Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-03-10
Los ANGELES HERALD: TUESDAY MORNING. MARCH TO- 1908

lW<%a&l history OF the WOrlu IcpiS-
lW H&I sentative women from many
lH N nations are holding meeting
M in interest of little chill
U dren. This is the occasion, as
T we'll, of the eleventh annual
meeting of the national congress OF
mothers, and the representatives who
come for this Washington meeting i'm
Guide able women. not only from Con-
tinental Europe, but from Siam, Persia
and Angola, Africa. The governors OF
the various states and territories were
asked to appoint delegates to this in
ternational conference, and response
was made by Ohio, oregon. New JeT
sey, Louisiana, Mississippi, Connect
cut, Missouri, Iowa, Montana, Wiscop-
sin, Michigan, North Dakota. Colo
rado New York, Alabama and CALI
fornia.
Why are they meeting? Because the
wcmen of this country, especially the
mothers, have awakened to the con-
seriousness that the world owes more to
little children in the way Of health.
happiness and education than it has
ever given. What can they do? Many
things. They have already accom-
rlished much as individuals and more
as an organization. While maintaining
no benevolent or educational institu
ton, the society has thrown its in
fluence toward every movement that
can be of help in furthering the well
fare of children. Home life, educa-
ton. sanitation, health. dietetics, re-
ligion, play, crime, each and all have
been studied and are being more Wig
crously studied by the club members
with a view to increasing the good
things and minimizing the bad.
At this annual meeting, which will
last for a weel; and which will draw
students. philanthropists, educators
and home-loving mothers alike from
al parts of the world, there will be
many interesting discussions. The
president. who will open the congress
with reception at the White House.
has offered great encouragement to
the women. 81 take the heartiest in
terest," he recently said, Gin your first
international congress to deal with the
welfare OF the children. What / can
personally do to help you will, OF
course, be done" AS q further proof
IF his interest, the president has APP
Brown, commissioner of education, to
represent the United states at this
conference.
A few years ago an editorial writer
f3cetiously remarked that "the con-
gress of mothers seems to be a club
formed of spinsters and the president"
having judged by the names on that
years program. Spinsters are not
conspicuous by their absence in this
Organization as might be supposed. In
fact. they contribute largely to the
good grist that is ground from the mill
at each meeting-and all through tn ,
year for that matter-and prove most
conclusively that there is some truth iii
the supposed witticism that spinsters
know more than many mothers about
raising children. Many of them do.
for the unmarried women who come 10
these annual conferences are women
who have become specialists in kinder
garten work, in equipring and conduct
ing vacation schools and Fairgrounds.
and in practicing as physicians in hos
riials and homes for children. They
have made a life work of such things,
and are authorities widely recognized.
The great majority OF the members
however, are OK course, mothers, and
mothers Of the right kind. They are
mothers who mean to 90 the best that
can be done by their own and their
gress and broaden and grow them
selves, but never at tho expense of the
home and all that il means. They
work for the greater and better de-
velopment of the home. and aim to
reach all branches of life through the
training of children and mothers, ele-
waiting each day the standard of health,
morality and education. A pretty big
ambition fof few thousand women ?
Granted. But one that is being rapidly
realized. 1t 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. 1t is because of the work
of other branches in other states that
there are more free kindergartens, day
nurseries, homes for blind babies, in
terest in child labor legislation and
laws that will give little criminals a
letter chance. The congress of
mothers does not claim to have been
solely instrumental in things of this
kid, but largely so.
1t is interesting to note the breadth
of work to be discussed at this inter-
national congress. In the nature of
helps to parents will come discussions
on child study-mental, physical and
spiritual--and as before, stress will be
laid on heredity, ON the great RESPONSE
bility of the mother in character for
nation. for as some great educator has
said, the training of a child begins
centuries before it is born. Under edu-
cation will come such topics as COM
pulsory education, the school curricu-
lun, physical exercises, manual train
ing, industrial schools and co-educa-