The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-06-01
The Pr0perCare of Children
Address Delivered By Dr. j. M KibIer Before The
Monan's, Club, of Newberry, S. c., on
Thursday, May 81.

thorities; agencies caring for child
rem should cooperate to ascertain and
control causes Of dependency; per-
manent organization for work along
the line of this declaration is desira-
BILE; prohibitive legislation against
transfer Of dependent children be-
tween States should be repealed; CO.
operation between child-caring agen-
cies and more thorough preparations
for surgical and medical care for
children in all institutions.
The speakers today included A. 7.
Jamison, Of Greenwood, S. c., super
intendent of Connie Maxwell orphan
age. With the unanimous opinion of
an array Of notable charity workers
and others who took part in the dis
cussion that the child can best be
reared under the influence Of the
home and that it should be removed
from the family circle only when
proper supervision at home has be-
come impossible, it also was the con-
sensus Of opinion that where poverty
EexiSts in the home State aid should
be given.
The historic east room Of the white
house was the scene of this notable
conference. The president spoke in
part as follows:
"There can be no more important
| subject from the standpoint Of the
| nation than that with which you are
[ to deal, because you take care
of the nation Of tomorrow. and 1t is
Incumbent upon every one Of us to do
all in his or her power to provide for
the interests Of these children whom
cruel misfortune has handicapped at
the very outset Of their lives. -
Notwithstanding this most sacred
home duty Of woman, the times now
seem to demand that she get out
from home and be a bread winner
for the family. A more deplorabLe
state of society never existed both
for the mother and child.
At recent meeting of the "F.eder-
al Council of the Church of Christ in
America,' which has for its object
the bringing together of the Chris
tian bodies Of America into united
services for Christ and the world,
and in which thirty-three denomina-
tions were represented, the committee
on the 'church and modern industry
offered among other thing a resolu-
ton, which was adopted, recommend
ing the abolition of child labor, and
the regulation Of the work Of women
so as to protect the physical and
moral health of communities.
There is a general awakening in the
nation on the snbject Of the preserva-
ton of the family circle and the
proper care of children in their ply
steal, moral and mental development.
There is no doubt that the parental
and flial relations should be pre-
served wherever this is possible, and
in tine remarks which follow this rela-
tion is presupposed. To properly dis
cuss the question of child life it
should be divided into three periods,
viz, infancy, the period between IN
fancy and school life, and the period
Of school life. 1t is. a deplorable fact
that in all civilized countries the
birth-rate is on the decline. This is
due to the growing reluctance OF
those who live in ease and comfort
20 incur the pains and troubles OF
parenthood.
If this be true, it is in the richer
and not in the poorer, classes of So
ciety that the great diminution Of
births is taking place; it is the for
mer, and not the latter, who are fall
ing in theprimitive duty Of keeping up
the race. If those by whom our fu-
ture citizens are bred are not the un-
fttest part of our people, they are at
least those whose poverty makes them
the least competent to provide the
food, the home, and the other condl-
tionS Of life which are necessary for
children if they are to grow into
strong and healthy men and women.
As the birth-rate dwindles 1t be-
comes more necessary and desirable
that the community make the best
of those who are born into the world.
When they come into the world the
children of the rich are but little
better in their bodies than the child
ren Of the poor. Hereditary disease
is equally spread over all classes.
povo,-tv and 7,,.ivatiOn Hurinp oeSta-