The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-10
THE MOTHERS, CONGRESS.

The second national congress of mothers
is billed to open in Washington on the sec
ond of May, and presumably will open and
carry out its programme to the reading of
the very last and most profound paper"
even though by that time the congress of
fathers and brothers is engaged in engi-
neering a war with Spain that will destroy
some of the most faultlessly reared moth
ers' sons The Journal is in receipt of a
formal and official invitation to write an
eloquent and earnest editorial in behalf of
the work of this congress, which is that of
educating parents to best sustain the heavy
responsibilities Of bringing up their chill
dren. The implication that the Journals
earnestnesS and eloquence are on tap at
the touch Of button is, of course, very
gratifying, and the natural impulse is to
show appreciation of the delicate compli-
ment by giving the mothers what they ask,
but unfortunately at this moment the Jour
nal is not quite sure that it has any ear
nest convictions on the subject of mothers
congresses. 1t is quite willing, indeed, to
acknowledge the possibility that it may
need some education itself in order to be
brought to the high moral and intellectual
tablelands wherein such congresses must
necessarily move. However this may be-
it is only able at the present time to regard
these assemblages with mingled wonder
and awe-wonder that mothers of the past,
ignorant as they must have been of "scien-
tific parenthood' and it's multifold duties
were ever able to rear their offspring at
all, and awe at the thought of the mothers
of the future who shall have profted by the
theories taught by the congress until the
bringing up of a child in the way he should
go will be matter of mathematical sys-
tenn and fixed line and precept. Incidentally
with these impressions is obtruded a feeling
of pity for the child of the future thus
scientifically reared, for it seems inevitable
that the mother who gives herself up to
the mastery of the arts and sciences and
professions suggested by the topics set
down for discussion in the coming congress
as essential to the well-being of the child
will be an alarming person and far differ
ent from the tender, indulgent being who
has been worshiped for ages as the typical
mother-the mother who regns through
undying love and patience rather than by
means of applied science. 1t is far from
the Journals intention to speak lightly of
the mother who is learned; in these days it
is indeed essential that a mother shall know
many things if she is to keep up with even
the tail end of the procession, but a glance
at the appalling list of subjects which are to
be considered at the May meeting leads to
the belief that no mother could possibly
keep up" in the various departments of
education pointed out as indispensable and
have any time left to practice what she
learned, while to make application of but
part of the theories and sciences to the
neglect of the others would. of course, be
injurious if not fatal to the offspring. A
rounded and complete system of education
must be put in operation by the congress-
made mother. else is she not fulfilling the
purposes of the reform movement.
The Journal fears that there is a dispo-
sition of mothers to take themselves and
their calling too seriously; that they are