Memorial inscription or plaque

The following text shall be inscribed or engraved upon the monument, or otherwise permanently affixed by means of a plaque: “On December 6, 1907, an explosion destroyed the Number 6 and Number 8 mines of Fairmont Coal Company in Monongah, West Virginia. The official death toll was 362, but this did not account for miners’ family members, including dozens of children, who were present in the mines that day. 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.”