Parents, Don't Send Your Children to Brothels

Don't do it. It's bad parenting.

Wait a minute, was this sort of thing legal beforehand? On July 24, 1878 the Clearfield Republican of Clearfield, Pennsylvania wrote about a change in the laws, effective at some point in 1878 (since the article describes it as "the law of 1878"). I wonder if there were people who looked at the law and thought, "there goes the government, telling parents what they can and can't do with their children."

Is the whole point of the article that under the law in 1877 parents actually could do these things? I used the word "brothels" in the title, because it actually shows up in the article. Were women being sent into prostitution by their families?

A NEW DEPARTURE  — Under the law of 1878, people who unnecessarily beat or ill use their children, hire them to acrobats and gymnasts, or beggars, keep them in brothels or at indecent or dangerous occupation, are not only liable to punishment, but may have them taken from their custody and put under charge or guardians appointed by the court.