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
A little girl who looks about maybe 11 yrs old,paint coming off the walls,messy hair,looks like she's in some sort of factory,light only coming from windows. She is at the Whitnel cotton mill,clothing looks like its been worn a lot which might mean that she works almost/or all day.

Photograph B
5 girls,messy hair,not the best clothes,dirty,one girl looks like her shoulders are uneven or might have a hunch back. Was taken at the Bibb Mfg.Co. in Macon Georgia,because of their clothes they're probably poor and work all day. Some of their faces look like they're really tired and could take more than a nap.

Photograph C
Little girl in a cotton mill again,looks about 5 yrs old,has no shoes on,bunch of cotton on the floor,her clothes look like they made it out of a sheet or something,really small not sure how she was able to use the spinner. Mills are full of children,say this little girl was working steadily and they're not sure why she's there,she just happened to be there.

Photograph D
A small boy who looks about 4,selling newspapers,looks a little lost or scared,this one actually has shoes on. He's downtown on a saturday afternoon,waiting for someone to buy his newspapers but everyone is just walking by him.

Photograph E
Very dark hardly any light,all boys in there and I don't see any men,really dirty,the windows look broken or covered in dirt. Coal co.,since they work in a coal mine all day its bad for their lungs and since they're boys it could kill them easily. There were slave-drivers who stood over them prodding and kicking them into obedience making sure they were doing what they're supposed to.

Photograph F

Photograph G

Photograph H