The times., 1899-02-18
THE MOTHERS CONGRESS.
Many Delegates Present Despite the
IncIemcncy of the Weather.

Many Delegates Present Despite the
IncIemcncy of the Weather.
The members of the Mothers Congress
assembled at the First Baptist Church Six
teenth and o Streets northwest, yesterday
morning for their second days session. de-
spite the inclemency of the weather. ihc
congress has been postponed several times
on account of the generally unfavorable
atmospheric conditions. but when they
finally got started they were in no mood
to be interfercd with although the weather
man may have tried to make things un-
comfortable
The programme arranged for the entire
congress some time ago has been so
changed that it is really nothing more
than q guide post to what IS not going
to happen. A number of the speakers
were unable to arrive in the city in time
to deliver their addresses. and number
of others were not able to deliver the
speeches after they did arrive. The ses-
sionS have all been very interesting 10
those who have followed the course OF
former congresses. and much has been ac-
complished. It is thought that all the
business will have been transacted by this
afternoon and the congress will then ad-
journ sine die
Lucy Wheelock. who spoke of the Froebel
text book for mothers. Miss Wheelock ex-
planned the Froebe system of child educa-
tion as well as she could and dilated on
the benefits that would accrue both to the
mother and the child if the system were
adopted for the home education of the in
fants when they reach the age when teach
ing becomes necessary. The speaker said
that every child of a tender age was inter-
4
and she thought that this was in a meas
ure due to love. She stated that the two
underlying principles OF the F'roebel sys-
TEN were the development of power in the
child and the teaching of it TO use this
power properly.
At the conclusion of Miss Wheelocks S
address Miss Williams, the superintendent
of the kindergarten school in Philadelphia,
was called on to express her views on the
same subject. and she talked for some time
on the practical value of the kindergarten
work as related directly to the system es-
tablished by Froebel. the originator of the
kindergarten idea. During the course OF
her remarks Miss Williams told several
amusing stories of her experience at school
Mrs Joseph Z. Mumford of the Phila-
delphia Board of Education, was the next
speaker. Her subject, The Duty OF Par
ents to Education" was one which at
the subject of many interesting and in
structive talks. Mrs. Mumford said the
American education Jagged because of the
lack of interest of the parents. The wo-
men Of today. she said. are leisure class
and the cares of life do not weigh as
heavily on them as on their mothers. Mrs.
Lily Devereux. Prof. William B. Powell,
and Miss Edith Westcott all discussed the
paper of Mrs. Mumford from different
points of view. The reports OF several
committees were then read and the morn
ing session adjourned.
At the afternoon session Rev. ". l..
Worcester read paper which had been
prepared bv Rev. Or. Wood on the re-
ligious training of children, which was af-
terward discussed at great length by Mrs.
D. o. Means. Of Albany, y. Y. Several
numbers which were on the programme
for the afternoon session were omitted
because of the nonappearance of the speak
ers
At 3 o'clock the congress adjourned to
go 10 the Executive Mansion. where re-
ception was held in their honor by Mrs.
Mckinley.
Last night one OF the most delightful
features of the entire Congress was given
in the song recital by Mrs Helen Boise
Hunsicker. of Philadelphia. Mrs Hunsick-
er has an excellent voice and is past mis-
tress Of the art OF expression. The clos
ing sessions of the congress will be held
tomorrow morning and afternoon. The
programme will be as follows: Morning
business session; . p. m. Rev f Laurence
Hunt, The Duty of the State in Training
Children for Citizenship" p. m. Mrs
Herman II. Birney, Philadelphia. "Litera-
ture for Children Unfinished business.