Lewis Hine
By: Melissa M., Kyle N.,
and Olivia Q.
Who was Lewis Hine?
Did kids work in mills in Ludlow?
Lewis Wickes Hine was born September 26, 1874 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.Hine
was a child labor activist.As part of his work to improve the child labor
laws, he published his first book in 1908, called Charities and the Commons,
which showed photographs to help people “exert the force to right the wrongs.”These
photographs showed children working in mills and factories throughout the country.Hine
worked for the National Child Labor Committee.He even snuck in as a worker
to take pictures in the mills when he was denied permission.Mr. Hine’s
pictures helped the Keating-Owen Act get passed in 1916 that protected children.He
also took many pictures for other causes during the 1920’s to the 1930’s.Although
his pictures helped, he made little money, and in 1940 he lost his home.He
later he died on November 3, 1940 due to severe poverty.
Pictures taken by Lewis Hine were taken in many places, including Ludlow, to portray the difficulties of children working in factories.They are world known photographs that helped get people aware of the treacherous working conditions in the mills and factories.They showed children who were young and illiterate that needed a proper education and their early childhood needs met.They also helped to promote child labor laws that kept children and workers safe.These rare photos showed the terrors and effects of what happened when children worked in mills.Some of these mishaps were lost limbs, severe injury, close-death experiences, threats of being scalped, and being illiterate from a lack of education.
These photographs of Ludlow children show young children on a bridge, in front of a store, and standing by a tree.These young adolescents should have been playing and getting an education instead of working in the mills of Ludlow.
Included with the photographs are Hine's original notes on the children.
TITLE: Alexander Ferrier, 6 Hampton St., (on left hand). Has been band boy in #8 mill for two years. He said that a short time ago an unprotected gear on his machine caught his sleeve and tore it off completely. Another boy had a large part of his hand taken off by the same machine. David Ferrier (brother to Alexander) has been doffer in #10 mill one month. Location: Ludlow, Massachusetts. Library of Congress |
TITLE: Group working in Ludlow Mills. George Barcome, Stoney Hill, Ludlow. (Front row right hand end). Been band boy for three months in #10 mill. Frank Shefjack (next George) see #2665. Eddie Grimshaw, 40 Stony Hill, (next Frank and in the middle) see #2662. Antony Gourek, (next to Eddie) see #2666. Lemmie Gebo, Indian Leap St., Indian Orchard. (Next to Antony.) Been at work in #4 Mill for four months (is young). Sam Baupre, 145 Main St., (next Lemmie, left hand in front) works in #4 Mill. Stoney Severyn, 25 Wesson St. (One of the smallest boys in the back row.) Location: Ludlow, Massachusetts. Library of Congress |
TITLE: An Anaemic Adolescent, Sophie Sevars, 10 Stonu [i.e., Stony] Hill.
Location: Ludlow, Massachusetts.
Library of Congress
Click here to see other Ludlow children in the Lewis Hine collection.