The Washington herald., 1908-03-10
THE CONGRESS OF MOTHERS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKFN
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKN.

To-day, Tor the hrst time IN the history
Of the world. representative women from
many nations are holding a meeting In
the interest OF little children. This is the
occasion. as well, OF the eleventh annual
meeting Of the National Congress Of
Mothers. and the representatives, who
have come for this Washington meeting
include able women not only from Con-
tine1tal Europe, but from Siam, Persia,
and Angola, Africa. The governors OF
the various States and Territories were
asked TO appoint delegates 20 this interna-
tional conference, and response was made
by Ohio. Oregon. New Jersey, Louisiana.
Mississippi. Connecticut. Missouri. Iowa,
Montana. Wisconsin. Michigan. North
Dakota, Colorado. New York. Alabama.
and California.
Why are they meeting? Because the
women OF this country. especially the
mothers. have awakened 90 the conscious
ness that the world owes more 10 little
children In the way OF health, happiness,
and education than IL has ever given.
What can they do2 Many things They
have already accomplished much as indi-
giduals. and more as an organization.
While maintaining no benevolent or edu-
caJiOnal institution. the society has
thrown its influence toward every move
ment that can be Of help in furthering
the welfare OF children. Home life, edu-
cation. sanitation. health dietetics. re-
ligion. play crime each and all have
been studied. and are being more VigOr-
0usly studied by the club members. with
q view 20 increasing the good things and
minimizing the bad
At this annual meeting. which win last
for a week and which will draw students
philanthropists. educators. and hOme-lOv-
ing mothers alike from all parts OF the
world, there viii be many interesting
discussions. The President. who will
open the congress with a reception az the
White House. has offered great encour-
agement TO the women. I take the
heartiest interest" he recently said. in
your FIRST international congress to deal
with the welfare OF the children What I
can personally do TO help you viii. Of
course. be done" As a further proof Of
his interest. the President has appointed
the Hon Elmer Ellsworth Brown. Com
missioner Of Education, 20 represent the
United States at this conference.
a few years ago an editorial writer
facetiOusly remarked that The Cong ess
Of Mothers seems 20 be a club forme OF
spinsters and the President" ha' ing
judged by the names on that years I ro-
gramme. Spinsters are not conspicuous
by their absence in this organization. as
might be supposed. In fact. they con
tribute largely 10 the good grist that is
ground from the mill at each meeting
and all through the year. for that matter
and prove most conclusively that there
is some truth in the supposed witticism
that spinsters know more than many
mothers about raising children Many Of
them do. for the unmarried women who
come to these annual conferences are
women who have become specialists in
kindergarten work, in equipping and con-
Quoting day nurseries. in caring for de-
inquents and detectives, in conducting
vacation schools and Fairgrounds. and in
practicing as physicians in hospitals and
homes for children. They have made a
life work Of such things, and are authori-
ties widely recognized.
however, are, OF course, mothers, and
mothers Of the right kind They are
mothers who mean 70 do the best that
can be done by their own and their
neighborS- children, who mean to progress
and broaden and grow themselves, but
never AZ the expense OF the home and all
that It means They work for the greater
81 s.o++a- 5ar-slo-,-,,ar- % +ba bo-,a .,1
aim to reach all branches Of life through
the training Of children and mothers.
elevating each day the standard Of health.
morality. and education. A pretty big
ambition for a few thousand women
Granted But one that Is being rapidly
realized. It was because the State branch
Of the Congress Of Mothers worked so
hard toward that end that Pennsylvania
now has a good Juvenile court law. II Is
because Of the work OF other branches in
other States that there are more free
kindergartens day nurseries. homes for
blind babies, interest in child labor legis-
lation, and laws that will girc little
criminals a better chance. The Congress
Of Mothers does not claim TO have been
solely instrumental in things of this kind,
but largely So
1t is interesting to note the breadth OF
work to be discussed at this international
congress In the nature Of helps to par
ents viii come discussions on child study
mental, physical, and spiritual-and, as
before. stress viii be laid on heredity.
on the great responsibility of the mother
in character formation. for as some great
educator has said, the training of child
begins centuries before it is born Under
education viii come such topics COM
pulsory education, the school curriculum.
physical exercises. manual training in
dustrial schools. and cOeducation OF
more Importance than all else. the ques-
ton or parent-teacher associations will
be discussed, this being a movement urg-
ing parent and teacher throughout the
country 70 come together and discuss the
lettering Of the child's general welfare.
The deaf. the blind, tae insane, the
eplleptic. the incurable. and the mentally
deficient and dependent viii be discussed