Dog Days Again

The sun is in conjunction with the Dog Star, Sirius. Dog days are back. Bright Sirius adds its heat to that of the sun. Or so thought the ancients. Indeed, it is hot out there.

 

I think back to childhood in Kingsville, Texas, playing with my brother, not really aware of the heat. That is, until you went into the Rialto Theater – the only air-conditioned place in town.

 

Bob G. asks where high school students find their summer jobs, in this new age, with OSHA and child labor laws? No more kids running paper routes; now, its adults in cars. No more lawn mowing; companies with riding mowers handle that chore. My friends tell me about dog-sitting jobs, life guards in the neighborhood swimming pool. Where do our youngsters learn responsibility, the work ethic? It’s a different time, a new age, a sea change. I’ll bet that there are some innovative youngsters out there, someplace.

 

Years ago at the University, I sat on the front row in a graduation ceremony, next to a guy wearing crimson robes. Our President Fred Davison gave the address to the grads. He said, “We must return to those principles that made this country great!”

 

And my neighbor jumped to his feet and shouted, “Slavery! Child labor! Killing Indians!” Davison glared at him. And at me, next to him.

 

Needless to say, I never again sat next to a guy wearing crimson.

 

But I wonder – and Bob G. would agree – have we gone too far with child labor laws?”

 

Dac

7/8/2009

 

“I wonder what it is the vintners buy, one-half so precious as the stuff they sell?” – Omar the Tentmaker.

Comments

[Irene]

Many years ago, Allen Greenspan wrote an article for Barons entitled "Suffer the Little Children" about the child labor laws. A very different take from the accounts in socialogy texts. It is somewhere in my files, which are packed and I can't get to them to give you the date, but I'd say late 60s or very early 70s. He was a young economics professor at Columbia at the time.

[Art]

Not sure that the child labor laws prevent lawn mowing, hedge trimming, crop picking, baby or dog sitting, life guarding at beaches/pools, carrying groceries out to cars, or clerking in stores -- all jobs that my grandchildren (ages 11-17)have had over the last 5 or so years.

I hear a lot of parents talking about being afraid to let their children bicycle or walk to work. Luckily, my children aren't afraid of letting theirs walk or bike -- one of the benefits of small town life, I guess.

Also hear teenagers talking about how they won't pick crops because the work's too hard.

Maybe paranoia and an atrophying work ethic play a stronger role than child-labor laws.