The morning times., 1897-02-28
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"ThE MODEL MOTHER"
What She Ought to Be and So
Numer0uSly Is

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Dr. Edward L. Duer Iectured the other
day in Philadelphia on The Mcdel Mother"
lie spoke plainly to his audience OF women
of the duties OF model mothers. whose in
structions, he said. should begin before she
is mother at all.
As arule, hesaid, "A goodInother makes
good daughter, and she in her turn trans
mits the inheritance; fnculcates these same
hodel quahtiesto her children b y a watchfuI
ulrection or their growth and develop
heht. The time when the child is in
at easein the presence ofthe parentsis past.
rather the pendulum has swung the other
way; and the modern parents make com
panions or their children, enter into their
JOYS and sorrows, seek every avenue IN
their confidence and SO become the re-
pository of all their youthful secrets.
The model mother does all tins and
more, and from the birth OF her child
though she may not be permitted To take
part in the deIiberati0n over it, and its
first dressing and feeding, she yet under
stands the underlying principles
Another important point which comes
under the supervision Of the model mother
is that Of exercise That which is svs-
tematic and useful TO older peopIe NAV
not be suitable TO children. .CaIisthenics,r
says DR. Hamilton, may be senteeI. and
romping ungenteel: but one is the suh.
stance, and the other the shadow Of exer-
else. Girls need heaIthfuI exercise an
much-nay, mOre-than boys: running.
tUmbling and all sorts ofinnocent vagrancy.
at least once a day the haIters should bt
taken off, the bars let down and the young
sters turned loose Ike cGIrs
The bicycle" continued Dr. Duer. -has
come as godsend 10 women and girls
What more beautiful picture than 70 see 2
young girl gracefully ' rnlIin z alon. smooth
level road. sitting erect like her broth
er' bent nearly double with her hand
scarcely touching the handle bars. and beI
cheeks suffused with the healthy glow ol
exercisei Another generation will see these
same girls riding with their children-b0th
generations the better for the outdoor life.
The bicycle has already given greater pleas
ure. contributed more 10 the health OF the
young and added more TO business possi-
biuties than any other invention Of the
age"
a girl may mount. and a girl may scorch,
And a girl may ride all day;
But she can't carry water 20 wash The
porch,
Because she isn't made that wayi
laughingly quoted Dr. Duer, but" he
added seriously, Il would caution all
riders against a fatigung ascent or in
ordinately fast riding
Turning from the question of exercise
the lecturer spoke OF bathing. the most
inn prfo
which the model mother has 10 deal.
Young girls seem TO be constitutioRaHv
averse to cold water. unless trained 10 il
from infancy Absolute cleanliness is
essential 10 the health; in order 10 breathe
through the skin the pores must be kept
open, and few people seem to realize the
Importance Of keeping the skin in perfect
condition If the cold tub proves too much
of shock for the Young girl. let her hattie
in tepld water, finishing off with the cold
dOUche and the brisk rub. which Will
bring on active circulation ana amply
compensate the bather for any temporary
discomfort
When 1 come to the subject OF dress
continued the lecturer. Il confess 10 u
feeling of diffidence. There is where the
model mother must use her hest judy
ment and not yield TO dictates OF fashion,
the pIeadings OF her children or the per-
suaSion Of dIeSSmakers. With regard
to coTSets for women, il is the abuse
more than the use that ha> brought them
into diSrepute. There is something to
be said in favor Of them. and. personally,
I approve OF them. Intelligent and SCI
enufic effort has heen made to repair
the damage OF past mistakes in woren's
dress-the long dresses, the harrack-Iike
hats ana tie HLfitting CUTSc contrast
the wardrobe OF the past time with that
OF the present; the oId-faShioned heavy
quilted petticoat, the loose and vOlumi-
nous under>kiFt. and the unmentionable
and inadequate protection from cold
Compare those garments with the close
fitting. warm and comfortable kniCker-
bockers worn by the girl OF today
Dr. Duer then spoke strongly against
the practice Of dressing children in short
Of sending them out in cold
weather for the purpose Of hardening
them and the consequent suffering which
results from such extreme
measures
There comes sooner OF later to every
devoted mother concluded DR. Duer,
1.-The truth that she is living not for her
self, bat for her children, and happy, in-
deed, is the queen Of the hive who lives
TO great old age. surrounded by loving
attention-the heritage OF respect and af-
fection, the principles of which she her
self has inCUICaJed.' -