George,

I'm truly baffled by Steven Stern's assertion that one of his students supports his wife and child on $3/hour. That figure is quite unbelievable, and I challenge Prof. Stern to provide documentation of this scenario.

Only with the aid of subsidized housing, food, medical care, etc., could that be possible. A meager $500/month in rent would use up the entirety of this student's income. Perhaps his family is provided, somehow, with free housing? Insurance? For a family of three, $500/month would pretty well eat that up, too. Perhaps his $3/hour job provides family health care? Electricity, telephone bill, gas and water would require no less than $200/month, I suppose. But maybe his employer pays for that. Food for a family of three, at $1/meal, would run $270/month. I can only hope that this gentleman works in a restaurant, or a grocery store, to be able to afford to eat. He must also be without car, childcare, medical expenses, need for clothing, furniture, or incidentals. Such a life!

When starting my business, I had to determine what the minimum income was that I needed in order to live. I arrived at $900/month, or $5.63/hour. (If I worked 40 hours a week. As the owner of a small business, of course I work much more.) Thankfully, I didn't need to live on so little money. Further thankfully, I am both without children and unmarried. I have no idea of how I could have supported anybody on such wages, but I suspect that it would not have been possible. $3/hour? I cannot and will not believe that it can be done.

Best,

Waldo Jaquith (electronic mail, July 9, 2001).