Entitled: "Michael Mero, 2 West 4th Street Bootblack, 12 years of age, working one year of own volition. Don't smoke. Out after 11 P.M. on May 21. Ordinarily works 6 hours per day. Location: Wilmington, Delaware." Shoeshiner or boot polisher is an occupation in which a person polishes shoes with shoe polish. They are often known as shoeshine boys because the job is traditionally that of a male child. Shoeshiners are often found working in business districts where professionals congregate. The shoeshiner is perceived as an informational hub, studiously polishing and buffing whilst dispensing helpful advice on local affairs and events. In 1908, Lewis Hine accepted a position as chief investigator and photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), a private organization founded in 1904 whose mission was to promote legislation to protect children from exploitation by American industry. At the time, children as young as four years old labored in a variety of trades eight to twelve hours a day in factories, tenements, and on the streets. Photographed by Hine, May 21, 1910.