I Have to Share this With You--

When I was a very young little girl, I remember seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show; it's been a love affair ever since.  As I was surfing around in Youtube, I saw the video of this show! Ladies and gentleman--THE BEATLES!

Opened Another Blog

I decided to keep this blog as my family/crochet blog. I opened a new blog to have a place for topics of history, current events and that sort of thing. It is called Little Looks at History. I'm not going to move things from here to there so it's pretty empty right now but I hope you'll stop in every now and then for a visit.

Japanese Companies and the U.S.: A Shared Dark History

Picture from here

This post is about something that has caused me a large loss of confidence in our country's protection and appreciation of our veterans. When I was in college, I wrote my senior thesis on some of the POWs , formerly of the heavy cruiser Houston, held by Japan. I learned that many of the POWs had not only been used as slave labor to build the bridge on River Kwai, but also used as slave labor in many industries that are well known today. The businesses were never penalized for their treatment of our men. If you follow this link you can see a short video about this (embedding for this video is not allow; that's why you need to follow link). I read of this in my research in a book by Linda Goetz Holmes titled Unjust Enrichment: How Japan's Companies Built Postwar Fortunes Using American POWs. The U.S. government has consistently forbidden former POWs from suing these Japanese companies. What can we do to put a hurting on them? We can stop buying any products made from these companies and to be sure that they're not making money off of Americans just stop buying ANYTHING made in Japan. It is shameful that our own country won't force Japan to pay reparations to our heroes when we paid reparations to the Japanese Americans who were were sent to relocation camps. Is a military person any less deserving than a civilian? I don't think so. Perhaps our country should pay the survivors instead of Japan. Unfortunately, there are few survivors left so we better get a move on before they're all gone.


More articles on this topic:

• How the Japanese Used American POWs as Slave Labor
• POW Forced Labor Lawsuits Against Japanese Companies
• Mitsubishi WWII Slave Labor
• Survivors of Japan's WWII Death Camps
• WWII forced labor issue dogs Aso, Japanese firms
• POW compensation bill: Significance for Japan
• Allied POWs Under Japan

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13 January 1992 Japan Admits to Sex Slavery in WWII

On this date in history 1992, Japan admits to forcing tens of thousands of Korean women to serve as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II. 


For more information:

• Former South Korean Sex Slaves Recall Humiliation, Brutality
• Japanese Officer Admits Coercive Sex Slave Trade
• Japanese Prisoner of War Interrogation on Prostitution
• US Congressional Resolution Calls on Japan to Accept Responsibility for Wartime Comfort Women
• The Politics of Apology for Japan's "Comfort Women"

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On 27 December 1990, The 1st Female Commanding Officer of a U.S. Navy Ship Reports for Duty

Haven't posted much on my other love lately (history).  Here's a bit of history trivia for you:

 On 27 Dec 1990, the first female commanding officer of a U.S. Navy vessel, Lcdr Darlene Iskra reported for duty on board USS Opportune (ARS-41) at Naples, Italy, serving until 1993. After retiring in 2000 and completing a Ph.D seven years later, Darlene Iskra is now a professor and an author of numerous publications about Women in the Armed Forces.

For more info:

• Navy Women History
• Alliance for National Defense

• Probably Wise To Recall: Our First Woman Skipper

  
  
  
  
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Christmas Truce 1914

A cross, left near Ypres, Belgium in 1999, to commemorate the site of the Christmas Truce in 1914. The text reads:
1914 - The Khaki Chum's Christmas Truce - 1999 - 85 Years - Lest We Forget.

Christmas 1914, WWI is underway and the troops are homesick, melancholy, stuck in the trenches--cold and depressed. The men on both sides call an unofficial truce and an amazing war-time holiday commences! Below are a few accounts of this holiday truce.

Though there was no official truce, about 100,000 British and German troops were involved in unofficial cessations of fighting along the length of the Western Front. The first truce started on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium.

The Germans began by placing candles on their trenches and on Christmas trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols. The British responded by singing carols of their own. The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were excursions across the "No-Man's Land," where small gifts were exchanged, such as food, tobacco and alcohol, and souvenirs such as buttons and hats. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Joint services were held. The fraternisation was not, however, without its risks; some soldiers were shot by opposing forces. In many sectors, the truce lasted through Christmas night, but it continued until  New Years Day in others. 

Read more: http://wapedia.mobi/en/Christmas_truce

It is one of the most memorable episodes in military history: the famous Christmas Day truce of 1914 when the guns fell silent and British and German soldiers left their trenches to play football in the icy mud of No Man's Land.

The bitter enemies staged an unofficial ceasefire - shaking hands, swapping presents and autographs and singing carols to each other in what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described as "the one human episode amid all the atrocities which have stained the memory of war."

Now a moving first-hand account of the break in the carnage on the Western Front - one of the most poignant incidents of the Great War - has surfaced in the form of a previously unpublished letter written from the trenches on that remarkable day nearly 92 years ago.

Despite the horrors of daily life for the British Tommy - knee-deep in the slime of waterlogged trenches - the young private describes it as "the most memorable Christmas I've ever spent or likely to spend: since about teatime yesterday I don't think there's been a shot fired on either side up to now."

In pencil on five pages of paper torn from an Army-issue notebook, he tells his "dear Mater" how on a frosty, moonlit Christmas Eve the Germans began placing "lights all along the edge of their trenches and coming over to us - wishing us Happy Christmas etc."

"They also gave us a few songs so we had quite a social party...Some of our chaps went over to their lines. I think they've all come back bar one from E Co. They no doubt kept him as a souvenir," writes the soldier, frustratingly only identified as "Boy."

"There must be something in the spirit of Christmas as today we are all on top of our trenches running about." "Whereas other days we have to keep out heads well down...I had a parcel from B G's Lace Dept containing a sweater, smokes, under clothes etc."

"We also had a card from the Queen, which I am sending back to you to look after please."

"After breakfast we had a game of football at the back of our trenches! We've had a few Germans over to see us this morning. They also sent a party over to bury a sniper we shot in the week." "He was about 100 yds from our trench. A few of our fellows went out and helped to bury him."

"About 10.30 we had a short church parade, held in the trench. How we did sing. O come all ye faithful. And While shepherds watched their flocks by night were the hymns we had."

"Boy" breaks off to help prepare Christmas dinner - "fried bacon and dip-bread followed by hot Xmas pudding", then "muscatels and almonds, oranges, bananas, chocolate, cocoa and smokes."

"You can guess we thought of the dinners at home. Just before dinner I had the pleasure of shaking hands with several Germans: a party of them came halfway over to us. So several of us went out to them."

"I exchanged one of my balaclavas for a hat. I've also got a button off one of their tunics. We also exchanged smokes etc and had a decent chat. They say they won't fire tomorrow if we don't so I suppose we shall get a bit of a holiday - perhaps."

"After exchanging autographs and them wishing us a Happy New Year we departed and came back and had our dinner. We can hardly believe we've been firing at them for the last week or two - it all seems so strange. At present it is freezing hard and everything is covered in ice..."

Near the end of the well-thumbed letter, he tells his mother: "As I can't explain to everyone how I spent my 25th, you might hand this round please...I never expected to shake hands with Germans between the firing lines on Christmas Day and I don't suppose you thought of us doing so."

"So after a fashion we've enjoyed? our Christmas. Hoping you spend a happy time with George Boy as well. How we thought of England during the day. Kind regards to all the neighbours. With much love from Boy." Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-410741/Historic-letter-telling-WW1-football-match-found.html#ixzz18CUF18ta

Kurt Zehmisch of the 134th Saxons recorded in his diary:

The English brought a soccer ball from the trenches, and pretty soon a lively game ensued.  How marvellously wonderful, yet how strange it was.  The English officers felt the same way about it.  Thus Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time.

The Truce lasted all day; in places it ended that night, but on other sections of the line it held over Boxing Day and in some areas, a few days more.  In fact, there parts on the front where the absence of aggressive behaviour was conspicuous well into 1915.

Captain J C Dunn, the Medical Officer in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, whose unit had fraternised and received two barrels of beer from the Saxon troops opposite, recorded how hostilities re-started on his section of the front.

Dunn wrote:

At 8.30 I fired three shots in the air and put up a flag with "Merry Christmas" on it, and I climbed on the parapet.  He [the Germans] put up a sheet with "Thank you" on it, and the German Captain appeared on the parapet.  We both bowed and saluted and got down into our respective trenches, and he fired two shots in the air, and the War was on again.

We must all remember this event as a symbol of what brings us together and what really matters in the world.  The world can be a cruel and evil place at times, but even in the middle of the carnage of World War I, enemy forces could embark from their trenches and shake hands. 

So in conclusion, I say to all on here (and yes I even include the Manchester United supporters) Merry Christmas and may God Bless you all during this special time.

The picture for this article is a cross, left near Ypres in Belgium in 1999, to commemorate the site of the Christmas Truce in 1914. The text reads:

1914
The Khaki Chum's Christmas Truce
1999
85 Years
Lest We Forget.

More information: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/96825-the-night-the-guns-fell-silent-football-christmas-and-world-war-i

Locating Historical Information About US Navy Ships:

USS Ajax AR-6

I was just being nosy and checked out a ship an old acquaintance of mine had been stationed on during Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind. Sometimes this old friend likes to make it sound like he was a Vietnam war hero but to tell you the truth, I have my doubts as to if he'd even left the ship since he was in engineering and they don't go cold iron (turn the ship "off") when there's a chance it might need to make a quick get away--at least that's the way it was with the old steam powered ships like this one. This means no liberty. This ship made a stop off the coast of Vietnam to help in the evacuations. Anyway, the ship's history is pretty well documented in Wikipedia. My old ship, the USS Ajax, is also listed in wikipedia so if you are interested in any other navy ships you may check there for any information.

We need to honor our vets and it is a shame that some vets exaggerate their experiences. No offense intended, after all, I'm a vet.

More information about US Navy ships can be found at:

• NavSource Naval History
• Naval History and Heritage Command (Navy Department Library)

More information on the evacuation in Vietnam:

• Operation Eagle Pull
• Operation Frequent Wind

Many ships have online webpages and shipmates organizations that you can visit for more information.

Halloween!

Halloween is a fun time of the year. What a better way to celebrate than to gorge on candy especially if it is chocolate. Often times, children have no idea of how Halloween celebrations first started. Here's an animated look at the origins of the holiday, its traditions and superstitions related to it. Try to control yourselves, don't be frightened...





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On 18 October 1867, United States Gets Alaska

I've been remiss at throwing out some tidbits of history.  Today I'm changing that by posting an "On This Day in History" entry.

The Alaska Purchase

On this day in history, 18 October 1867, the United States takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia at a cost of $7.2 million. 

 On March 30, 1867, Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million. Despite the bargain price of roughly two cents an acre, the Alaskan purchase was ridiculed in Congress and in the press as "Seward's folly," "Seward's icebox," and President Andrew Johnson's "polar bear garden." Nevertheless, the Senate ratified purchase. Critics believed that was too much money for land that was cold and barren. The critics were forced to change their tune when major discoveries of gold were made there in the 1880s and 1890s. These discoveries brought attention and people to Alaska. Today, petroleum transported across the state through a pipeline is Alaska's richest mineral resource. For more information, the treaty that ceded Alaska to the United States is here. 


Hugs...


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Eleanor Roosevelt--A Pitchman/lady/person for Margarine?!

Eleanor Roosevelt has long been my favorite First Lady. When you get down to it, she was her husband's legs and ears for much of his reign in the Oval Office. You may recall from history, Franklin D. Roosevelt was crippled from polio. Eleanor did much traveling for him and advising him also. Imagine my surprise when I saw her advertising margarine on a video clip!  Her career ran from First Lady to salesperson--that's our wonderful Mrs. Roosevelt!  Here's the video for your perusal--




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Thoughts on Pastor Terry Jones

Today I remembering the horrible thing that happened on this date in 2001. Many individuals lost their lives due to terrorist actions by crashing planes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. The parties responsible for such actions deserve to be punished and punished harshly. We can not condemn every person of the religion these terrorists belong to. That's ridiculous! Can we blame every Italian Catholic because of Mafia hits? Or can we blame every Irish Catholic for violence in Northern Ireland? Or every Jew because of violence in Israel? Of course not.


Terry Jones, a pastor of a small church in Florida had planned to burn copies of the Quran (alternative spellings are Koran and Qu'ran). This proposed action had sent shivers down my spine. Why? Anyone who has a little knowledge of World War II knows that Adolph Hitler burned many books to prevent the proliferation of non-Nazi ideas. On April 6, 1933, students in Berlin gathered to burn books. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels joined the students at the bonfire and declared: "The era of extreme Jewish intellectualism is now at an end...The future German man will not just be a man of books, but a man of character. It is to this end that we want to educate you. As a young person, to already have the courage to face the pitiless glare, to overcome the fear of death, and to regain respect for death – this is the task of this young generation. And thus you do well in this midnight hour to commit to the flames the evil spirit of the past. This is a strong, great and symbolic deed – a deed which should document the following for the world to know – Here the intellectual foundation of the November [Democratic] Republic is sinking to the ground, but from this wreckage the phoenix of a new spirit will triumphantly rise..." (from here) 


Do you see where I am headed with all this???  Pastor Jones proposed actions are Hitleresque machinations of the public's fear and ignorance of Islam and Muslim people.   I am tired of religious men breeding hatred and fear such as this latest proposed "hate-crime." 


We must remember and honor those who lost their lives.  We must not do it by taunting violent episodes and by acting hatefully.  The victims deserve a better legacy than this!  


The mosque/Islamic center is still scheduled to built near not at "ground zero."  Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has not promised to move the location of it despite the pastor's decision to halt the Quran burning.  I'm proud of you for not following through with it but why lie as to your reasons for this decision?  Be honest, you were wrong and the Presidential appeal from President Barrack Obama probably made you shake in your boots.  In the United States, we don't take the law in our own hands and it is scary to note that Jones's son Luke Jones and two assistant pastors, Wayne and Stephanie Sapp, are all wearing sidearms. (see:  USA Today article) Anyway,  Muslims have been worshiping there for about a year so what's the big deal?

• Here is some video footage reporting on the decision to cancel the Quran burning:

We should remember that our great country has, as one of it's basic building stones, the right for people to have religious freedom. In words of one of our founding fathers:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.- Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Connecticut Baptists

Pastor Jones, I'm praying that hate will leave your heart.  

The Traveling Wall Visits Ft. Knox

This last weekend, the Traveling Wall was at Ft. Knox, KY.  My younger son and I visited it to pay our respects.  Here are a few pictures of our visit.  I was teary-eyed when I saw all the names.  I don't know how I escaped knowing anyone who died in Vietnam.


This traveling tribute is a true depiction of the great sacrifices made throughout the history of our country. It consists of: 

• Displays representing statistics from every war/conflict that the USA has been involved in.
• A series of World War II panels portraying the entire timeline of events.
• A Korean War tribute representing the timeline of the entire conflict with corresponding battle maps and photos.
• The Traveling Vietnam Wall – 80% replica (largest replica) of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. The "wall" stretches over 380 ft long from end to end and contains all 58,253 names. The "wall" is current through 2009 and is constantly being updated to accurately pay tribute to those who died during the Vietnam war.
• A timeline, series of facts and figures, and a display of art from Vietnam veteran artists depicting patriotic and veteran themes.
• A display of USA founding and significant historical documents including the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other historical documents.

• Panels for honoring Law Enforcement and Firefighters with pictorial display.
• A panel memorializing the casualties at the Ft Hood 2009 shooting.
• Pictures of each of our commanders in chief throughout history.
• A 9/11 tribute with the names of all 2984 casualties organized by where they were located at the time of death.
• The AVTT "Gold Dog Tag" display.  This one of a kind tribute honors those who have fallen and to which there is not currently a memorial for their honor and remembrance. Each dog tag permanently records the casualty information (full name, branch of service, rank, date and location of casualty) for that American Hero. This tribute is updated constantly and would be accurate to the day it would arrive at your location. Currently the AVTT Gold Dog Tag display is the tribute to those who have fallen 1) In hostile military actions between the end of Vietnam and the 9/11 attack and 2) As a member of the armed forces who have given their life in the Global War on Terror. 

For more info on this exhibit, visit this page.

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On this day in 1906, 16 August, Prince Franz Josef II Was Born

Prince Franz Josef was born at Frauenthal Castle in Styria on 16 August 1906. He was the first son of Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria.  To read more about him go to this Liechtenstein Museum page  and this Royal Forums page for more information on him.

Betsy Ross and the History of the Flag

Many of us have grown up hearing the legend that the first American flag was made by Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress who was acquainted with George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, and other influential Philadelphians. In May 1776, so the story goes, General Washington and two representatives from the Continental Congress visited Ross at her upholstery shop and showed her a rough design of the flag. Although Washington initially favored using a star with six points, Ross advocated for a five-pointed star, which could be cut with just one quick snip of the scissors, and the gentlemen were won over.(see more)  The story first came to light in 1874 when her grandson William J. Canby told it at a meeting of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, there is no proof of this story.  This story is a great legend and wonderful fairy tale to tell children.  One day historians may be able to discover more about the origins of "Old Glory" and we'll learn the true story.

For more information on Ms. Ross, check out the following links:

• The Legend of Betsy Ross
• Betsy Ross Flag Maker, Seamstress
• Betsy Ross Did She or Didn't She?
• How Betsy Ross Became Famous
• A more controversial article is http://www.slate.com/id/2259351/

Here is an old documentary on the history of the American flag from 1938 that you may find interesting. It is noteworthy that Betsy Ross is not mentioned.

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Memorial Day--Honoring Our Military Heroes

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.  It was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May [passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays], though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.  Go to the Memorial Day History page to see the source of this information and read more about this holiday.  Below is a Universal Newsreel that contains one segment about the celebration of Memorial Day in 1945.

On This Day 27 May in 1883, Oscar Wilde Imprisioned

On May 27th, 1883 Oscar Wilde was sent to prison and ordered to perform hard labor after being found guilty of sodomy (homosexuality) two days before.  This was such an embarrassment to his wife Constance that she moved with their two children to Switzerland and changed their last name to Holland.

Here is one poem written by Wilde:

Poem: Easter Day

The silver trumpets rang across the Dome:

The people knelt upon the ground with awe:
And borne upon the necks of men I saw,
Like some great God, the Holy Lord of Rome.
Priest-like, he wore a robe more white than foam,
And, king-like, swathed himself in royal red,
Three crowns of gold rose high upon his head:
In splendour and in light the Pope passed home.
My heart stole back across wide wastes of years
To One who wandered by a lonely sea,
And sought in vain for any place of rest:
‘Foxes have holes, and every bird its nest.
I, only I, must wander wearily,
And bruise my feet, and drink wine salt with tears.’


To learn more about Wilde you may visit these sites

• The Long Conversion of Oscar Wilde
• The Official Web Site of Oscar Wilde

To read more poetry by Wilde you may visit this page on Project Gutenberg and scroll down to Wilde's name.

Parenting Advice from Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt

One of my favorite ladies in history is Eleanor Roosevelt. Behind the great man Franklin D. Roosevelt was the greater woman--Eleanor Roosevelt. Not only did she do the political campaign bit for him she was also his legs and ears out in the field where and whenever he was unable to go because of his paralysis. On a more personal level, she was a loving mother to her children. In 1931 she wrote an editorial for The Parent's Magazine that is as relevant today as it was then.  "As parents, we must realize that modern life tends to make us soft, and we must let our children meet their own difficulties, find their own solutions to knotty problems and gain experience for themselves.  It may seem hard but what a sense of satisfaction there is when one feels sure of the ability in one’s self to meet a difficulty."   Go here and you  may read the entire editorial.
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Happy Birthday Pete Seeger!

On this day, May 3rd, in 1919, Pete Seeger was born. That means today is his 91st birthday! Pete Seeger is a musician, singer, songwriter, folklorist, labor activist, environmentalist, and peace advocate. He was born in Patterson, New York. A couple of his songs that you may remember are Where Have All The Flowers Gone and Turn, Turn, Turn.  Here is a video of Mr. Seeger singing one of his compositions.  You may want to go to the column on your right side and mute the blog's music player before playing these videos.




The rock band Byrds, made Turn, Turn, Turn famous.  Here's a video of the Byrds singing it:



Go here to learn more about Pete Seeger.


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On April 26, 1862 Civil War Cartoon about Union Naval Victories

This Cartoon was printed in Harper's Weekly on April 26, 1862. Cartoonist Justin Howard uses a sports analogy to praise Union admiral Andrew Hull Foote's victories in the Mississippi River campaign.  His capture of Island Number Ten from the Confederates is represented as a game of ten pins (a type of bowling).  Go here to read the complete article about these victories.
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"Old Timers" Making Lace

Many of us enjoy crocheting gifts for family and friends.  In the days when my grandparents were children, crocheting or tatting was not always a leisurely pursuit but rather a way for women to supplement the family income. Often, they would work in their tenement homes with inadequate light and ventilation.  Here are some photos of a few of these craftswomen that are posted at the Library of Congress site.  The titles of the photos are the original from the LOC.

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Title: Carmela Picciano, 311 E. 149th St., 3[rd] fl[oor] rear. 12 years old. Making Irish lace for collars. Works until 9 P.M. sometimes. Dirty kitchen. Location: New York, New York (State)

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Title:  Antoinette Fazzino, ten years old, makes Irish lace for collars and waists after school.  Her younger brother (by the stove) said, "Lace is too dam-cheap."  Antoinette wears glasses. 303 E. 149th Street, New York, New York (State)

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Title: Celina Anzalone, 2264 First Ave., making lace for Cappallino's factory, near by. She said she was doing it only until Christmas. Location: New York, New York (State)

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Title: A typical view of Carmina Caruso, a ten year old Home Worker as she walks around crocheting as she goes. Location: Somerville, Massachusetts.

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Title: Italian family living 428 E. 116th St., 2 floor back. They were so illiterate I couldn't get their names. Have been in U.S. only one month. Mother is learning to make lace for factory near by. Location: New York, New York (State)

***

Title: Katie (13 years) and Angeline Javella (11 years), 311 E. 149th St. 2[nd] floor front, making cuffs, Irish lace. Income about $1 a week. Said they work some nights until 8 P.M. Location: New York, New York (State)

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Title: Mrs. Maggie Conte, 428 E. 116th St., top floor makes about $2.00 a week working lace collars, yokes, etc. for Cappellino's factory. Husband is carpenter. Work not steady. Brother-in-law boards with them. Location: New York, New York (State)

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Title: Mrs. Tony Totore [or Totoro?], 428 E. 116th St. 2nd floor back, makes from $2.00 to $2.50 a week making lace for a Contracter, Mrs. Rosina Schiaffo, 301 E 114th St, 3[rd] floor. Mrs. Sohiaffo, in turn, sends her lace to a manufacturer, M. Weber Co., 230 E 52[nd] St. Husband and two children, 4 and 7 yrs. Old. Mrs. Totoro said, "I rather work for a factory. They pay more." Husband is a cement laborer with irregular work. Location: New York, New York (State)

***

Title: Mrs. Palontona and 13 year old daughter, Michaeline, working on "Pillow-lace" in dirty kitchen of their tenement home, 213 E. 111th Street, 3rd floor. They were both very illiterate. Mother is making fancy lace and girl sold me the piece she worked on. Location: New York, New York (State)

***

Title: Home of Mrs. Rosina Schiaffo[?], 301 East 114th St. 3[rd] floor. She is a Contractor, getting lace from the home-workers in the neighborhood, (woman in black has just brought in some work), and the lace goes to M. Weber Co., a manufacturer, 230 E. 52[nd] Street. On the couch with Mrs. Schiaffo is seven-year-old Millie, who is learning to make lace. Father is a street-cleaner. Another little girl, about seven, was at work on the lave when I came in, but she fled. Location: New York, New York (State)

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Title: 4:00 P.M. Making lace collars at home (usually in kitchen). Mrs. Vencique, 309 E. 110th St., working with baby asleep in lap. Her sister, Tessie Amendola, 15 years old, works all the time. Some days she says she makes over $1.00 a day. At times only $2.00 a week. Been working at it three years. One of them was making lace for a contractor, Marchina, 207 E. 109th St., top floor (in an old dwelling). The other was making lace for factory, P. Cappellino, 401 E. 116th St. Husband is plasterer and "works some." Location: New York, New York (State)

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The above photos were all taken by Lewis Wicke Hine (click on his name for biographical information source). Hine was an American sociologist and documentary-photographer born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he studied at the State Normal School, completed courses in drawing and sculpture, and worked in a factory before studying sociology at Chicago University in 1900. A self‐taught photographer, he moved to New York in 1901, becoming an instructor in nature studies and official photographer to the Ethical Culture School. In 1905, informed by his training in sociology, and with his reformist interests sharpened by his experiences at the school, he began using the camera to study social problems by recording the arrival of immigrants at Ellis Island. These images led the National Child Labor Committee to hire him for its campaign to ban child labour in agriculture, the canning and textile industries, mining, and other places progressive reformers regarded as unsafe or morally unfit for children. While working for the NCLC, he completed his master's degree in sociology at Columbia University. He first published his photographs with accompanying text as an essay in Charities and Commons, later better known as Survey magazine, in whose pages his passionate opposition to child labour appeared regularly. Between 1908 and 1918 the NCLC sent Hine throughout the eastern states to document the prevalence of the problem. Using flash-photography techniques pioneered by Jacob Riis, he documented young boys working underground in coal mines in Pennsylvania. Plant managers at southern textile mills tried to exclude him from their premises. Always he accompanied his images, intended for use in posters, pamphlets, lantern lectures, and other NCLC campaign media, with detailed captions describing working conditions, the ages of the children, and, if possible, their wages. Hine also did occasional photographic work for the American Red Cross between 1910 and 1914, and between 1918 and 1920 documented post‐war conditions in the Balkans, Italy, and Greece, images which became part of The Human Cost of War.  Hine began to receive recognition as a photographer rather than simply as a reformer, when his first one‐man show was mounted. He continued to work as a photographer and photo director for Survey and for the Red Cross. Notwithstanding his standing as a reformer and photographer, his experience photographing construction of the Empire State Building, New York 1931, and the work of the Tennessee Valley Authority 1933 and Rural Electrification Administration 1934-1935, Roy Stryker did not hire him for the FSA's monumental documentary photographic effort. Instead Hine became photographic director of the National Research Project of the Works Progress Administration.

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