Evening star., 1902-02-26
and provides inmates for hospitals for the

!: :. !:
and provides inmates for hospitals for the
| insane and for prisons"
| The report Of the committee on educa-
| ton, made by Chairman Miss Harriet A.
Marsh Of Michigan, was of greater length.
Quoting from my own club" said Miss
! Marsh. Il may say that much regret has
been expressed during the year at the de-
| cline of masculine influence in education:
| for what with the retirement of the father
| from the family and the disappearance of
| man from the school room, the rising gen.
| Grafton is being trained almost exclusively
| by women, and this is an exceedingly dam
gerous experiment for any nation, particu-
| larly for one possessing the traditions and
policy of the United States. OF course It
| is generally conceded that woman is pecu-
| ltarly fitted for much of the work of child
| training. but 1t does not therefore follow
| that she is fitted to do it all.
Hero Worship.
Take. for instance, hero worship Every
! one knows the part 1t plays in the childs
| development, and particularly In the boys
| development at a certain age. 1t is this
influence which determines largely the
! ideals Of later life: but. if at this stage his
| horizon is bounded almost entirely by the
feminine mind what must the result be"
| IT our boys are to take the part Of men
| later on. 1t cannot be Illogical to wish that
|
| given by those who have met the same eN
| periences. attacked the same problems, and
! battled with the same temptations that
await their pupils later on. 1t is this lack
| which causes much Of work to seem
| as fiat and insipid as an unripe pear to
| those whom 1t Is intended to interest. and
| the saving grace of their nature is shown In
| their efforts to get away from it. We are
| sometimes ridiculed for the femininity of
| our ideals l am not prepared to discuss
| this criticism, or, admitting it's truth. to
] accept the ridicule as deserved. but II there
! is any weakness In this direction. may it
| not arise from the educational lack just III
| dicated?
MAN should take his part In this work.
| not because he is necessarily so much
| brighter or smarter than woman, but be-
cause he is different; because he is (or
| should be) more forceful: because he brings
| with him the atmosphere of the outside
! world, thus making educational work more
| real; because, In short, he represents the
| other half of the influences needed for the
| all-round development Of the child.
| Another evil is growing contempt for
| labor, particularly manual labor. The
| commercial prosperity Of the last quarter
| century has evolved class of society
| whose only claim to recognition is wealth.
| Uncertain as to position. they treat with
| so inconsiderate as not to amass fortunes.
and she who Is so unhappy as to labor with
her hands Is made to feel In all the little
| ways known only to women her miserable
| cause we feel that women responsible
| for nine-tenths Of this pernicious sentiment
| which is counteracting, in degree the in
| fiuence of intelligent, wel-directed wealth;
| which is causing 80 much discontent and
| extravaganza. and which leads so many
young men and women to choose anything.
| even disgrace. in preference to honest man.
ual labor
Report on Literature.
Mrs. w. H. Birney Of Philadelphia fol-
1 ,--ixA oLos, 49,
literature committee, considered one Of the
most important Of the congress. She said
that large number of requests had been
| received for information regarding the best
literature for the child, which goes to prove
| the extent the mothers and fathers and
| teachers of the United States are interest
| ing themselves in the more careful rearing
| Of children.
| Especially interesting has been the cor
| respondence with state and other free IL
braries." said Mr.. Birney. They have writ
| ten for book lists to assist them in forming
travelling libraries and that brings me again
! to the hope that the clubs will form libra
| ries as soon as they are organized for work.
In every state in the Union, fell sure. the
can answer certainly for Pennsylvania.
| New York, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts
and Connecticut. where free travelling IL
| braries on child study are sent to any re-
/
months. In very limited way the moth
| ers' congress can supply such Libraries
| also. and we hope to be able before long
| to furnish more and better ones on special
| subjects.
Especially would urge the Importance
| OF forming libraries of children's books in
| the public schools; particularly in the coun-
| try districts and in small towns where there
| are no public libraries. II you ever have
| seen the dog-eared school reader of the
| child In a country school, read over and
L to-
| else to read, you will appreciate what 1t
would be to have in such a school even a
| small library OF a dozen good books.
1T is hoped that before another year the
permanent exhibit of the mothers congress
books will be fully inaugurated. and that
we shall be able to have new and revised
| editions Of both mothers and children's
lists, now fast becoming out Of date
gress. but the delegates were received in
formally at the Cairo by National President
Mrs. Birney, assisted by the national Of
flcers
Mothers Congress Notes.
Mrs. A. L. Barber entertained the dele
gates and officers Of the Mothers Congress
at delightful tea yesterday from 4 to T.
The Moral decorations were very fine. Mrs
Barber was assisted by the national off,
GERS and Mtss Aloncita Birney.
Miss Susan B. Anthony was one of the
ladies who assisted Mrs. Birney in receiv-
-ang' the members of the mothers congress
at the Cairo last night. She Is greatly In
terested In the work OF all progressive wo-
men.
| Mrs Frederic Echoff of Philadelphia
shows the practical work done by the
mothers' clubs Of Pennsylvania I'm the mat
ter Of securing increased appropriations for
schools. and the uplifting Of many OF the
youth OF the state. When they tock up the
work there we're. she safd, 500 children Of
ages ranging from six to sixteen years. IN
different prisons Of the state. and hundreds
Iswere In the reforfnatofies. Because OF lack
Of interest thsne chadfsn. she said. we