The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-18
CONGRESS OF MOTHERS.
Mrs. Theodore Dirncy, the President,
ExpIains Its Objects.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE first session
of the national congress of mothers, which
has attracted such wide attention all over
the United States, was opened at the Ar
lington hotel a 10 o'clock this morning
Rev. w. H. Milburn of Washington, the
blind chaplain of the United States SEN
ate, delivered the opening prayer.
Mrs Theodore Birney, president OF the
congress, made the address of welcome.
Speaking OF the objects of the congress-
she said 1t was the culture and advance
ment of children and mothers The child
question was the one most worthy of at
tention and as this was the woman's era.
when so much arose to detract women
from the care of their children, this con-
greSs had taken upon itself to try to point
out the way in which children should be
brought up.
The desire was that the coming genera
uon or mothers should have college
education, and a general knowledge of
the needs of childhood, in order that they
might better be able to direct the foot
steps of the young.
In closing, Mrs Birney said 'Ths Is
no sex movement, but one In which sons
and daughters, fathers and mothers,
should be interested alike"
Mrs. Mary Lou Dickinson OF New York
city responded. She spoke of the good
results Of kindergarten work. Mrs. Dick
inson also referred to the great wrong
the mother TO assume all the responsible
ty of rearing the children, when II was
equally as important to teach a child the
ways of the world.
After Mrs Dickinsons address. the
meeting adjourned until 2:SO this after
noon,
Many distinguished women occupied
them being Mrs Adlai stevenson. wife Of
| the Vice President; Mrs. Phoebe A.
| Hearst, Mrs. William l., Wilson, Mrs.
fol
| Mrs Mary A. Munford, Miss Emma Nor
| ton, Mrs. A. A. Birney and Mrs. II. W.
| Fuller.
Mrs. Cleveland's reception at the white
| house to the Congress of Mothers com
| menced at ll:30 o'clock, and for an hour
| a steady stream of visitors shook hands
| with her in the blue parlor, the officials
| estimating the number of visitors at 1,S0C
| mothers with a sprinklng OF minor Off
| springs and an occasional father. The In
] Productions were made by Mrs. Theodore
/ Birney.
The crowd of 1,SOO received by Nrs
| Cleveland grew considerably before the
| hour arrived for the afternoon session anc
| the large banquet han of the Arlington
| was found to be much too small.
! Arrangements were quickly made fol
| holding the second session I'm the birs
Baptist church, corner of Sixteenth anC
! streets. This edifce also proved made
| quite to accommodate the increased mum
her and many were unable to gain admis
sion.
The afternoon session began at 2:S
| o'clock, the time being taken up eXclu
| svey with the delivery of addresses. Th'
first was by Frank Hamilton Cushing o
| Washington ID. c., as TO Mother an,
Child OF the Primitive World.' Mr.. Cush
ing Is qprofessor In the bureau of ethnolo
gy of the Smithsonian Institution, and hi
address related to the respect for mother
hood among the zuni Indians, whom h
described as probably the best representa-
tives now living OF the civilization that ex
listed 6,00O years ago. Other speakers wer
Mrs. Lucy S. Bainbridge of New Yorl
city, Miss A. Malie Hofer of Chicago an,
Mrs. Rebel{ah Kohut of New York.
An oyerfiowing congregation listened &
| the proceedings of the evening session
| Mrs Wilbur r. Crafts, superintendent o
| the Sunday school department of tn
Worlds Woman Christian Temperance
| Union, and president of the Internationa
Primary Union OF Sunday School Teach
ers, presented the subject of Mother
and Schools
Rev. w. a. Bartlett OF Lowell, Mass.
spoke on THE Value of Music In the De
velopment of Character"
Tomorrow mornings session will b.
commenced by devotional exercises, con
Quoted by Mrs. Maud Ballington Boot
of New York city.