The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-17
THE MOTHERS CONVENTION.

| WIN dii Nut itSptCL W lilt ulOlhclS
| who are about TO meet in convention at
| Washington it must be said that only those
persons lacking in the sense of humor can
consider the gathering without a smile.
Notwithstanding the advent of the new
woman and the general acceptance of some
very liberal ideas. concerning the field of
work and the possibilities of the sisterhood,
| the average man and woman cherish a con-
| ception of motherhood and its duties which
| do not fit in the least with the idea of con-
ventions held for the purpose of regulating
| their duties These notions may be anti
quated and born of traditions which, as
| ''emancipated" women declare, grow out of
! the subsection in which their sex has been
| held by the male of the species for many
| ages, but, at all events, the old ideas are
| still of sufficient force to cause the thought
| of a convention Of mothers to be more
amusing than otherwise. The women en-
gagged in the undertaking regard it as
most serious and momentous affair, in
volving the welfare of this and future
generations and if it shall prove to be the
| first of a series of such gatherings the
| public may in time become accustomed TO
| seeing the family governed by committee
or by constitution and bylaws formulated
| by the general body in which the family is
represented by it's female head AS yet,
| however, the ideal mother is a being who
| ponders many things in the seclusion of her
| home, whose heart is the child's school
room, who is the "holiest thing alive
| whose wisdom comes from other and higher
| sources than public conventions But the
1 ideal. it must be acknowledged, is not al
ways the actual. existing mother. and, it
| is doubtless proper that the Improvement
and education of those who are weak and
| ignorant should be undertaken by persons
so well qualified as the women controlling
| the Washington gathering presumably are.
| AT least. it is not surprising in this day of
much organization and teaching by
proclamation that the work is attempted.
| And it is more than right that the case
of these pioneers in this educational field
| should be set forth from their own stand
point One of them presents it in a spirited
way in the New York Sun. I'VE see reams
of good advice from editors and preachers
| about what it is to be a good mother" she
| says, but where, from the university to the
| business world. does a man learn how to be
a good father? And yet it is the basic pur
| pose. the raison d'etre of his existence"
Warming up she continues after this
| fashion:
| Considering that we see it on every
| finger post that the State is based upon the
| family. it would seem high time that both
| parents were finding this out The mothers
| are-Some mothers are. The fathers have
| got just far enough TO make fun OF the
mothers for beginning to discover their
| limitations. This is good, far it goes.
| and certain advance upon the past but
one would like TO see a corresponding UNI
| easiness on the part of the fathers. Would
not like to see reporter sent out to hunt
! up copy" on that subject Would he find
men congregated at any one place outside
of business hours? Bless YOU yes: the
| clubs would be full. Let the reporter listen
| with all his ears for one word on the chief
est object OF their lives, and what would he
| hear? Any discussion of the public schools?
Anything on kindergartens; books for chill
dren; Obedience in the Family: In ne
No." Sympathy the handspring of
! Home'-any such topics these which
may be found i'm almost any year book OF
a woman's club in almost any State In the
| Union? Not much The fathers OF the
| land shun all such extraneous and puerile
subjects and keep nobly to the tariff Tree
| silver and the weaknesses of their wives.
| That is. the best of them do OF the sub
| iects discussed by those who are not the
best. the less said the better.
| Now Mr. Editor do you not think that II
| would be better to to take the
Woman's Club as a joke? Liquor dealers
| organize Why? Because they can sell
| more whisky. Doctors organize. Why? Be
| cause they can fight disease and ignorance
when united better than they can single
| handed. Manufacturers organize and get
| assailed from all sides because il results in
| their invincibilty. Do any of these or
| ganize because it will make them better fit
| to be fathers to the next generation? Alas!
no. They would blush. if they could at the
| bare idea Then. Mr.. Editor since 1t Is
| only one-half OF parenthood that does TINS
| thing let the other half take off its nat!
And that, it appears. is all that is left Tor
| Mr.. Editor any other man to do under
| the circumstances.