This book was very eye-opening. I didn't realize to the extent as to what the work force was like at the beginning of the 1900's. The photographs in this book impart an emotion that makes one realize the pain that these children must have been feeling and enduring. These photographs help me to realize what my grandparents must have gone through. I remember growing up and hearing of the stories about farming and picking cotton. I often questioned my grandfather about his level of education and why he didn't finish. He was only able to complete school through the sixth grade. I never was given what I thought was a clear answer, until now. I remember that he would always tell me that farming was his job and he had to quit school. This book helped me to realize that he wasn't given an option for continuing his education. This book helps to reflect on just how far we have come to give children back their rights to be children and to ensure that they have the right to an education.
Hines did an extraordinary job in capturing the images of these children with only a primitive camera. He went to great lengths that many would not have to obtain such heart felt images. This book captured Hine's passion and commitment for his calling.
5 comments:
test run
Jennifer,
I see that we both related what we read in Kids At Work to our family backgrounds. Lewis Hine's photographs evoked emotions from us they did for countless other people.
I believe that this would be a great book to share with our students. A lot of them see education as a chore that they have to endure until adulthood. I think that this book might help them to see education as a gift and not something to be taken for granted.
Jennifer,
I see that I left out some words in the second sentence of my comments. It was supposed to read as follows: Lewis Hine's photographs evoked emotions from us the way they did fo countless other people.
That was the third time I had typed comments and kept losing them due to something that was wrong with my account. That's why I got wise and did the test run the fourth time. By the fifth time, I was getting careless.
Now I see a spelling error (for). I need to stop now. I see that blue preview button now. I'll use that next time.
Deb
I noticed the likenesses in your's and Debbie's responses to the book too. It is amazing how few choices parents and grandparents actually had in the 20th century! Sometimes we forget how recently children have had the right to go to school and play and enjoy their lives as children rather than as a wage earner for the family.
How many children in the world still have to work to help their families make ends meet? How many children have the right to go to 13 years of school absolutely free?
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