A summary of Child Labor legislation in Wisconsin from 1867-1889.

Fried, Orrin. "Summary of Child Labor Legislation." Madison: Industrial Commission of Wisconsin, 1933.

The first law appearing on the statute books regulating the labor of women and children in industry in chapter 83, laws of 1867. This law limited the hours of labor of women and children under eighteen years of age to eight hours each day in all manufactories, shops, and other places used for mechanical and manufacturing purposes and provided penalties for the violation of the same.

In 1877 (Chapter 289) the employment of children under twelve years of age at manual labor in any factory hiring three or more persons, deemed to be injurious to the health of children, such as tobacco and cigar factories, cotton, and woolen mills, and iron foundries during the school year was prohibited. Penalties for violations were also included in the acts.

By chapter 187 of the laws of 1878 the limitations of employment injurious to children in specified employments were eliminated and made to apply generally to all factories and work shops employing three or more persons.

The next important change was made in the laws of 1889, Chapter 519, which provided for compulsory school attendance for children between the ages of seven and fourteen and prohibited children under thirteen years to work in any shop, store, factory, mine, or place of amusement without a permit. Children over ten years of age, who could read and write English and whose family needed its support, could be granted a permit by the county judge to work during the school year.