U. S. DEPARTMENTOF LABOR JAMES J, DAVIS, Seaetery CHILDREN'SBUREAU GRACE ABBOTT. Chief UNEMPLOYMENTANDCHILD WELFARE A STUDY MADE IN A MIDDLLWESTERNAND AN EASTERNCITY DURINGTHE INDUSTRIAL DEPRESSIONOF I92I AND 1922 By EMMA OCTAVIA LUNDBERG I BueauPublication No, | 25 WASHINGTON GOVERNMET.IT PRINTING OFFICE 1923 Provided by the Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University I OWINC TO LIUITED I,PPNOPRIATIOI$} TOB PBINTINC. IT IS NOT POSSIBLD TO DIIYTRTBUTE TE]S BWLETTN ,N Ir'\&GE QUANTITIES. ADDIfiONAL COPIES ![AY BE PBOCI'BED I'ROII TEE SUPERINTDNDDNT OI. DOCUMNNTS GOYDRNMENT PN,INTING OFFICE W.I,SEINGTON, D. C. AT 20 CENTS FER COPY Provided by the Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University CON1SNTS. ?asP' Letter of transmittal-. IX What the father's unemployment means to the children- - I The field of the study. -. 5-11 Purpose D Citiesincluded- -. ---. 6.10 Reasonsto.,"r".tioo- -. -- -: - - - -. - - - - - : - - .' 6 Extentofunemployment--.- ..---.-.----.-.--.---.:..: 7 tr{easurestakea to provide employment-. I Sourcesof information l0 The familiesof the unemployed..-------. 13-96 Racine,Wis-----.-.- 75-2L Duration of unemplolment.. -. 15 Number of children afrected- 15 General facts concerning the fathers- 16 Previouswork statusof fathers------ 17 Ownership of home-. - -. - - 18 Housing conditions- -. - t9 Rentspaid--.. 20 Springfield, Mass..-. -. 22-27 Duration of unemployment... - 22 Number of children affected- 22 General facts concerni:rg the fathers- 23 Previous work status of fathers. -. -. - 24 Ownership of home- -. -. - - 26 Housrng conditions. -. - 26 Rents paid-. - - 27 Remurces during unemployment- -. - - - - 27-35 Sourcesof livelihood- - 27 hoportions of total maintenance derived from the various soruces--.-. 30 Weekly resourcesat the time of inquiry. - -. - 31 Average monthly resourcesduring unemployment-. - 32 fncome during year preceding unemployment 32 Lowered standards of living. - - - - 36-45 Monthly resourcesbefore and during unemployment-. - 36 Comparison of resources during unemploJment with estimated family budgetn--.. -. - 36 Illuetmtions of the effect of unemployment on standards of living. -. - 39 Employment of the mother. 45-56 Relation to unemployment of father-. 45 Work at homeand away from home-.-.----.- 46 Eours employed per week- 46 The children of working mothere..---.- 47 Care of the children duri:rg the mother's absence-- -. - -. 48 The mother's earnings- - - 49 fypical instaaces.. - -. - 49 Provided by the Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University w c0NTENTS. The families of the unemployed-Continued. Pase' - - - 57-60 Employment-Family of the children income from children's earnings-- - - - 57 Number of chjldren employed- - -. - 57 Agesof worki'g children------ 57 Gldes completed by children who went to work" - " " 58 OccuPations- 59 Wages-.-....-- 59 Savings"exhausted-.-.-.----- '- 60_6b Atount of savings-.--- 60 Charitable aid in relation to saYings----- 61 Loss of homes- 61 Families who bad used up their savings-' 61 Theburdenofdebt-------- '-''''' 65-79 Extentand formsofindebtednesE----- - 65 Proportion of maintenance secured through credit or loans-""'-'' ' ' ' - 66 The cost of cash loans-- 67 Families who had mortgagedthe future- - - - 68 Credit for food suPPlies-. 76 Cbaritable aid by public or private agencies-- ' - ' ' ' ' - ' ' ' - 79-84 Assistancegiven the families----- 79 Interval between loss of work and application for aid- ' 80 Durationof aid.-----..- 80 Aid to iamilies of skilled and unskilled workers- ' - - - ' ' 81 Relation of aid received to total resourceg------ 82 The coincidenceof illness and unemployment-------"' - - 85-90 Extent of illnese-.--.- 85 Debtsfor medicalcare----------- 86 Unemployment amongfamilies given nursing serYice''''-'-- 86 Familieshandicappedbyillness----- 92 Unemplolment and the relief problem in B,acine- - - ' ' ' 97-108 The ciiY semmiesary- 97 Relief work and loans by factories- 99 The city poor ofrce..--. 100 Theprivatereliefagency- -----' 100-102 Relief to families of unemployed men- - - 10f fncrease i.lr the relief problem- 102 Familieggivenaicl becauseof unemplolment- - - - "'-- 103-105 Duration of unemplol'ment before applyrng Ior aid ' 103 Nativity and reeidenceof fathers- - 103 Children in families given aid- - - - - 104 EmPlolment of children- 104 . Illnese in the fami lies. 104 Free milk to school children- 105 Children brought to the day nursery- - - - - 106 Mothers'pensionsand unemplolment----- 107 Families of men given emergency employment in Springfield- " " ' 109-114 thefather'spreviousemplolment '"-- 109-111 Interval between loss of employment and application for city work- " 109 Weeklywa,ge8..---- 110 OccuPations. 110 socialdata- "- 111-114 Ages of fathere 111 Nativity and length of residencein city- 111 Provided by the Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University CoNTDNTS. v Families of men given emergency employment in Springfield-Continued. Social data-Continued. Pago. Number and agesof children- 11I Debts. - - IIz Assistanceby public and private agencies.-. 11g Child ]abor in an unemployment period- . - 11b-132 Children eligible for work- 115 Effect on child Iabor in Racine. - - - - Children euolled in continuation school-- - - : . - . - - . : . - - - - . - - . - itti?8 Tine elapsed since leaving regular school. _ lL7 Decline in child labor- - ]rl7 Jobs secured by children during unemployment period- 11g Effect on child labor in Springfeld .. - -. _ 1ZO-IS2 Employment certificates- -. - irz} Child labor before and during the unemploy'ment period- - - l.2T Cbjldren attending continuation school-. l2Z Children securing .Why work during the unemployment period. I2S tle children left school to go to work. - _ 126 Unemplol'ment of children- 726 Summariesof conditions by districts--. 1g3 Appendixes- Appendix A. Tables. r43 Appendix B. Formsused in the study- 169 TABLES. Text- Table I.-Sources of family maintenanceduring father's unemplolment; based on reports of 136 families g1 Il.-Comparison of average monthly tesourcesand estimated budget requirement; fami_liesfor whom average monthly resources were reported gg Itetaued- Table A.-Sources of maintenance during father's unemployment- . _ - - .. 34 B.-trfothers working away from home during father,s unemploy- ment- _ U C.-Debts incurred or unpaid becauseof unemployment_ _-. - - -. _ 74 D.-Families receiving charitable aid during unemployment of father.--.- 8g E.-Familisg reporthg illness duriag the period of the father's un- employnenl. gg F.-Springfield: Children 14 and 1b years of age to whom employ- ment certificates had been issued since IIay 1, 1g21, who were unemployed February 1,1922- I2g G.-Springfield: Children 14 and 1b years of age to wbom employ- ment certificatcs had been issued prior to May 1, 1g21, who were unemployed February I,7922,-- 129 Appendix- , Table l.-Racine: Duration of unemplolment of father and last regular occupation.... 143 2.-Springfield: Duration of unemployment of father and last regu- lar occupation lr41 3.-Racine: Country of birth of unemployed fathers, by length of residence in United States and work status_ I44 4.-Springfield: Country of birth of unemployed fathers, by length of residence in United States and work status. I4b Provided by the Maternal and Child Health Library, Georgetown University VI CONTENIS. Appendix-Oontinued. Page Table 5.-Racine: Literacy and nativity of father, by duration of unem- Ploynent of father. 146 6.-springfield: Literacy and nativity of father, by duration of unemplol'ment of father- I46 7.-Racine: Citizenship of foreign-born unemployed fathers, by length of residencein the United States-- Iro 8.-springfield: Citizenship of foreign-born unemployed fathers, by length of rcsidence in the United States- - 147 9.-Racine: Tenure of homes occupied by families of unemployed men, by duration of occupancy- r47 10.-springfield: Tenure of homes occupied by families of un- employed men, by duration of occupancy- 147 1l.-Racine: Monthly rental of families occupying rented houses during father's unemployment, by number of roomsin house- 148 12.-springfield: Monthly rental of fa"miliesoccupying rented houses during father's unemplolment, by number of roomsin house- 148 l3.-Racine: Number of personsin householdsof unemployed men, by number of rooms in house- r48 14.-Springfield: Number of persons in households of unemployed men, by number of roomsin house. r49 15.-Racine: Ilonthly rental at time of study of families of un- employed men, by monthly rental previous to unemployment 149 16.-springfield: Monthly rental at time of study of famiiies o{ unemployed men, by monthly rental previous to unemploy- ment-. 150 l7.-Racine: Total resources of family during father's unemploy- ment, by duration of unemplol'ment and ownership of home - - 151 18.-springfield: Total resourcesof family during father's unemploy- ment, by duration of unemplo)'ment and orvnershipof home- - t52 19.-sources of income during unemplo)'ment in lamilies of unem- ployed men, by city- - - - - - - L52 20.-Racine and Springfield: Average monthly resoulcesof families of unemployed men, prior to unemplopnent and during unemplo)'ment- - - - - - - - - - - - 153 2l.-Racine: Duration of father's unemploym.ent, by father's total earnings from temporary work during unemploynent- - - - - - - 153 22.-springfield: Duration of father's unemployment, by father's total earnings from temporary work during unemployment- - 751 23.-Racine: Number of personsin families'ofunemployed men, by weekly income at time of stud,v. TM 24.-springfield: