Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-06-14
HE MOTH Il r s.
&c O N G K E S 8
By
Frederic
]. H0Skin

i book farmer" was more successful than
the old-fashioned rule-of-thc-thum far
mer, there came a revolution. Now ev-
cry farmer wishes to be "book-farmer'
and the agricultural schools are crowded,
while the department of agriculture hard
ly can keep up with the demand for in
formation.
1t is not uncommon now for mothers,
even in intelligent families, to sneer at
the business of raising babies according
| to a book. Yet she will feed small
| infant on pickles and coffee and wonder
| why the child is not strong. What has
| happened with respect to pigs and wheat
and apples and cows and sheep, will
| happen with respect TO babies If the Con-
gress of Mothers has its way. 1t will 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 contest
| ed 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 science. Babies cannot be
converted into cash and therefore one
strong argument for taking pains in
rearing them is absent.
But the National Congress of Mothers
| is not discouraged. 1t has done many
things; 1t purposes to do many more.
Here are few of the things already ac-
complished: The organization of fathers
and mothers of school children in hun
dreds of communities to serve as social
centers for the people, parents and chill
dren together, and furnishing them with
| interesting, instructive and wholesome
entertainment; the arrangement of con-
ferences with government departments
fA~
| systematic meeting of immigrant pa
rents with literature in their own lam
guage, welcoming them to American soil
and to American ideals at the same time;
the education of parents as to the physi-
cal and economic injury of some forms
of child labor; the removal of children
from prisons and criminal courts
through active work in helping to Sc
cure the establishment of juvenile courts
and the probation systems in many
states; the systematic care of dependent
neglected and erring children through
giving advice and guidance to mothers,
and by organizing systems of health in
spection and nursing; and the prevention
of Juvenile crime through the establish
ment of Fairgrounds and school yard
sports, by the introduction and extern
sion of manual training, physical Gull
ture, and other things which capture the
interest of the child and keep it from
bad associations and temptation. This
catalogue of active campaign work
might be extended for columns.
But even more important, perhaps, is
the educational propaganda The Con-
gress of Mothers aims to provide parents
with the knowledge which, added to nat
ural love, will make for the best inter.
ests of the child, physical. mental and
moral. 1t publishes a magazine called
Child Welfare, which is a repository of
plain truths needful for the information
of mothers and fathers. The magazine is
distributed directly to interested pa
rents, but 1t is intended also to inform
and instruct social workers who will car
ry the gospel of child welfare as mis-
sionaries to the parents who need it
most.
Local organizations and women's clubs
have 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, CIV
ing the names of books useful for moth
ers and for children. This department of
the literary work of the congress has
proved to DO most useful and successful
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 NOR
tally can be cut down greatly by edu-
cation, and the campaigns conducted by
the Congress of Mothers already have
produced results in the column of Elves
saved"
The National Congress of Mothers
seeks to save children from disease, phys
fcal or moral, by educating the parents
In the science of child rearing. 1t is a
business worthy at least to rank with
the efforts of the scientists to save the
cotton crop from the ravages of the boil
weevil. The women in convention today
In Denver are engaged in a noble and
serious undertaking. They are modern
lzing and placing on a scientific basis
the oldest and most important industry
of the world