Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-10-22
"A HOME CONGRESS.
The rive Weeks study " Diet soon "a
Eegin III Boston.


Two years ago Mrs. Ellen a. Rich
ardson, widely known as an art repre-
sentative at both the Chicago and At
lanta expositioDs, and, besides an artist
Of repute an enthusiast on the subject
of diet as essential to health, instituted
the first course Of dietary lectures. In
the intervening time she has worked so
industriously and to such good purpose
that widespread enthusiasm has been
aroused and ardent coworkers have
come forward by the score. In her own
words: More knowledge on the princi-
pies of how to live, how tOnourish. will
decrease crime, poverty and incomplete
human beings When we think Of the
starved natures. born starved and Of the
starved bodies, born starved, is there
any wonder that asylums, hospitals and
prisons deplete our treasures? Some Of
the money put into primary and gram
mar high schools and college education
diverted to elementary lessons Of how
to feed and run our own engines would
be well spent and would open prospect
Of a balance TO the credit of the govern
ment. And believing an this and more
she has spared neither time nor strength.
Therapeutics Of diet, that science
which teaches how far food may be
made a cure, is far too little understood.
1t is hoped that the congress in its in
fluence upon the people will do much
toward bringing about reform. In order
to simplify and to classify the immense
amount Of matter. the allotted time of
five weeks has been divided into one
each for physical, mental, moral and
aesthetic development and the discus
sion Of sociological problems.
From 1920 until IL each morning
valuable addresses on life and character
development az influenced by food will
be given by experts. AT 3 o'clock each
afternoon there will be competent adj
dresses on the influence Of cooking in
food and the effect Of various foods
upon health, id place Of the mere expo
sition Of recipes usual on such occasions.
AT :45 each evening there will be a
lecture, illustrated bystereOpticon views.
While all Of these Will be Cf interest
to thoughtful folk and, above all, to
mothers and heads Of families, it is prob
able that the afternoon lectures will be
most absorbing We are only now be-
ginning to appreciate the influence of
nourishment upon all forms of develop
ment, and the opportunity to hear the
most advanced theories and to study
actual facts IS one to be hailed with en-
thusiasm. Whether or not the ultimate
aim of the promoters of the congress,
the teaching Of the fundamental prin-
ciples of food economy in the public
schools, is ever reached, the fact Of the
discussion being held by men and wom-
en- Of renown is an important step. BY
means Of a complete apparatus the proc
ess Of digestion will be clearly shown
and experiments used to illustrate the
effect Of different products and to show
why tone mans poison may be another
mans food. Varying occupations and
pursuits will be taken up and discussed
and the problem Of how to meet the spe-
cial demands Of each discussed at
length. To many if not to most people
the various processes by which food be-
comes bone, muscle, blood, are enigmas.
1t is hoped to make all such matters SO
clear and simple that all who hear will
comprehend and that the seed so sown
will bear abundant fruit.
Prominent on the list of lecturers are
Professor o. T. Atwater, LII D. of
Wesleyan university, who is in charge
Of the government investigations in the
laws OF nutrition and the economy Of
the food of man; D. G. Gilman, LII. D.,
president Of Johns Hopkins university;
A. @. True, Ph. D. director Of the Office
Of the experiment stations, United States
department Of agriculture; J. Sterling
Morton, secretary Of agriculture; O. w.
Dabney, LII. D., assistant secretary Of
agriculture, and president Of Tennessee
university; William IT. Harris, LII ID,
United States commissioner Of educa-
ton; Carroll d. Wright, chief Of bureau
Of statistics, and III Hamilton Cushing,
Professor Lester #. Ward, Dr. o. Il.
Mason, Hon G. Browne Goode and Pro
fessor Wiley, all Of the Smithsonian
institution, Washington.
During the second week food as
means Of mental development will be
freely discussed and many interesting
proofs Of how the brain is nourished
will be adduced. DR.. Arthur MacDon-
aid, specialist in the United States
board of education, Will not only deliver
his own lecture but expOund the truths
learned from his marvellous instruments
as we'll By their aid the finer emo
tional forces of human nature can be
accurately gauged and the difference
shown between starved and nOurished
brains as we'll as bodies.
The third week moral development
will be studied and there will be inter
esting reports from active workers as
we'll as lectures. The effect Of food upon
crime ard the relation Of properly nour-
ished minds and bodies to deoadent
tendencies will open up much that j.
fresh and Interesting.
The fourth week Will be given over
to the aesthetic side Of life, and All the
many phases Of the subject viii be ably
presented by those recognized as author
tiles. The last and fifth week will have
two subdivisions, each Of three days.
The first will be occupied by the Ma
tional Council of Women, of which
Mary Lowe Dickenson is president
The second will be in charge Of Sarah
J. Farmer and Dr. Lewis 5. James, A.
NJ.
In establishing the home congress
Mrs. Richardson had in mind all topics
that pertain to home life. Regarding
the food and nourishment of the body
as the foundation of mental, moral and
even aesthetic health. the congress hopes
to so excite interest in higher develop
ment as to allow Of teaching these
truths to youth, and 20 bringing about a
maturity fit to deal with more adj
ganced conditions Of life i'll its highest
plane CLARE BUNCE.
Does not ever fail in generosity or word
and deed and fails as seldom az possible i'd
generosity Of thought