The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-26
sixth National Congress of Mothers.
COnGrnt U tiOnS to President.

Mrs. Hastings. OF New York. asked for
the courtesy of the floor. and said:
1T seems to me that it would be most
fitting and appropriate for this Congress
to send a resolution of congratulation to
our Chief Magistrate and his noble wife
on the recovery of their boy from his re-
cent severe illness. The beauty OF the
family life of our Chief Magistrate is IN
influence for excellent living to the num-
blest individual OF our Commonwealth.
1T also seems to me that this Is a
proper time to voice our appreciation OF
the compliment paid to the womanhood oil
the country in the request of the Emperor
of Germany that Miss Alice Roosevelt
shall christen his yacht"
These suggestions met with general APP
prevail.
Greetings from sister organizations
were then in order.
Mrs. Ida Smoot Dusenberry brought
greetings from the National Council OF
Women. and urged that closer union be
established between all organizations CT
women. As a Kindergarten she felt a
peculiar interest in the work OF tac
Mothers Congress, and nearly every
member of the National Council hfd also
expressed interest in it.
of Women's Clubs. made brief address.
in which she said that she felt 1T impor-
tant to strive not only to be good daugh-
ters and good mothers. but good mothers
in-law. She closed with the wcll-!lnown
quotation:
There's not thing of any worth
But there's a woman in it.
The minutes of the conventions at Co
lumbus were then read by Mrs. Mumford,
the recording secretary, and approved by
the congress.
The treasurer not being present, her re-
port was postponed.
Corresponding Sccretary's Report.
Mrs. Gotten, the corresponding secre-
tary. then read her report, which was as
follows:
The call for literature has depleted
much of the stock en- hand, some OF wnich
is entirely exhausted. The greatest de-
mand has been for the pamphlet in re-
gard to forming parents and teachers
associations in the public schools. rec
ommend that another edition OF TINS
pamphlet be printed. and that it be re
vised carefully. This phase of our work.
the union Of the home and school, is most
important and full of possibilities. BRING
ing together, as they dc. the mother ana
tors in the life of the child. and VINO
should cooperate in efforts for the child s
good.
There is also demand for helps for
young mothers, who are not yet ready Tor
the books outlined in the study outlines
These young mothers are seeking tacts
and advice without the necessity OF buy
ing several reference books. and they nave
not time for long course or reading OF
hot ha
have prepared or secure from willing ana
capable contributors. leaflets on topics
pertinent to our special Heid OF work.
whicn shall be concise in expression, but
comprehensive in facts, and which Will
prove OF practical help TO the mothers
who are not scientific. but who yet seek
knowledge and who can understand. and
need to know the great scientific laws
which undertie the great work CT me-
giving and homemaking.
such leaflets should suggest Thoughts
for discussions in mothers clubs and
wherever our line of work is followed.
For Free Distribution.
81 also suggest that all the States send
to the Office Of the national corresponding
secretary such OF their literature as is
intended for free distribution, and such
as gives information on State work.
The congress mas received invitations
for the next convention from Detroit,
Mich; Niagara Falls. Put-in-Bay Island,
Lake Erie, and Buffalo, " y
The report of the chairman of the edu-
cation committee. Miss Harriet Marsh.
of Detroit, was then given. She said in
part:
MAYBE all the rest OF you know why
you are here. l am sure l do not. In
selecting a Miss to be their representa-
tive 1 do not know but the committee
| acted on the saying that nobody knows
so well how to bring up children as
those who never had any.
From the standpoint of our club there
are three great needs of education which
present themselves. The first is the great
need of male influence upon the child
! The second is the decrease In the num-
Der of children of native parentage and
the smallness of families among the
American born population. The third is
the incubation of proper understanding
of the true dignity of labor.
Much regret has been expressed dur
ing the year at the decline OF masculine
influence in education. for with the re-
tirement of the father from the family
ana of man from the schoOlroOm the ris-
! ing generation is being trained almo5i
exclusively by woman.
Men and Child Trdining.
"Of course it is generally conceded that
| woman is peculiarly fitted for much OF
/ the work of child training, but it does
| not therefore follow that she is fitted
! to do it all. II our boys are to take the
! part of men later on il cannot be Illogical
| to wish that some OF the training foi
/ this part might be given by those who
| have met the same experiences. attacked
! the same problems, and battled with the
| same temptations that await their pupils
Another subject for thought. one close
! " connected with educational work. Eay
| be found in the vital statistics for tn
year lust closed IN alarmingly larg,
| number of children die under five year
I OF age, a condition calling loudly 10
] definite and universal knowledge in the
| laws of hygiene, the prevention of com
municable diseases and the relativ
value of foods and their preparation.
Another evil is i growing oCntemp
I for labor. particularly manual labor. Thu
commercial prosperity ci the last quartz
century has evolved u class Of society
| whose only claim 10 recognition i
| wealth They treat with insolcuc" IhOs'
whose ancestors have been So inIcnsid
crate as not 10 aiHdSS l"ftuh'S'
OF course" Miss Marsh interrolatcd
| Il do not mean any of the people her
! in the audience; what ! say is for tn
general public. It's always as well Il
put that in.
What we need is the power to rccoG
nize economic values. II II is unwise I
ignore the limitations of wealth it i
also unwise to underestimate it's power
Both must be fully understood and ap
preciated before we can give to labor tn
position 10 which rs a social and econo
mic factor it is Justly entitled.
But what II may be asked, has