Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Emergence of Child Labor Laws

The happy-go-lucky childhood spent playing kickball and complaining about piano lessons is a modern phenomenon for all but the wealthy. Lower class children have always worked, and worked hard, especially in agrarian societies. But the Industrial Age brought machinery that could do the work of a dozen full-grown men, and a boy could run it. And so began the era of child labor and unspeakable cruelty.

Whether chimney sweeps, mudlarkers, miners, or mill house scavengers, these jobs were dangerous, oftentimes very treacherous, and required long, long hours.

In 1938, 26 boys and girls ages 6 to 17, died in the Huskar Pit disaster in Yorkshire. The picture on the right shows a child pushing a cart through a small shaft in a deep rock mine.

Mill house scavengers brought much controversy to early Nineteenth Century Britain. Frances Trollope wrote, "A little girl about seven years old, whose job as scavenger, was to collect incessantly from the factory floor, the flying fragments of cotton that might impede the work... while the hissing machinery passed over her, and when this is skillfully done, and the head, body, and the outstretched limbs carefully glued to the floor, the steady moving, but threatening mass, may pass and repass over the dizzy head and trembling body without touching it. But accidents frequently occur; and many are the flaxen locks, rudely torn from infant heads, in the process.

Charles Dickens publicized the plight of the children in Oliver Twist, as did several charitable societies and churches. By the 1880s, the U.K. and most of Europe had child labor laws in place, but the United States lagged way behind. "Children were often preferred, because factory owners viewed them as more manageable, cheaper, and less likely to strike."

According to Scholastic.com: By 1810, about 2,000,000 school-age children were working 50- to 70-hour weeks. Most of them came from poor families. When parents could not support their children, they sometimes turned them over to a mill or factory owner. One glass factory in Massachusetts was fenced with barbed wire "to keep the young imps inside." The "young imps" were boys under 12 who carried loads of hot glass all night for a wage of 40 cents to $1.10 per night.

After several abortive attempts, the United States enacted the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, a full one hundred years after England passed its first child labor laws.

In our modern era of enlightenment, children are still used and abused unfairly. The International Labor Organization estimates that worldwide, 211 million children are engaged in unlawful, dangerous, or forced labor--mostly in mining, agriculture, industry, pyrotechnics, domestic, or in the sex trade.


Jacquie

Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances *** Book Video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Coming soon: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

New! Texty Ladies Interview

Texty Ladies Interview

Jacquie Rogers

Lots of Prizes! See Details.



Texty Ladies: Artful Adventures in Writing is an awesome new blog that promises to be chock full of everything a romance writer or reader wants to know, and will cover other fine arts as well. I'm really honored to be part of the Texty Ladies debut week!

They're also having a contest with lots of Faery Special Prizes. Comment on any Texty Ladies posts though Saturday, May 10, and they’ll put your name in the drawing for first and second prizes. Names will be drawn and announced on Monday, May 12. If you’re a winner, send your address by using their Contact page. Here is what you can win:

First Prize

Faery Special Romances, autographed copy
Faery Special T-Shirt
Princess Keely Pen



Second Prize

Faery Special Tote Bag
Faery Good Bath Salts




Jacquie

Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World
Faery Special Romances *** Book Video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Coming soon: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Sunday, May 4, 2008

LASR Spotlight Author!

I’m spotlight author at Long and Short Reviews the week of May 5. There are prizes!


Unusual Historicals Blog * Faery Special Romances by Jacquie Rogers * Jacquie Rogers, Author


GRAND PRIZE

Autographed print copy of Faery Special Romances
Faery Special T-shirt
Faery Good Bath Salts (wonderfully soothing!)


RUNNER-UP PRIZE

Faery Special Romances in pdf
Princess Keely Pen
Faery Good Bath Salts

Direct link:
http://www.longandshortreviews.com

Read the Reviews for Faery Special Romances!

As the reader, it was as if I journeyed through time and history with Keely, who gets her own romance story in the end ... with an interesting twist. Author Jacquie Rogers has a winner with this gem. Recommended! ***** Detra Fitch, Huntress Reviews

Ms. Rogers deserved all 5 hearts I am giving for her collection of short romances. I think everyone needs a little Faery Dust to carry around in their pockets. Book Reviews by Crystal

Believe me when I say, this entire volume has a delightful collection of stories! This impressive author took the concept of the young faery Keely and brought her through the ages (Faeries live thousands of years, don’t cha know!) from pesky adolescent to adulthood. . . [a] wonderfully conceived and precious collection of short stories that will entertain you from the first to last page! Marilyn Rondeau, CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Enjoy!

Hugs,
Jacquie

Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie Rogers *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances *** Book Video Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation,
ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Coming soon: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

I’m featured author at Unusual Historicals blog today. There are prizes!

Autographed copy of Faery Special Romances

Faery Good Bath Salts (wonderfully soothing!)

Faery Special Coaster Tile

Princess Keely Pen

Direct link:

http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/2008/05/book-party-jacquie-rogers.html

Enjoy!

Hugs,

Jacquie



Princess Keely, Star of Faery Special Romances

Jacquie’s Website *** Myspace *** Bebo *** Faery World

Faery Special Romances *** See the book video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Coming soon: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues

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