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
Objective: She is a little girl working at a spinning mill and there is a long row of spinning machines next to her. there isn't anyone else in the picture. her clothes look dirty and her hair is messy and dirty too. The girl looks mature for her height.
Subjective: Where are all of the other workers? How old is she really? Why is she allowed to work is she isn't of proper age? I infer that she comes from a poor family and needs the money to get food for her and her family. Also that she does know her true age but feels that has nothing to do with the fact that she needs money.
Photograph B
O-This is a photo of five girls working at Bibb Mfg. Co. the two on the left look tired and bored. the girl in the middle looks angry and the girl to the right of her looks annoyed by the camera. the girl on the far right has a sweet smile. They all have dirty hairs.
S-Why is the girl in the middle so angry? how long is their work day? I infer that these girls all come from a poor family. they are all working to raise money for food and to help out their families. Having a picture taken of them is a big deal because they probably couldn't afford cameras.
Photograph C
o-There is a young small girl alone in a mill. the mill looks untidy and the girl looks scared and lonely towards the camera.
s-Where are the other workers? How old is she? Her life seems like that she wanted a job to help out for her family. the overseeer didn't want to stop her if she wanted a job because he can always use more workers.
Photograph D
o-A young small boy is standing on the side of a street holding newspapers and there a people walking by him on the sidewalk.
s-Why does he look scared? What is his family life like? I infer that the boy sells newspapers to make some money. He looks sad and scared of all the adults walking by him. He is probably afriad that someone will steal a newspaper and his boss would be mad.
Photograph E
o-This is a photo of young boys dressed in alot of warm clothes working at a coal company. The place and the boys looks very dirty and covered in dust. there are no girls.
s-Why is it necessary for there to be a slave-driver? I infer that the boys were willing to work whatever job they could just to make a little money a day. They don't like putting up with the slave-driver, who made them stay obediant, but knew they had no choice if they wanted their small day's pay.
Photograph F
o-This is a photo of a lot of young boys working in a glass company. the factory and themselves look very dirty and some of the boys have grime smeared on their faces. There are alot of different machines and boys doing different tasks.
s-Do the older looking boys still live with their arents or do they have their own families?I infer that all of these boys come from families that need any money they can because they are poor. Some of these boys probably come from families with many sibling who also work and are sometimes neglected becasue the parents can't take care of all the siblings.
Photograph G
o-This is a photo of people of all different ages shucking oysters on a long rolling cart. they have dirty clothes on and are all crownded around the cart. there are some very young looking children there also. The shorter children have stepping stools so they can reach the table.
s-Why are the young babies there? Are they there because no one else is hime? Do they just stand there for more than 12 hours a day? I infer that these people have very difficult lives. That the families are poor and the whole family goes to work there everyday, even the young babies. When a child is old enought they go from standing there to actually working. Oyster shucking is dangerous and I bet that alot of youngsters who worked got injuries by not having experience. I also infer that once the family is home they eat the little ammount of food they have and sleep untill the moring shift starts.
Photograph H
o-This is a photo of a bunch of children walking into a large building. they are all wearing dirty clothes and lots of layers. It appears to be night and taht they are going to work.
s-Why don't they work the day shift? I infer that the workers come from poor families. the five sisters have to support the lazy dad. i infer that they wish they could have their own lives and that their dad would start working to help support them. I infer that as soon as they could the older sisters started working for at the time they had to supoort their young siblings. They work a 12 hour shift and I bet that they don't get to keep any other their salary to themselves and that the father spends it at the country store.