El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-10
The Mothers Congress
BETTERMENT OF cHILDRENs CONDITIONS

farmer, there came a revolution. Now
every farmer wishes to be a book
farmer and the agricultural schools
are crowded, while the department Of
agriculture hardly can keep up with
the demand for information.
1t is not uncommon now for mothers
even in intelligent families, to sheer
at the business of raising babies ac-
/ cordlng to book. Yet she will feed
small infant on pickles and coffee
| and wonder why the child is not strong.
! W nat has happened with respect to pigs
! and wheat and apples and cows and
sheep will happen with respect to ba-
bles If the Congress of Mothers has its
way 1t win be necessary to fight over
the same battle which oVercame the
prejudice against book farming" but,
/ strange to say, the battle will be much
! more holly contested by the hosts of
error In the case of the pig and wheat
there was money to be gained at once
by the application of Intelligent sci
ence. Babies cannot be converted into
cash. and therefore one strong argu-
Inent for taking pains in rearing them
is absent
Much Good Already Accomplished.
But the National Congress of Moth
ers is not discouraged 1t has done
many things; it purposes to do many
more Here are few of the things
already accomplished: The organiza-
ton of fathers and mothers of school
children in hundreds of communities
for the purpose OF cooperating with
the teachers TO study and supply the
practical needs of the children in
school; the opening of school houses in
hundreds Of communities to serve as
and children together, and furnishing
them with interesting. Instructive and
wholesome entertainment; the arrange
ment of conferences with government
departments for the educa ton of mar
ents IN the physical and moral as wen
as the mental training Of children. and
the systematic meeting of immigrant
parents with literature in their own
language, welcoming them to Ameri-
can soil and to American ideals ar tbe
same time
1t has also helped in the education
OF parents as to the physical and eco
nomic injury OF some forms of child
labor; the removal Of children from
prisons and criminal courts through
active work in helping to secure the
establishment of Juvenile courts and
the probation systems in many states:
the systematic care Of dependent, neg
lected and erring children through Civ
ing advice and guidance to mothers,
and by orga MIXING systems of health in
spection and nursing; and the proven
ton OF Juvenile crime through the es-
Enlistment Of Fairgrounds and school
yard sports, by the introduction and
extension Of manual training, physical
culture. and other things which cap
ture the interest of the child and keep
Ii from bad associations and tempta-
ton This catalog Of active campaign
work might be extended for columns
Educational Campaign Extensive.
But even more important, perhaps,
is the educational propaganda The
Congress Of Mothers aims to provide
parents with the knowledge which,
added to natural love, will make for the
best interests OF the child, physical.
mental and moral. 1t publishes maya
zine called Child Welfare" which Is
a repository Of plain truths needful for
the information Of mothers and faith
ers. The magazine is distributed d.
rectly to interested parents, but il is
intended also 10 inform and instruct
social workers who will carry the COS
pei Of child welfare as missionaries
to the parents who need it most
Local organizations and women's
cIuoS nave the benefit of drawing on
the special list of papers. prepared by
the National Congress of Mothers.
which are designed to disseminate
practical information. The congress also
publishes book lists, giving the names
or books useful for mothers and for
children. This department of the IT.
erary work of the congress has proved
to be most useful and successful
Would Decrease Child Mortality.
There IS also the free distribution of
leaflets dealing with child training. and.
In cooperation with local boards of
health. the systematic instruction OF
mothers in the art of caring for the
health OF infants. The rate of child
mortality can be cut down greatly by
education. and the campaigns con-
Quoted by the Congress of Mothers
already have produced results in the
column Of lives saved"
The National Cong of Mothers
seeks to save children from disease.
physical or moral. by educating the |
parents in the science of child rearing. |
It is a business worthy at least TO |
rank with the efforts OF the scientists
TO save the cotton crop from the raw
ages of the boll-weevil. The women in |
convention today in Denver are en- |
gagged in noble and serious under |
taking. They are undermining and 4
placing on a scientific basis the oldest |
and most important industry of the I
world.
Tomorrow-The Roosevelt Homecom-
ing.