Child Labor Reform Photographs

Objective Assessment


As you view each photograph take note about what you see. (note people, background, objects) Pretend you were describing the image to someone who could not see it. Try to avoid making judgments.

Where are these children? List any clues relating to their surroundings.
Describe any tools or objects you see.
Describe their clothing. What do their clothes reveal about their work?

Subjective Assessment


What questions do you have about each of these photographs?
Based on your observations, list three things you might infer about the lives of these children. (Be sure to consider Hine's notes about the photographs when considering this.


Photograph A
*a little girl not very old
*worn/threadbare clothing
*she has one of her hands on a bog weaving machine, the machine is very big next to her
*messy hair
*the building looks like it is crumbling
*dirty

The girl is said to be 51 inches tall, not very tall at all.She and children her age and size make up about 1/5 of the employees at the mill.She has to run 4 of the machines but only gets paid 48 cents a day. She said that sometimes she works into the night. The building is probably not well lit so that makes it even more dangersous. Also if she is working into the night she is probably working brutally long hours. She said she is not old enough to work, so the factory hires her illegally which would make it even easier to give her unfair hours and pay.She looks very dirty and unkempt so she probably doesnt get a chance to clean herself even though the building she works in is very dirty. There is visible dirt on the windowsill. The machines that she works with are significantly taller than she is, and it would be even more dangerous to work near them than it would be for a larger person. She probably comes form a very poor family (worn out clothes) and is forced to work that job so she can afford food.
Photograph B
*5 girls
*Visible dirt on faces and clothes
* bad posture (hunched)
*all the girls are very small, young

The girls probably have lives similar to the girl in the first photograph. In the notes it says that they are from Bibb mfg. Co, so they are workers of some sort. The girl in the middle looks like she might have some sort of deformity, probably from either bad nutrition and lack of food or the conditions she works in. The five of them work together for the same company so it is not unusual to have child laborors. They all look a little tired, not energetic like girls theri age would be today. That is probably because they are exhausted from work and are not being nourished by food. They are all standing close together, they probably know eachother well becasue the probably spend more time arounf each other than their famililies.


Photograph C
*very small girl
*two huge machines
*There is trash all over the floor.
*girl is alone, no adults around looking after her

Although the overseer claimed that "she just happened there" it was apparenrt that she had been working continuosly with the other workers.There were alot og kids her size working there. She was probably doing the same work of an adult multiple times her size and getting paid significantly less. Her small size would put her at even greater risk of injury and she was probably used to climb in between machines. Adults were probably too busy with theri own work to notice what she was doing, so there was no one to supervise her and make sure she didnt get hurt, which young children often do by themselves. She was probably from a poor family with limited income, maybe a large family that could not afford all their children so they have to work to scrape by.

Photograph D
*little boy
*selling a paper
*in middle of street
*people passing by

This little boy was working on a saturday afternoon, he probably had a week job too. His face looks crumpled and beggar-like. He is probably tired and frustrated because the people in the photograph are passing and not buying from his or even looking in his direction. The other people in the photgraph look to be middle class and better dressed than he is. They are not buying a paper from him. They probably want nothing to do with him.When it is cold oputside his clothes probably do not keep him warm enough but he would still have to work. He looks very thin, possibly malnourished.


Photograph E
*lots of boys
*looks like there is soot on their faces
*limited widnow space/light
*cramped
*dirty room, windows floors
*the beams of wood look old
*two boys standing over the others boys and supervising.

This is a picture of a coal co. where is is extremely susty and the dust will fill the boys' lung. Sometimes the dust was so thick that is was almost impossible to see. The boys who are standing can prod or kick the other boys to do their work and be obiedient. The boys are probably trapped in here for long hours. They probably have a hard time breathing from all the soot in their lungs.They all look fairly young. They probably have to work in such bad conditions because they are desperate for money and food. it is most likely very cold in the winter/very hot in the summer. If they work at night it woukd be impossible to see anything. Some of them might have permanetly imparied vision from so much dust alwasy in theri eyes.
Photograph F
*lots of pipes
*men but also very small boys
*all have dirty/sweaty faces
*small room
*dirty
*bad lighting

This is a picture of a glass works shop. There are no windows which would make it hard to see/breathe and dangerous with so little light. The boys vary in age, so little boys are expected to do the same work of boys much older. The older boys are probably abusive to the younger boys. There are lots of pipes and tools, making the small room even more cluttered and hazarous. The room is very dirty and the boys look sweaty and dirty probably because they are doing difficult labor.
Photograph G
*oyster shuck
*long table
*many people standing around it
*adults as well as very small children
*small window
*trash littering the ground
*hanging light bulbs

These workers began at 3:30 am and were not supposed to finish until 5;oo am. The little girl in the senter of the photograph is also working and helping her mother. These workers were probably having trouble seeing because they were working at night and there were scarce light bulbs. The mother is allowing her daughter to work with her showing that she was probably hugley overworked herself.
Photograph H