According to Child Labor in City Streets, by Edward N. Clopper (MacMillan Co. 1912), in Cincinnati from June to December 1909, there were 1,951 boys from 10 to 13 years of age licensed to sell newspapers, about 15% of the total number of boys in this age bracket living in the city. Mr. Clopper was secretary for the National Child Labor Committee for the Mississippi Valley. The data was supplied by the Newsboys Protective Association, which issued permits for street trading.

Clopper goes on to report that: “The assumption that most newsboys are unfortunate children who are obliged, because of orphanage, to support themselves by selling newspapers, is shown to be without foundation. The fact that only 363 out of the entire number were working because their earnings were really needed by their families, is a further proof that street trading in the majority of cases is not necessary." At that time, according to Clopper, Cincinnati law required that the boys be from 10 to 14 years of age, and that they could work only between 6am and 8pm.

Lewis Hine’s photo of Sidney Ashcraft is one of about 30 taken in Cincinnati in August of 1908, 13 of which were of newsboys, some at picnics and other events sponsored by the Newsboys Protective Association. Judging by my interview with Sidney’s daughter Dorothy Brockmann, her father appeared to have an uneventful childhood, and became a productive adult and a respected family man.

Sidney was born in Kentucky on January 31, 1898, and died February 9, 1966, at the age of 68. His parents were Asa and Barbara. Both of them were born in Kentucky in 1872, and both died in Kentucky in 1936. According to his obituary, Sidney had been with the Hamilton County Engineers office for 40 years, and had been supervisor of the sign shop for about 20 years.

Please see my interview with Mrs. Brockmann on the next page.