From a post by Lant Pritchett at the World Bank site:
“In the early 20th century Helen Todd, a factory inspector in Chicago, interviewed 500 children working in factories, often in dangerous and unpleasant conditions. She asked children the question: ‘If your father had a good job and you didn’t have to work, which would you rather do — go to school or work in a factory?’ 412 said they would choose factory work. One fourteen year old girl, who was interviewed lacquering canes in an attic working with both intense heat and the constant smell of turpentine, said ‘School is the fiercest thing you can come up against. Factories ain’t no cinch, but schools is worst.'”
Pritchett goes on to consider the state of affairs one century later in government schools in India. Angry-making stuff.
I recommend highly, one again, James Tooley’s The Beautiful Tree, for anyone interested in education in the poorest parts of the world.
The Beautiful Tree, about entrepreneur created schools for the poor, is a fine book. Surprising, too.
Thank you for recommending this book. Is a tremendous challenge today.
Requires our commitment.
Thank you for this article Stephen.
I am an 8th grader and I would love to work in a factory instead of being in a room with a teacher that is medically treated for being bipolar. This is the honest truth.