The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-06
Honor and Fame for North Carolina
Women.

One OF the great tCuCdtloiidi
tiles of the age, says in a recent arti-
Gle, in one of the periodicals, that the
ideal and practical education OF thF
day, partakes of that spirit Of evoiu-
ton which appears in all human MS
tory. 1t strives to make available TO
the family life, the highest in science.
philosophy, history, literature. and
even OF dietary and agriculture does
touch, thus helping to stop
through succeeding generations muct
of the pauperism desease n unthri1ty
ha III which are transmitted from
parent to child"
1t was to cloth with facts these IDEAS
and of making them a real tnins oi
the future, hat brought together In
Washington last week, c~onNehIic
known as the National Congress OF
Mothers, which i'm it's preliminary steps
attracted such numbers that the great
~hanouiting hall of the Arlington ana
later. one Of the large public buildings
Of the city, proved inadequate 1cr lne
crowd. Men and women from north
south, east and west, came together.
but from the hearts inc brains of our
southern women-usually so SLOW TO
take up any advanced movement-tn
convention found its heartleSt respon-
ses and strongest sentiments, n IL
was a North Carolina woman-Nirs.
Robert F. Cotton, who won by her able
speeches. the applause of the day.
Mrs. Cotton's paper, says The Wash
incton Post, Times and Star, called
forth such storms of enthusiasm, tnat
several times her mark had to De
suspended until the intense interest
subsidized. No 2 read before the
congress was so heartily Endorsed. Her
subject "A National Training Schooi
for showed deep thought,
study and ability. Perhaps at hrst,one
is tempted to smile at the subJect,
which she handles in so maSterf"' "
way. for are not the home and nature
herself the training school for the
mother, (fOr a few, yes, out
not for the maSses)? Yet so ably ana
clearly does this brilliant woman eluci-
date her ideas, and formulate her
plans, that perforce we adopt them
Although clinging to the old, old
truths of motherhood and domesticity,
and holding fast to ideals and tradi-
tons as cid as humanity itSttf-she yet
makes possible for woman. a life SO
intelligent, and broad, that while still
remaining the loyal wife and nome
owing mother, she can bring the ruling
of her household and the training of
her children under scientific laws.
Mrs. Cotton says that the training
of q voter, is greater than the casting
of a vote, and that national greatness
depends on the mothers Oh d Hdtlol -
they should therefore be given all the
scientific training and knowledge nee
essary for their high calling. They
should be taught applied chemistry,
and architecture because of the COM
fort and convenience of their home,
sanitation and disinfection, to combat
the foes of health in their own honeo-
holds, and thus dispel much of the pow
erty, %drudgery, and desease which are
oft-times the result of ignorance.
Limited space forbids more lengthy
notes from this clever speech, so high
ly spoken of by the New York papers
and published almost in full by the
Washington papers.
1t is always with diffidence that we
praise our own, and we take it, that
our press shares with the state at large,
hat peculiar mOdeSty,-eVer q distin-
guished feature IF North Carolina
which forbids any praise of her sons
or her daughters, SO we are indebted
to the great metropolitan aperS, for
the high compliments bestowed upon
our able representative at the National
Congress of Mothers.
Our Wilmington people will read with
pleasure of Mrs. Cotton's triumph as
she is we'll remembered here, in her -e"'-
Gus work for North Carolina, during
the worlds fair.
Speaking Of the exposition reminds
us Of another North Carolina woman,
-hLS. L I VI. NISou, ugh Oh the
late Major Peter M. Hale. who scored
such a success for herself on the jury
CT awards, that her ervices were retain
ed long after the Dream City, had
vanished and h extension If its
work removed to Washington, 49,
connection with the committee on med
ais and diplomas being only severed
when that committee dissolved a short
time ago.. So skillful was she in her
examination of textiles-the special de-
partment in which she served-and so
intelligent were her reports, HI severa' |
of he largest foreign exhibitors asked
that Mrs. Wilson be made sole Judge of
their exhibits.
All honor to III North Carolina
women, who, still retaining the mod
esty and dignity typical Of the southern
women and her always distinctive |
place, can yet with broad views accept |
the fact, that the ever recurring, years. \
bring new needs and changed condi- |
tons, which should keep her in touch |
with every interest bearing upon the !
welfare Of humanity. and carry her |
along all lines Of human progress.