The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-03-04
MOTHERS CONGRESS.
ADDRESS OF MRS. SALLIE A. GOTTEN

Delivered at Washington, d. C.-The
Government Has Provided Learning
for the Boys, Indians and Negroes.
but has nade no Provision for
nothers.
Scientific motherhood means more
than a casual thought can grasp. 1t
means grandeur, nobler race, an al
truls,ic humanity, which shall fit the
earth for the Savior's advent. 1t
the redemption of the criminal, the
repentance of the murderer, the aboli-
ton of asylums for the blind, dumb
and insane. 1t means the elimination
of selfishness, the death of oppression,
the birth Of brotherly love, the uplift
ing of mankind through true spiritual
Christianity, and the control Of hered-
itary weakness of mind and Of body,
all by prenatal influences.
The blessed results will not come
In day, nor year-perhaps not fully
in century-but the sooner the first
effort is made toward it the sooner will
It's full accomplishment be reached.
Oliver Wendell Holmes said truly that
the time to begin to train child is
one hundred years before it is born,
and now is not too soon to begin to
conquer the evils which fill the earth.
1t is evident that woman's most
imperative duty to the government
under which she lives is to supply a
population composed of the highest
types Of men and women, and it is
equally evident that scientific moth
erhood is necessary to the proper per-
formance of this duty. But all duty
is reciprocal, and it is the duty Of the
government, which seeks the welfare
of its people to offer to its women
an opportunity for the attainment Of
this scientific motherhood, which will
be fraught with SO much good to the
nation.
The message or nations great
ness is the elevation Of its women, and
any increase of national greatness is
dependent upon the mothers of the ma
ton. Nowhere on earth does woman
hold more honored position than in
the United States, and it is hoped that
this government will lead the world
in offering to its women the opportu
nifty for acquiring the scientific train
ing necessary to the performance Of
the high duties Of woman's sphere.
Scientific motherhood will gain no
marked impetus while restricted to
fortunate few. 1t must be made a ma
tional possibility in order to become
national benefit. Like all our nation
al blessings, it should be "by the peo-
pie, for the people, and it is the duty
of the government TO give women an
opportunity to acquire this scientific
knowledge.
1t can be done through the estab
fishing by the government of nation
al training school for women, where
the women OF the nation shall be
trained in the science of domesticity
and peace, just as at West Point and
Annapolis the men are trained in the
science of war.
In this school woman2 should be
taught the highest domestic science in
all its dlversities.
She should be taught applied
chemistry because the nutrition Of the
nation is her charge
She should be taught architecture
because she makes the homes, and
should know what architectural con-
ditions are most conductive to health
and comfort
She should be taught sanitation,
d;sinfection and the prevention and
care of disease, because it is to her
arms all the nation retnrns in sickness
and death, and should be familiar with
the foes of health and know how to
combat then.
She should be taught the care OF
infants and their foods, for upon her
knowledge and care the sons of men
are dependent for strength in manhood
to make the nation great.
She should he taught the applica
tion of science to all departments Of
household labor, with view TO light
ening that labor, in order to give
more time TO scientific thought and
study
She should be taught the mysteries
and possibilities of heredity, and i'm
pressed with her duty to improve and
| develop her race, for the benefit Of
! mankind, and for the government
which provides such opportunities for
woman.
There will be no need to teach pa.
| triotism in such school. Patriotism,
already spontaneous in woman's heart
will increase an hundred fold when
she is recognized by her country.
This national training school should
receive its quota Of pupils from each
State, Just as do the other national
schools, and its curriculum should en-
| brace higher course OF study than is
pursued at the industrial colleges oi
| the various States. These State insti,
tutons form the first step by which
woman may ascend to a more perfect
womanhood, and this national train
ing school will be the second step in
that ascent. One will develop her
practically, the other will develop her
scientifically. The first will give her
skillful hands to obey practical minds,
and the second will give her deeper
scientific knowledge, and teach her
how TO use it tor good.
The boys Of the nation, the Ind ian,
the negro, have all received educa-
,ional opportunities; the arts and
SC cences have been promoted, but wo.
man and her natural colleag que domestic
science, have been apparently forgot,
,ep The schools at West Point and