
peal both TO children and parents as
thoroughly worth while Vocational
training and guidance; measures Of
poor relief such as children's schol-
arships and mothers pensions. Will
eliminate poverty as a cause or eX-
cuse for early withdrawal from
school. Continuation schools play
an important part in the program
OF child labor reform.
Last. but not at all least is the in
dictment against child labor that II
deprives children of an opportunity
TO play. We grown ups, do not,
without a little thought, appreciate
fully what this indictment means
nor how important IL is. To rob a
child OF his playtime is 10 rob II OF
childhood itself. 4 child's life
should be composed Of mental, moral
and physical development which
means seIf-expressiOn and self-eX-
preston means play for life is play
10 them and play IS life II has
been said that the child who has
not played has missed half of life"
Rather ne has missed childhood.
which Is more than half OF life.
since. in Froebers words, The whole
later life OF man. even to the mo-
ment when he shall leave il again.
has its source I'm this period of child
hood"
No one IN the world except the
exploiter Of children really believes
in child, labor. but each one believes
that a child has work impulses and
needs as well as play impulses and
needs. and that they should have the
discipline OF suitable work activities
under proper influence. The cri-
terra OF chndren's work as distin-
guished from child labor are numer-
Gus. I shall mention. only g few.
Children's work leaves plenty OF
time for schooling and play. II Is
performed IN suitable places. X Is
a kind OF work that Is positively IA
vorabls TO physica! and mental de-
velopment.
Child labor reform seeks to es-
tsblish children's work and play as
"a substitute for child labor. and can
be provided I'm such specific forms
as home duties. household tasks.