Grace Abbott
Grace Abbott, with the help of her sister, Edith Abbott, played a key role in regulating employers of children during the early twentieth century. She was inspired by her mother who firmly believed in equal rights for men and women. Her mother was part of the Underground Railroad, so growing up, both Grace and Edith were heavily exposed to fights for equality and liberty for men, women, and children alike.
Grace Abbott started off her social work working with immigrants. Later on, as she realized that child labor was becoming an even more pressing and concerning matter, she stared working in that department. In 1917, she became the director of the Industrial Division of the Children's Bureau of the United States Department Labor, meaning part of her job entailed that she would help create and develop plans to implement the first set of child labor laws that Congress passed in 1916.
Abbott also played a part in making the Sheppard-Towner Act come to life. This didn't have so much to do with child labor as with protecting mothers and children. One of their main goals was to lower the number of women and children that die shortly after giving birth by providing necessary care for all women, not just those that could afford it. For her work on the Sheppard-Towner Act, President Warren Harding promoted Abbott to head of the Children's Bureau Department of Labor in 1921, where she served for about 13 years, form 1921 to 1934. After her resignation in 1934, newly inaugurated President Franklin D. Roosevelt, said of her career and life long devotion to helping children live better lives, "[her career was of] inestimable value to the children, the mothers, and the fathers of the country, as well as to the Federal and State governments."
Grace Abbott, with the help of her sister, Edith Abbott, played a key role in regulating employers of children during the early twentieth century. She was inspired by her mother who firmly believed in equal rights for men and women. Her mother was part of the Underground Railroad, so growing up, both Grace and Edith were heavily exposed to fights for equality and liberty for men, women, and children alike.
Grace Abbott started off her social work working with immigrants. Later on, as she realized that child labor was becoming an even more pressing and concerning matter, she stared working in that department. In 1917, she became the director of the Industrial Division of the Children's Bureau of the United States Department Labor, meaning part of her job entailed that she would help create and develop plans to implement the first set of child labor laws that Congress passed in 1916.
Abbott also played a part in making the Sheppard-Towner Act come to life. This didn't have so much to do with child labor as with protecting mothers and children. One of their main goals was to lower the number of women and children that die shortly after giving birth by providing necessary care for all women, not just those that could afford it. For her work on the Sheppard-Towner Act, President Warren Harding promoted Abbott to head of the Children's Bureau Department of Labor in 1921, where she served for about 13 years, form 1921 to 1934. After her resignation in 1934, newly inaugurated President Franklin D. Roosevelt, said of her career and life long devotion to helping children live better lives, "[her career was of] inestimable value to the children, the mothers, and the fathers of the country, as well as to the Federal and State governments."
Jane Addams
Jane Addams was inspired to create the Hull House, the invention that made her name, by a visit to London, England. She was visiting Europe on a two month trip as she tried to figure out her place in life and what she wanted to dedicate her life to. She happened to visit Toynbee House in London with her friend, Ellen G. Starr, and was inspired to model the Toynbee House somewhere closer to home. She set up shop in Chicago, Illinois and, using a house built by Charles Hull, hence the name, she and Ellen created the Hull House. The Hull House was dedicated to helping the underprivileged. They cared for children, the sick, the poor, the troubled. Business boomed, and within two years, it was common for the two women, as well as people they received help from, to see to as many as two thousand people per week. As her reputation grew, the Hull House expanded over the years to include other programs such a morning kindergarten class and the equivalent of today's night classes for adults.
Jane Addams went on to become the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award recognized her for her efforts to abolish child labor, as well as promote the message of peace and argue women's rights to vote, set goals and seek out opportunities to reach them. Jane Addams spent her life helping people who were not suited or able to help themselves. For not knowing what she wanted to do with her life for so long, she chose a great problem, both in size and benefit, to focus on. Jane Addams had a huge impact on America and she helped shape our nation into what it is today. The Nobel Prize was well deserved.
Jane Addams was inspired to create the Hull House, the invention that made her name, by a visit to London, England. She was visiting Europe on a two month trip as she tried to figure out her place in life and what she wanted to dedicate her life to. She happened to visit Toynbee House in London with her friend, Ellen G. Starr, and was inspired to model the Toynbee House somewhere closer to home. She set up shop in Chicago, Illinois and, using a house built by Charles Hull, hence the name, she and Ellen created the Hull House. The Hull House was dedicated to helping the underprivileged. They cared for children, the sick, the poor, the troubled. Business boomed, and within two years, it was common for the two women, as well as people they received help from, to see to as many as two thousand people per week. As her reputation grew, the Hull House expanded over the years to include other programs such a morning kindergarten class and the equivalent of today's night classes for adults.
Jane Addams went on to become the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This award recognized her for her efforts to abolish child labor, as well as promote the message of peace and argue women's rights to vote, set goals and seek out opportunities to reach them. Jane Addams spent her life helping people who were not suited or able to help themselves. For not knowing what she wanted to do with her life for so long, she chose a great problem, both in size and benefit, to focus on. Jane Addams had a huge impact on America and she helped shape our nation into what it is today. The Nobel Prize was well deserved.
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens was a famous novelist who lived from 1812 to 1870. He grew up happily, even receiving an education, before things started going downhill when he was nine. The first time he went to school was also when he was nine, but his education was short lived. His father was imprisoned for debt and Dickens was forced to leave school. He was sent to Warren's Blacking Factory while the rest of his family joined his father in prison.
Three years later, his father had straightened out enough to be released from prison. Dickens' mother wanted him to continue working at the factory, but luckily, his father refused. Three years had been enough to psychologically scar Dickens for the rest of his life. He refused to speak of his time at Warren's Blacking Factory to anyone but his wife, Catherine Hogarth, and closest friend, John Forester, who would later go on to be the first biographer of Charles Dickens . Because of his privacy on the matter, little is known about what happened to him during his short employment at Warren's Blacking Factory. However, one needs to look no further than the pages of our history books to begin to form a concept of how poorly Dickens, among other children, was mistreated during his time at the factory.
Because of Dickens' employment at the factory and the trials he endured while he was there, some of his greatest novels were born. Stories like Great Expectations and David Copperfield had elements of betrayal as well as alienation that where no doubt formed in his mind while enduring what he did while at the factory. Even more obvious, is his novel, Oliver Twist. It tells the story of a young orphan, Oliver, who was placed in a workhouse at the young age of nine, the same age that Charles Dickens was when he himself was placed in a workhouse. It is believed that Oliver Twist contains many of the same experiences that Charles Dickens went through during those three years of his childhood that went on to shape the rest of his life.
Charles Dickens was a famous novelist who lived from 1812 to 1870. He grew up happily, even receiving an education, before things started going downhill when he was nine. The first time he went to school was also when he was nine, but his education was short lived. His father was imprisoned for debt and Dickens was forced to leave school. He was sent to Warren's Blacking Factory while the rest of his family joined his father in prison.
Three years later, his father had straightened out enough to be released from prison. Dickens' mother wanted him to continue working at the factory, but luckily, his father refused. Three years had been enough to psychologically scar Dickens for the rest of his life. He refused to speak of his time at Warren's Blacking Factory to anyone but his wife, Catherine Hogarth, and closest friend, John Forester, who would later go on to be the first biographer of Charles Dickens . Because of his privacy on the matter, little is known about what happened to him during his short employment at Warren's Blacking Factory. However, one needs to look no further than the pages of our history books to begin to form a concept of how poorly Dickens, among other children, was mistreated during his time at the factory.
Because of Dickens' employment at the factory and the trials he endured while he was there, some of his greatest novels were born. Stories like Great Expectations and David Copperfield had elements of betrayal as well as alienation that where no doubt formed in his mind while enduring what he did while at the factory. Even more obvious, is his novel, Oliver Twist. It tells the story of a young orphan, Oliver, who was placed in a workhouse at the young age of nine, the same age that Charles Dickens was when he himself was placed in a workhouse. It is believed that Oliver Twist contains many of the same experiences that Charles Dickens went through during those three years of his childhood that went on to shape the rest of his life.
Lewis W. Hine
Lewis Hine's eyes were opened to child labor and the horrible effects it had on children from a young age. His father died in when Lewis was about 18 years old. His mother was not able to sustain their family by herself, so Hine went to work in a furniture upholstery factory to bring in extra money. He worked long hours, about 13 hours, six days a week. After this experience, it seems right that he spent his life trying to improve the lives of other children who were forced to grow up too fast, as he had.
Lewis Hine began his career as a teacher, teaching botany and nature studies at the Ethical Culture School in New York. He was also given the job of school photographer. In 1904, he was asked to create a documentary about immigrants for the students, so they would more fully understand the immigrants' situations and be more welcoming towards them. Working on this project increased his desire to aid in the social reform that was growing ever more popular in those days.
In 1908, Hine got his chance. He was recruited by the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) to travel across the country and photograph children as they performed the labors that were required of them. They believed that pictures spoke louder than words. They thought that if people could see what horrors children were being forced to endure, laws would be passed to protect the children.
As Hine traveled, he was forced to disguise himself in order to gain entry into the factories, mills, mines, canneries, and fields that he visited. Many of the owners of these places supported child labor, as it was efficient, effective, and cheap. Hine could not let them discover that he was actually photographing the children, as well as getting names, ages, and job descriptions to help the public understand how big of a problem child labor was. Without Lewis Hine, child labor would have taken much longer to be abolished, and the road to abolition would have been much harder.
Lewis Hine's eyes were opened to child labor and the horrible effects it had on children from a young age. His father died in when Lewis was about 18 years old. His mother was not able to sustain their family by herself, so Hine went to work in a furniture upholstery factory to bring in extra money. He worked long hours, about 13 hours, six days a week. After this experience, it seems right that he spent his life trying to improve the lives of other children who were forced to grow up too fast, as he had.
Lewis Hine began his career as a teacher, teaching botany and nature studies at the Ethical Culture School in New York. He was also given the job of school photographer. In 1904, he was asked to create a documentary about immigrants for the students, so they would more fully understand the immigrants' situations and be more welcoming towards them. Working on this project increased his desire to aid in the social reform that was growing ever more popular in those days.
In 1908, Hine got his chance. He was recruited by the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) to travel across the country and photograph children as they performed the labors that were required of them. They believed that pictures spoke louder than words. They thought that if people could see what horrors children were being forced to endure, laws would be passed to protect the children.
As Hine traveled, he was forced to disguise himself in order to gain entry into the factories, mills, mines, canneries, and fields that he visited. Many of the owners of these places supported child labor, as it was efficient, effective, and cheap. Hine could not let them discover that he was actually photographing the children, as well as getting names, ages, and job descriptions to help the public understand how big of a problem child labor was. Without Lewis Hine, child labor would have taken much longer to be abolished, and the road to abolition would have been much harder.