The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-04-25
ny DR.. Alice d. Stockham.

copyright, 1905, by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association.)
Some time in life every man has
a heartcraving to become a father,
and many times every woman wishes
to become a mother. The desire for
offspring is inherent in humanity.
President Roosevelt, in a speech be-
fore the Mothers Congress- made
strong plea for plenty of children"
and a protest against what he is
pleased to call Race Suicide"
Thinking people, students of stir
piculture, however demand that chill
dren shall be fewer and better, and
that there should be intelligent con-
troll of the formulating power and
conditions provided for the best inter-
est of the child. True, there are wom-
en- who, devoted to conventionalities,
seek pleasure in cards, theaters and
fashionable frivolities, and have no
time for motherhood. They live in
play world, spending all effort and
money in keeping up appearances.
his class of people may rightfully be
accused of committing race suicide"
children from hotels. boarding houses
and apartments. IF THERE is NO
ROOM FOR CHILDREN, IF THEY
ARE IN EVERYBODY WAY AND
THERE is NOWHERE FOR THEM
TO GO, NO WAY TO TRAIN HEAD,
HAND AND HEART. WHY NOT
HAVE RACE SUICIDE?
If we are to have plenty Of chill
dren. and they are to grow up not
unhealthy in body and stunted and
vicious in mind" to quote President
Roosevelt. we must call into service
the intelligence. the genius. the in
yentive and creative faculties of men
and women to provide for them. Pres
ent conditions, especially in cities,
are unfavorsble for parentage. IF
THE CROWDING AND HUDDLING
OF PEOPLE INCREASE IN THE
CENTERS OF CIVILIZATION, RACE
SUICIDE MUST. BECOME, NOT A
MATTER OF CHOICE, BUT A NE
CESSITY.
We have broad prairies, beautiful
valleys, vast mountains, why not util-
tze them that a plentiful progeny
need not be outcasts; where twins
and triplets may be reared without
fear of landlords eviction.
The cure for race suicide may be
found in the establishment of a new
department in government to be de-
voted to human culture, giving best
conditions for parentage, and best en-
vironment for the physical, mental
Of
This department may be called de-
partment of human culture, or home
culture; department of the home or
of stirpiculture or Of anthropology.
The name should be broad and in
elusive. it's first thought and object
being to born better babies.
This department should include the
household economies; science of mar
riage and reproduction; stirpiculture,
or Improvement in stock; archaeology,
or parental culture; tokology, or the
science of childbirth; pediology, or
child culture.
Men and women eminent as special
lists and deeply interested in the prog
ress of the race should be given
charge of subdivisions in the depart
ment.
State universities, colleges, public
and private schools have, within a
few years, added to their curricula
scientific and practical instructions
upon the economics of the home. So
far, this is well, and denotes progress
IN the right direction A similar pro-
vision should be made to give scien-
tifc instruction upon marriage and
reproduction.
The hippa,cy and thoughtlessness
with which many young people enter
an engagement is greatly in contrast
TO the gravity and responsibility of
the situation. without as much train
tng as may be given for a situation
as a clerk or housemaid, two young
people assume the relationship Of
husband and wife and set up a home
in which propagation becomes an in
cident. The girl may have never even
dressed baby, and more than likely
has had no instruction on the science
of reproduction. The innocence of
ignorance is the investment she offers
1t the marriage altar.
We educate children in boOkcraft,
handcraft and statecraft. Why not
hdd marriagecraft and babycraft to
the curricula of school? WHY MAY