The Senate completed action on a bill Thursday that would commission a $500,000 child labor memorial in Fairmont.
House Bill 3312, which passed the Senate unanimously, would set forth the development of the memorial. The target completion date is Nov. 15, 2022, with a dedication date set for Dec. 6, 2022 – the 115th anniversary of the Monongah mine disaster, which, according to an official count, resulted in 362 deaths.
Proposed text on a memorial plaque would state the death toll doesn’t account for miners’ family members, “including dozens of children who were present in the mines that day.”
The text would also read: “Whether due to enslavement or poverty, child labor was a grievous part of our state’s industrial history – not only in coal mining, but also in factories, salt works and other inherently hazardous professions – until it was restricted by state and federal laws in the early 20th century. This monument stands as a memorial to all children who were victimized by child labor in hazardous industry, and may this park serve as a reminder that the primary employment of children ought to be to learn and to play.”
The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 18 at 9 a.m.
Afternoon Meetings:
Gov. Org at 2 p.m. in 208W.
Education at 2 p.m. in 451M.
Finance at 3 p.m. in 451M
Judiciary at 3 p.m. in 208W.
