school quality en Seeing a child like a state: Holding the poor accountable for bad schools -- Guest post by Lant Pritchett <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>In the early 20<sup>th</sup> century Helen Todd, a factory inspector in Chicago, interviewed 500 children working in factories, often in dangerous and unpleasant conditions. She asked children the question: “If your father had a good job and you didn’t have to work, which would you rather do—go to school or work in a factory?” 412 said they would choose factory work. One fourteen year old girl, who was interviewed lacquering canes in an attic working with both intense heat and the constant smell of turpentine, said “School is the fiercest thing you can come up against. F</p></div></div></div> Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:24:04 +0000 Anonymous 716 at