Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-13

1t was reciprocity day" for the Cali
fornia Congress of Mothers yesterday.
The all-day meeting opened in Blanch-
ard hall at $3.50 a. M, and with the
exception OF the noon recess lasted
until after o'clock in the afternoon.
The program, which was of great in
terest, called out large attendance in
the morning, while in the afternoon
there was an audience of nearly 500
mothers to listen to speakers who, from
the standpoint of school superintend-
ent. grammar school principal, mother
and nurse, told of some things parents
and teachers should know"
The morning program opened with a
piano solo by Miss Martha Schramm
followed by an invocation by Rev. e.
r. Ryland, representing the Church
federation.
Mrs. Chalmers Smith, state president,
spoke briefly in greeting, and extended
welcome to the delegates from the
different circles present, after which
she introduced Mrs. Catherine Pierce
Wheat, chairman of the reciprocity
committee who presided over the days
proceedings.
Among the speakers of the morning
were Joseph Scott, president of the
board of education; County Superin-
tendent of Schools Mark Keppel, Mrs.
Florence Collins Porter, president of
the Los Angeles district, c. F. w. c.,
and Mrs. Wheat, who brought greetings
from the w. c. T. U. federation.
Memorial Service Held
A memorial service was held for the
late Mrs. Theodore Birney, founder of
the National Congress of Mothers and
it's first president. The services were
in charge of Mrs. Murphy first state
president of the California Congress of
Mothers. Standing the audience sang
Nearer, My God, to Thee" The re-
inainder of the session was given over
to the reports of committees.
OF special interest was the report of
the emergency committee, given by
Mrs. Chalmers Smith and Mrs. Noble.
The work of this committee, which
began with looking after the little chill
dren who are kept from school because
they do not have suitable clothing.
has grown until it reaches into the
most desolate homes, and answers calls
for fire and food and shelter.
Heartbreaking experiences were re-
lated yesterday, and plea was made
for clothing and supplies. The timid
request for doll, made by tiny maid
ell who had never owned one of those
treasures so dear to the child heart,
was repeated
The feature of the morning, which
had not been programmed, however, was
a surprise to Mrs w. w. Murphy, and
was a silver loving cup given in recog-
milton # her services as president or
the congress since it's organization UNI
til the annual meeting last fall, when
she refused denomination.
The address was made by Jrof. James
A. Foshay after which over eighty let
ters-one from each circle in the con-
gress-were presented to Mrs. Murphy
by Mrs. II. w. Crevlng.
Vocal music was furnished by Miss
Ethel Coleman and Miss Ruth Eddings.
Afternoon Session
The afternoon was devoted largely to
a symposium on "Some Things Parents
and Teachers Should Know
Mrs. Andrew Stewart Lobingier took
the point of view of a mother, and
spealking of the period of adolescence,
made the address of the afternoon.
The speaker said that often at this
period mothers who think they know
and are in sympathy with the son or
daughter often are confronted with
new personality, and one they can
not understand. The real test of par
enthood and of motherhood is the way
this period is met and managed. At
This time is needed the love of which
st. Paul spoke, "the love that thinketh
no evil, that suffereth long and is kind,
the love that never faileth. Inc DAY
is at hand she said, when the small
son or daughter who Las always kept
so closely to mothers side, will fol-
low her longer. They break away
and will try unbeaten paths.
What shall be done? Shall the son
go his own way alone? The daughter
will follow no longer-if there Is any
following to be done from now on the
mother has it to do, and unless she
wishes to lose her child she must go,
too.
The great question of adolescence is:
How is the mother to keep close to the
child - whether boy or girl - at TINS
time?
Mrs. Lobingier urges mothers them
selves to become sympathetic com
panions for their children, to intelll-
gently follow the course of events ana
to keep in touch with the world so
that to the young person growing up
there may never come time when IL
will seem that father and mother do
not know best and that their opinion is
not to be referred to and respected
Mutual Confidence Urged
Absolute confidence between parent
and child in regard to all matters con-
corning sex and the universal law OF
reproduction was insisted upon, ana
that the child be prepared for the
change that is coming by scientlhc
and impersonal stories relating to
life he be taught reverently about his
own body; that he receive instruction
along these lines by-a qualified spe-
cialists in the regular school course,
and that when a child asks question
he always be answered and told the
TRUTH
Miss Christine Benson, principal of
the Eagle Rock school, gave an inter-
esting talk on the child as seen by the
teacher. She said:
"To send the boy and girl out into
the world developed in mind--physic-
ally sound and morally rights the
business of the schools, and that it
may be done right the teachers must
have the hearty and intelligent co-ope-
ration of the parents"
Deaconess Bradley of the Bethlehem
institute touched the hearts of her au-
dience with plea for "the submerged
mothers"
Mrs. Fred Dorm. Miss Ethel Cole
man, Miss Eddings and Miss Madge
Stevens furnished the music for the
afternoon, which, as in the morning, |
consisted of lullabies and children's
songs and was an especially happy |
feature OF the program.
An impressive address was given by
Prof. A. L. Hamilton, superintendent |
of the city schools of Pasadena. who
told how some things look from the