Newsboy "Little Fattie"
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Newsboy "Little Fattie"
Updated Oct 31, 2024
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AncientFaces
376k+ followers 411 favorites
01/11/2012
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AncientFaces
376k+ followers 411 favorites
09/01/2022
In 1900, more than 18% of the labor force in the United States was comprised of children. While children worked in factories and mines, a large percentage of orphans survived by selling newspapers. When thinking of "newsies", what often comes to mind is cute little boys who were selling papers for "fun" money. But most often they were starving children trying to support themselves.
Lewis Wickes Hine was a photographer who took a series of photos in 1910 documenting child workers in an attempt to change child labor laws. He was trying to change the poor conditions of these children by making them visible to everyone. The name of this cute boy in St.Louis isn't known, only his nickname was documented by Lewis. Not knowing his name, we don't know what happened to "Little Fattie" but we hope that his picture changed his life and those of others in similar conditions.
Only six years old when this photo was taken, and still melting our hearts over 100 years later.
Lewis Wickes Hine was a photographer who took a series of photos in 1910 documenting child workers in an attempt to change child labor laws. He was trying to change the poor conditions of these children by making them visible to everyone. The name of this cute boy in St.Louis isn't known, only his nickname was documented by Lewis. Not knowing his name, we don't know what happened to "Little Fattie" but we hope that his picture changed his life and those of others in similar conditions.
Only six years old when this photo was taken, and still melting our hearts over 100 years later.
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In 1910, my father was nearly 9 years old, could not speak English, and was on a ship coming across the ocean to America. By the time he was 11, he was spending summers picking fruit in cherry orchards. At 16, he was sweeping floors in an automotive industry factory's machine shop. There, he learned how to be a machinist...by watching the workers and thanks to the kindness of those who showed him what to do.
In his late 40's, he built his second, larger house for his growing family...on a lot where he had once picked cherries. Amazingly, there was still a very old cherry tree on that lot, and his children played and climbed on it.
At 60, he retired from that machine shop as a supervisor, nearly 46 years after he started there as a teen.
He was not just intelligent and determined; he was also lucky. So many of those kids never made it.
In his late 40's, he built his second, larger house for his growing family...on a lot where he had once picked cherries. Amazingly, there was still a very old cherry tree on that lot, and his children played and climbed on it.
At 60, he retired from that machine shop as a supervisor, nearly 46 years after he started there as a teen.
He was not just intelligent and determined; he was also lucky. So many of those kids never made it.
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via Facebook
Textiles, coal mining, a lot of industries depended upon cheap child labor back then. Huge numbers worked in agriculture, but usually as part of the family labor to operate the farm. Children of share croppers had it rough. Most of that ended with New Deal legislation in the late 1930's. HOWEVER, kids growing up in the 40's and 50's often found a way to work. Newspaper routes and mowing yards - my brother and I did both, and he also worked in a family grocery store, but it had to be outside of time spent in school.
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Bob Gaines And I began working as a babysitter (for a family of 5 children) at age 11. From then on, until college, I babysat all the time and earned a lot (for those days) of money.
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AncientFaces MY bad! I was thinking about male occupations!
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AncientFaces Being the oldest grandchild on my mother’s side, my babysitting was done for free. My aunts would actually hand their babies to me when they walked in the door and not get them back until they were leaving, cloth diapers, formula and all. I never thought much about it and actually loved spending the night ‘to help out’. They were MY babies, and most of the time the older brother’s and sisters, some were brats. So by the time I was in my early teens and had moved up north, I found myself in great demand, and was usually the only babysitter they used. By high school I usually did 2 a night, after school, go to my next job where I was always brought home. At 50 cents an hour, I was one heck of a bargain. They came home to their children fed, bathed and in bed, usually asleep. By the time I was 17 I bought my own airfare to and from to visit my mother for the entire summer and not have to ask her for a dime. A lot of saving at 50 cents an hour, but most of my regulars either tipped me generously on weekends and/or ‘gifted’ me nicely for birthdays and Christmas. I really wanted to see my mother! ❤️
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Bob Gaines I wasn’t allowed to ‘work’ until I graduated from high school. Only babysitting. Like that wasn’t work! 🤦🏼♀️
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I remember my mother telling me that she sold ice cream....also turned on lights for Jewish neighbors..when she was older she worked in a laundry and would be revived with smelling salts when she fainted from the heat.
That's why she always thought I should get an"office job".
That's why she always thought I should get an"office job".
People tagged in this photo
Lewis Wickes Hine was born to Douglas Hull Hine (1829-1892) and Sarah L. Hayes (born 1832) in Oshkosh Wisconsin, and had siblings Lizzie May (born 1858), Hattie M. (1860-1862), and Lola C. Hine born in 1868.
He married Sarah Ann Rich (1874-1939) and they had one son Corydon Lewis Hine (1912-1988).
Lewis was a popular American photographer best remembered for the photographs he took documenting child labor. He took a series of photos in 1910 documenting child workers in an attempt to change child labor laws. He was trying to change the poor conditions of these children by making them visible to everyone.
His Child labor photographs, many of which can be found on AncientFaces, were instrumental in bringing about the passage of the first child labor laws in the United States. See also Before Child Labor Laws: Every Boy & Girl had a Job for more photos taken by Lewis.
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2020 marks 20 years since the inception of AncientFaces. We are the same team who began this community so long ago. Over the years it feels, at least to us, that our family has expanded to include so many. Thank you!
2020 marks 20 years since the inception of AncientFaces. We are the same team who began this community so long ago. Over the years it feels, at least to us, that our family has expanded to include so many. Thank you!
Daniel Pinna
I want to build a place where my son can meet his great-grandparents. My grandmother Marian Joyce (Benning) Kroetch always wanted to meet her great-grandchildren, but she died just a handful of years before my son's birth.
So while she didn't have the opportunity to meet him, at least he will be able to know her.
For more information about what we're building see About AncientFaces. For information on the folks who build and support the community see Daniel - Founder & Creator.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
My father's side is full blood Sicilian and my mother's side is a combination of Welsh, Scottish, German and a few other European cultures. One of my more colorful (ahem black sheep) family members came over on the Mayflower. He was among the first to be hanged in the New World for a criminal offense he made while onboard the ship.
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