"Back in the 1970s I delivered papers to 50 houses daily before school on my bicycle. The world is a worse place for not allowing kids to do it before school now. It taught me a lot about responsibility."

I delivered papers too, but in my case it taught me a lot more about how much I detest waking up on a cold Canadian winter morning at 4 a.m.

The photographer did some touch-up on the fourth kid to the right. His eyes were closed when the flash went off so they brushed in some eyeballs. Note the eyelashes.

[Not retouched. This is a glass negative. - Dave]

Let me guess - Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, Dutch Schultz, and Vito Corleone, right ? Hey, just kidding people !!

That one in the middle in the light jacket does not look well--his eyes and also the extreme thinness of his lower legs. You always wonder what became of them; it is good to read posts where there is info. I especially like the links on the "Migrant Mother" Florence. I've seen that picture all my life and it is hard to believe looking at it that she lived a long life and was able to look at that low, low point as a phase she managed to get through. But very good to know!

the stares from these eyes ... eerie, stunned.

[Yes. The magnesium flash powder they used back then was basically fireworks in your face. - Dave]

While I don't think anyone wants kids to go back to working after 9pm on the streets, I do believe that the 3 years I spent delivering papers in all manner of weather on time every day gave me a great work ethic, determination, perseverance and the ability to deal with all sorts of people.

Both of my girls delivered papers for a couple years. It was a given that they would when they were old enough to do so. While they didn't do it to help put food on the table, they did learn a lot, and have fond memories as well. Shoveling snow in the winter and mowing in the summer works too.

Back in the 1970s I delivered papers to 50 houses daily before school on my bicycle. The world is a worse place for not allowing kids to do it before school now. It taught me a lot about responsibility.