The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-15
CONGRESS OF
MANY MOTHERS
Women Listen to Addresses
on Training Of Children.
A Clergyman who Never Knew Pa
rents who Did Not Lie TO
THEIR Children.

Nearly 500 women congregated at the
Mothers Congress, held yesterday after
noon at the Friends Seminary. No. Z22
East Sixteenth Street in New York, to
listen 10 addresses on the Moral Train
ing Of Children"
The chairman was Mrs. Almon Hcnsley.
and she introduced Professor Felix Adler,
who spoke for nearly three-quarters of
an hour on the moral aspect Of child
training. He contended strongly that the
Bible should be read in the public schools.
and advised careful course of reading
for children that included portions of the
Old and the New Testaments and some of
the popular child romancas.
Miss THOMPSON. an instructor in the
Boston School of Oratory. gave an in
teresting ilfteen-minute talk on THE In
fluence Of the Voice on the Conscience of
the Child" She cited cases hat had come
under her own observation, describing
one particulariy-that of a little girl who.
according 10 her mother, was the person.
fication Of everything that was ''disobedl-
ent disreSpectful and unkind." Her nrst
meeting with the child she described with
many gestures in this way:
Mother dn a high pitched voicel-
your teacher: you've never minded me.
Miss Thompson. this il Adele.
During this time Adele had her mouth
screwed up and looked at me with dis
dain. 50 that when we were left alone
l felt | had to feel my way carefully.
Adele / said. do YOU like to recite?'
Nav from between nearly-closed
teeth.
DO YOU sing?'
Nav
What do you doo'
Play
e DO you like it?
EN-"
=" Adele. I want you to open your mouth
when you speak ] said. pleasantly. and
l want to get YOU interested in things that
YOU will enjoy. / am 10 be your teach
err
After describing her methods of voice
culture and OF gentle firmness with her
little pupil, Miss Thompson declared that
in ten lessons the erstwhile refractory
child was entirely changed. ard devel-
oped sweet speaking voice though her
mother never forgot 10 throw up her
hands and declare almost every time
they met and in the childs presence. Il
never could do anything with her" with
all of the disdain on the her
Mrs. Almon Hensley followed with a
talk on the duties of parents that was
listened to with great interest. She said.
among many other things. that the
adaCe when poverty comes in at the
door love flies ont at the window is as
false as that boys must SOW their wild
oats. High ideals in marriage are still
possible she said, and when mothers
teach their daughters To look To souls
and minds for happiness. and not to
mere physical beauty. these ideals will
be realized.
The Rev. DR. Minot Savage condemned
the public school because il attempted
TOO much. 1t teaches too much and
completes nothing i'm many cases, so that
the child who cannot remain long enough
To- graduate is often unable to write an
ordinary letters properly. he said.
1t was A wise man who said that
child cannot be too particular in the Sc
lection OF its parents" he added. When
We invite n child here we are as respon-
sible for the outcome Of our acts as God
is that every life shall be good as far as
He can make il so. [ never knew a
faher or mother who did not lie TO their
children
DIR. Savage condemned physical pun
ishment saving that when child tells
a lie il is simply its means of defense.
being the weaker one. He advocated a
careful moral training by living what the
child was asked TO live and by treating
a child not as ones property but as
Gods precious gift He said that he
would not use the church marriage serv-
ice. because he thought il was mockery
for father to give away his daughter
as if she We're a piece Of property. in
stead of free and rational being.