▁America ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁although ▁the ▁day ▁was ▁long , ▁the ▁do ff ers ▁only ▁worked ▁for ▁about ▁four ▁hours ▁each ▁day . ▁Mem oir s ▁from ▁writers ▁such ▁as ▁Lucy ▁Lar com ▁and ▁Har ri et ▁Hans on ▁Robinson ▁describe ▁the ▁long ▁hours , ▁but ▁also ▁the ▁le is ure ly ▁pace ▁of ▁work ▁and ▁the ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁social ▁interactions . ▁In ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 0 ▁a ▁do f fer ▁boy ▁earned ▁ 2 5 ▁c ents ▁a ▁day . ▁An ▁over se er ▁of ▁rooms ▁would ▁make ▁$ 1 . 2 5 ▁a ▁day , ▁and ▁the ▁super int endent ▁of ▁a ▁mill ▁earned ▁$ 2 . 0 0 ▁a ▁day , ▁considered ▁an ▁excellent ▁w age ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁In ▁the ▁southern ▁cot ton ▁mill s ▁it ▁was ▁custom ary ▁to ▁employ ▁only ▁whites ▁for ▁most ▁jobs ▁in ▁the ▁mill , ▁although ▁black s ▁had ▁outside ▁jobs ▁and ▁some ▁inside ▁jobs ▁such ▁as ▁firing ▁the ▁bo ilers . ▁This ▁pers isted ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁later ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁working ▁conditions ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁text ile ▁industry ▁d eter ior ated . ▁Im migr ant ▁text ile ▁workers ▁coming ▁from ▁York shire ▁and ▁Lanc ash ire ▁to ▁New ▁England ▁found ▁the ▁mill s ▁poor ly ▁run , ▁with ▁the ▁man agers ▁che ating ▁on