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(from
Child Labor in America 1908-1912; Photographs of Lewis W. Hine)
This photograph was taken in the early 1900’s at Bibb Mill No. 1, in
Macon, Georgia. The photographer, Lewis Hine, reported, “Some boys and
girls were so small they had to climb up on to the spinning frame to mend
broken threads and to put back the empty bobbins.”
The
poem “The Little Textile Worker” was published in 1907.
The Little Textile* Worker
(from:
The Socialist Woman;
rpt. The Public 10 (Sept. 21, 1907).
You
may find him in the East and in the South,
This
small child slave. His little eyes
Look
out aweary on the world.
His
little mouth
Is
hard and old, in babyhood; his shoulders droop.
But
skinny hands fly at the broken threads,
Tie
up the knot, undo the tangled loop
Unerringly,
with quick, machine-like skill.
Quick-witted
hands. Only they may live. The baby promise
Of
all other human faculties the great machines soon kill.
*textile: fabric or cloth material
Directions:
Base
your answers to the questions below on the above information and
photograph, and your knowledge of social studies.
1.
In what type of factory are the boys in the photograph working?
_____________________________________________________________
2.
Name 2 jobs mentioned in the poem or in Hine’s quotation that
these
workers perform at their machines. _________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3.
The poet and photographer were child labor* reformers* during the
early 20th century. What was their purpose or goal in writing this poem and
taking this photograph?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
*labor: work
*reformers: those who wanted to make changes to make things better
Copyright © 2001-08
Oswego City School District
Elementary Test Prep
Center
Studyzone.org
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