Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-17
WORK DONE IN NEW YORK
Indoor and Outdoor Diversion With
in the Nursery Precincts.
SONORA LOPEZ ON MEXICO
Housing and Tenements Theme of
MI. Weller-Papers Read at
Afternoon Session.

mace the principal address before the
morning session Of the National Congress
OF Mothers today In Metropolitan Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. In her opening re-
marks Mrs. Dodge told of the good work
being done in the city of New York by the
nurseries and of the large number of
mothers who are compelled to leave their
children at the nurseries while they toll
throughout the day.
THE scope Of the day nursery idea con-
serves the home life of the poor moth
ers who must work." said Mrs. Dodge,
land 1t Is so valuable in its educational
influence at the most important period
of the child's life that those who are
acquainted with it's benefcent work arc
anxious that 1t shall become better known
and be more fully adopted.
THE primary idea Of the nursery mere
ly to house and feed babies was a sphere
SO limited that there was little to attract
attention from outside workers. but the
development, which now includes many
forms of manual training, Vocational and
neighborhood work. has touched. the in
terest Of other societies and has command
ed their cooperation.
Number in United States.
There are at present, so far as known,
in the United States $50 day nurseries. OF
~HiCII lVO nave Dccu Vi SdhiLtu thc
past five years. an increase In ratio over
any equal preceding period. The spirit
which lends this aid to poor mothers in
the training of their children soon recog-
nized the necessity of extending its pro-
lection over the nursery graduates. who.
having entered public school at six or
seven years of age, have. after school
hours. no refuge but the streets.
This has led to the establishment in
such nurseries as find 1t possible of many
kinds of classes or of opportunities of in
door and outdoor diversion within nursery
precincts. Among these are classes in
sewing. cooking. homework. dancing.
gymnastics. singing, nature study, de-
pertinent. city history. embroidery, bas-
kerry. millinery. electricity. carpentry.
bookkeeping. German. mental culture,
literature, English. drawing. chair-can-
ing. bent ironwork and laundry work.
Circulating libraries also are found in
many nurseries. Besides the conscious
or unconscious education in the care of
the little children. many influences reach
There are entertainments for the mothers
as well as classes in sewing and cooking.
F.; The Federation OF Day Nurseries,
with an ONCE in New York city, receives,
tabulates and dispenses information and
literature. The correspondence shows in
quiries as to methods received even from
the orient. and reports from all coun-
tries where there are day nurseries are
kept on nile.
1.-THE federation Office said Mrs
Dodge. in closing. finds many avenues
OF service, among them supplying ma
irons and head nurses. While it is i'm
possible to compile exact statistics. owing
to the lack Of complete Information, it is
fairly estimated that there are 5000 thou
sand children daily throughout the coun-
try in the care OF day nurseries"
Would Welcome requests.
bn oil Of
Mrs. Mumford of Philadelphia. one of the
honorary vice presidents of the congress,
gave a short talk. in which she urged
the members Of the organization to do
all In their power to aid the circulation
of the magazine of the congress, She
also stated they would be rendering an
important service to the congress II they
would impress upon LAWYERS in their sec
lions OF the country, who from time to
time draw willis for philanthropic per-
sons. that the national congress of moth
ers Is splendid organization to make a
beQuest to.
Mrs SchofY, the president of the con-
sress. called attention to the fact that
at a meeting of the board Of state man
ayers of the congress, held last night, a
decision was arrived at to establish an
Office in this city at once as the national
headquarters. ana that a paid secretary
would be placed in charge She also
stated that the triennial meetings of the
congress will be held in Washington
hereafter.
Address by Sonora Lopez. !;
Mrs. Schoff then introduced Sonora
Lopez, personal representative of Presi-
dent Diaz of Mexico. who talked upon
the work Of establishing day nurseries in
mat country. Sonora Lopez stated that
In the city of Mexico at the present time
there is one large institution under the
watchful care OF the president of the
Mexican republic which provides for near
ly 1000 children. She also stated that
the sister republic of the south is keen
Ing step with the march of progress 10
establish the day nurseries. and that she
believes the progress in the future will
be In proportion to the onward steps
which Mexico is taking in all lines of
endeavor to improve the country.
Mr.. Charles F. Weller secretary of the
Associated Charities of this city. spoke
on Housing and Tenements.' He
described many of the houses occupied
by the poorer classes of the Capital city
and called the attention of the members
OF the congress to the work that is going
on here to alleviate the situation
Miss Edith Payne Parsons of Iowa de-
livered the closing address upon play for
Children" The session came to a close
shortly before / o'clock.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session, which began az
go O'Clock. was in charge of Edward E.
Allen, director of the Perkins Institute of
Boston. 1t was recorded in the program
as the Session for the Blind" Mr.. F..
Z. Lewis discussed The Prevention of
Kindness. The balance of the program
includes papers upon New Opportunities
for the Blind by John F. Bledsoe, super
1ntendent OF the Maryland School for the
Blind OF Baltimore; Miss Harriet Rees OF
the Missouri School for the Blind of st.
Louis; Miss Winnifred Holt of New York
and DIN II. Burritt Of the Pennsylvania
Institution for instruction of the Blind
Rev. DR. Frederick d. Power pastor OF
the Vermont Avenue Presbyterian Church
Will deliver the invocation at the closing
meeting this evening at & O'clock Princi
Piles OF work for the welfare Of the chill
dren will be discussed at length by the
delegates. DR.. G. Stanley Hall of Clark
University. Worcester, Mass, was to have
spoken upon the Psychology of Mother
hood, but has notified Mrs. School, presi-
dent of the congress- that he will be un-
able to attend the meeting. The report
OF the committee on resolutions will be
heard. after which the convention Will
come to a close with the singing OF
America" by the audience
Judge DeLacy's Address.
Juvenile Delinquency-CauNes of Tru.
ancy. Vagrancy and Delinquency was
the subject discussed by Judge William
III. DeLacy Of the Juvenile Court last
night. Judge DeLacy told of the work OF
the Juvenile Court In this city since its
organization several years ago. and spoke