The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-07
AN UNUSUAL CONVENTION.
CHICAGO WOMEN ASSEMBLE TO
STUDY child NATURE.

Gesttons-How Properly 60 Direct
ChiId's M,rd and. Educational woNss's
Pies for Teaching the Facts OF sex.
The first. convention Of women for the pur.
pose of studying "child nature" was held re-
Gently at the Kindergarten College in Chicago,
and was certainly unique and most interest
ing gathering. II furnished encouraging evil
dence that women are at least trying 70
strengthen and extend their influence In the
right direction and make the most OF one of the
greatest resources for good in their possession.
Some writer has said that q woman's influence
on children might be go great that through
them she could practically rule the world.
Miss Elizabeth Harrison, the President OF the
kindergarten College and q distant relative Of
the ex-President, has labored earnestly 20 bring
about this convocation of mothers, and, IL seems,
very successfully. too. for there were 700 Of
them so pleased and interested that they voted
to meet yearly. The convention was mostly
made up of women from Chicago and It's suburbs,
but 80 many came from other States that there
was not room enough in the college to sccommo-
date them, and they were obliged to move 10
Central Music Hall
Mrs. r. y. Grouse opened the meeting, and
said that its purpose was for "a better under
standing Of child life by the average parent, the
results aimed at being the achievement OF .
maximum of domestic happiness BY all and thA
improvement of the race generally" She also
said that the Importance of the kindergarten
could not be overestinated, and she pointed out
the merits of the kindergarten methods as COM
pared with those Of the average Sunday school.
1T is folly to expect child Of tender age to un-
derstand abstract or religious truths" she said.
They should be taught by means Of pictures,
games and stories that suit the mental grasp
OF babyhood. Mothers have been invited hero
to learn something of the nature OF the
child that the future man and woman
may be improved. The average mother has
an idea that IL she gives her child all II wants
to eat, clothes it properly, and looks after its
wellbeing, her whole duty Is done. That 10 .
mistake; the mental condition of the child
should be looked after"
The subjects OF prenatal influences. proper
foods, the nursery. and clothing OF children
were respectively discussed by different physi-
clans and the remarks OF DR.. Briggs who adj
vised the use Of alcoholic stimulants by chill
dren for medicinal purposes" met with q lively
response from the temperance element, which
was in the majority.
Mrs. Caroline T. Stirling OF Chicago road .
paper on What Part of the Care OF the Child
Should the Mother Rolinquish to Others" In
which she expressed her views Of the qualifica-
tons of nurses and teachers, and the necessity
of their working in harmony with the child's
parents. She considers the nurse the most i'm
portant person between tho mother and the
child, who should be made to feel that she 10
working with the mother for the child's good.
Mrs. Grouse said that IL the nurse received
little more social recognition there would be
no nurse-girl question TO solve. The girl good
enough to associate with my children 10 good
enough TO sit at my table" she said.
woman from Colorado said that girls would
give up work rather than take a course of nurse
training at a kindergarten college. And An
tbar pna GtoH q n ynaIy for nj
education that the mothers master Herbert
Spencers " First Principles OF Sociology" and
then instil them into the nurses mind.
Miss Elizabeth Harrison made one of the most
interesting speeches OF the convention, in which
she carefully explained the benefit of story tell
ing education for children, and particular
ly expressed herself against the stories with the
morals carefully attached. She said stories were
the best possible means of impressing truth
upon q child's mind, and should contain both
moral and spiritual truths without taking
II: Too Sa,,d much moral bad, w5sssns
It's capaety s6e also POINTED out st tss neces
Clearly defined the relationship between lis oo-
cupations and its sympathies. Mothers were
self activity, as upon that depends the personal
strength OF human nature. Another side Of the
sSs psychoogcsi Value S Of plays as an impor
tant aud happy means OF unfolding a chfld's
nature. She said: when freely at play every
faculty Of the child is brought out and exposed
and made available for lture in the play room.
1t is while the child is playing, while 1t Is in .
loving, anectionate, expressive mood that the
deepest, most lasting impressions are made
upon IL. IL IL lacks playtime in childhood, In
after life work Is nothing but drudgery."
The question of how best to plain the mys-
teries OF nfe TO children answered by Miss
Margaret Morley of Armour Institute, who said.
among other significant and interesting things
on the subject OF sex, that that which has
made 1t unbeautiful Is the force of circum-
stances bad education. Our way of looking at
the whole question OF sex Is the result of some
thing thrust on US in the past. In order to have
q higher. clearer, purer life, we must change
our IDEAS OF sex. believe that the facts OF sex
should be as thoroughly taught as anything else
which comes into human life, and should be no
more mysterious than the facts OF nourishment-
The truth should be made beautiful at
The child should be told early.
rather than 10 run the risk OF its being enlight-
ened by vil-minded companions. The moment
the child Is old enough to ask questions II Is old
enough to receive an intelligent answer. Ono OF
the beautiful ways to approach the subject 10
through the study of plant life. carrying the in
of animal life"
The idea strongly impressed through all the
discussion was the necessity for close comrads-
ship between boys, girls. and their mothers.