davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

edge and enthusiasm for such n work
and she answered by showing me
laughingly the photograph OF a beau
tiful two-year-old boy.
THAT is the picture of my son." she
said. But to really answer your ques-
tlon / should have a group picture, and
in IL would be the two grandmothers
the fond aunt!es and numerous wise
friends who We're responsible for send
ing me crusaGing for a square deal for
the baby"
The Little Mother then told me how
the per onal experience in motherhood
had awakened all her woman's interest
In the problem OF baby welfare. She
had lived in this very model tenement
during the months before her first
born came, and had been delighted to
find that she could keep in perfect
health despite the smoke-laden air OF
this factory district and despite the
noise and confusion OF the street
where she was forced to take her ex-
ercise. More than that, she had lived
In this tenement until her baby's six
months birthday, and had found that
he blossomed and throve as though the
so-called destructive conditions OF the
crowded city square had been the scent
ed air or n country garden.
TIL her baby was old enough 20 crawl
she had kept him out-of-doors, rain or
shine, on tho fire escape all day. Then
ne discovered that he could pull down
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

way. The babys freedom from collie
when the mother follows directions
spurs her to refrain in the future from
indulgence in acid and ric,i fruits that
so poison her milk as to bring the cruel
collie scream.
Altogether we have verify found
that "a little child shall lead them.
The regularity of meals and OF func-
ton, the fresh air and sunshine, the
abstinence from narcotics and stimu-
lants and purgatives, and all that make
a baby plump, peaceable and good TO
look at, are the very neglected needs
that are responsible for most adult i'll
health. We prove II on the baby, and
10! the mother Is converted, and after
her the whole family.
The Little Mother showed me around.
There. in a room adjoining the kitchen.
was the surgical table, the medicine
chest and sterilizing apparatus. 1--WE
urge the mothers to come and bear
their children in the quiet and comfort
of the maternity rooms" said the Lit
tie Mother, "and we give the service at
cost price to those who can afford IT.
There is an emergency fund, which is
drawn on at rare intervals for those
who cannot pay for themselves. Then
we furnish certain needed articles at
cost price for the baby's home. In this
way we insure that the mothers will
have the most workable and scientific
! baby outfit, and we make use of the
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

the buttresslng pillows, and the fire
escape became n dangerous perch. AS
constant Out-of-doors was essential to
the Little Mothers scheme of baby
raising, she found iiersolf forced TO
seek the countryside, where u porch
provided a playroom anG where her
baby was actually kept ali the daylight
hours right through the midwinter.
1t was this Very need OF moving
countiyward that first forced the prob
lem of the average city baby on the
attention Of the Little Mother Then
she became a roof-garden enthusiast.
She pictured the hundreds Of acres OF
tenement roofs, visible from the high
perchcd window OF her model tenement
apartment, all turned into places that
blossom like the rose. And the baby
yard was part of her dream, which
shall yet come true: baby pens in these
skyscraping gardens, pens protected by
iine mesh wire, ard with drop canvas
es to keep OF the wind. Here with her
minds eye she saw the great army OF
city-bred babies. rioting like kings,
crawling and Growing toward healthy
childhood
"But no." corrected the LittleMother,
"this was not the first of my baby
problems The most vital OF all came
while was yet patient in the mater
nifty hospital. l was 50 lucky as to
have doctor who was baby hygiene
enthusiast. Movcover 1 had q mind
scientifically trained by work I'm the
biological laboratory, and was able to
so TO first principles with my doctor in
way that the woman of average
training cannot do. For you know"
and the Little Mother spoke n bit dry
ly here, that even the modern doctor
has not generally taken on the meth
DDS of pedagogy, and we poor women,
II We are TO be efficient mothers, have
To decoy the necessary information
from them. oh. We all need the mater
nifty school.
80 / went 10 tho hospital already
stocked with information as to my own
health requirements and the baby's.
Just as matter of interest / qucs-
TONED the doctors and nurses as to the
information they gave TO the mothers
in their charge. i was amazed to find
how meagre and in many cases how
positively false was the information
given. IL was not so different from the
medical situation generally, 1 suppose
How much surgery-Ehort, swift and
sure-we have these days. and how lit
tie patient, reverent, up-building thera-
peutics!
Later made systematic inquiries al
other maternity hospitals and clinics
for mothers and children, and found
that almost without exception they at
tended admirably TO the technically
medical end of their task. and neglect
ed completely the golden opportunity tc
enlighten the mother as to her own
health and the bahy's. Then l talked
10 the mothers. young and old, I'm this
tenement. Not only had most OF
them babies that We're obviously re.
tarded in growth and lacking In vi
tality, from causes clearly growing out
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

baby basket where lay the mysterious
the unnerving embodiment of all my
previous theories and problems. The
theories melted like air? Think or
the bath alone, with an Interested but
ineffective young Polish servant girl
to help. Oh. the poor nervous fingers
unbuttoning tiny garments, and oh.
the utter agony of lifting the tiny,
squirming, wailing creature into the
watcrl In the midst of these heroic
struggles Grandma arrived And
Grandma bathed the baby-I must say
thatl
"well, at night my husband came
homo. and by that time | was ready
TO ny into his arms In tears. Grand
mas ideals-I declare they We're no
different from those OF any mother In
the tenement SHE simply refused to
make use Of the fire escape for the
baby, though l explained how an um-
brella could be used to shelter him from
the wind. 1t was cruelty to keep
month-old baby out OF doorsl And
when l told her about a physician's
family I knew in Brooklyn. whose ba-
bies actually slept out OF doors ali
winter and summer, Crardift2t just
walked out Of the room with the re-
mark that I he.1/ once been sensible
girl. but ,she could see I was being
ruined by my husbands freskish
friends. ..t. a.i
"As for disciplined when the baby
cried, Grandma proceeded to quiet him
by the most direct means. She didn't
use whlskey, but she used another mar,
cotic, that OF petting and rocking Hab-
its? What would q inonth-old baby do
with habits? asked Grandma. And AZ
the days went by, with much coddling
and the display OF bright objects be-
fore his eyes. she proceeded to hurry
up his growth .a
"These ways are the traditional wis
dom OF grandmas, you know. 1 have
come to the conclusion they are charac-
terlstic of every race of grandmas on
the globe from the Sicilian grandma to
the grandma from New England. But
science says they're wrong. We were
faithful and bold, and we tried to eiye
the first principles of baby raising to
Grandma. We told her u baby was u
vegetative organism, not a social being,
or at least mainly that. We told her
babies must not be mentally stimulate
cd any more than they must be given
coffee or tea. We explained that the
babys brain attains almost its fall
adult growth In the first year. aptisthat
alll the baby's strength wasl iif4H3,td
simply for this rapid growing esg,3cidl-
ly all his Heryous energy. ConsehfttehfIy
the sifeldina u, babies from ali if-3trIIin
or texcitsffient, fisrlght lights must be
kept away firnl. lIig ayes. .sharp uoises
from his ears. He should be allowed
free motion with 'hls arinb ana legs
any amount Of activity from withip.
.N"
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

two or three weeks they are here after
childbirth to train the mothers. Then
we visit the homes at short intervals
until we feel that the mothers are
ready to 'gra1uote' from the maternity
school.
altogether. you will Sec" concluded
the speaker, that the maternity rooms
play Keystone part In the serious life
OF the tenement. They stanl for Il
square deal for the baby. We believe
that maternity education Is as impera-
tive as public school education, and
the maternity rooms are n practical
way for carrying out this faith. We be-
lieVc that a baby has as much right TO
societys help IN hclng born right (since
IL Is clear that he - very often born
wrong. at least ia this noighborhood)
as ho has t. socicty's help In being
reared right from hts first year on.
We ure sure that OF tho l2.000 babies
who died In this city last year, at least
10000 died prcvCniablc deaths from the
very cause We are finding It possible TO
overcome. and they died from ignorant,
not wilful- neglect.
"How did We become Interested in
this directlon?" Wei, some of us woiii-
en- OF the professional classes IN this
model tenement had always taken an
interest in the Inodol kindergarten and
communal laundry. fncn ole day somc
one read a recommendation that every
tenement OF the wJrlting classes be
equipped with Il delivery room for
childbirth. We put Gun heads together.
l suspect our result, with IT'S medical.
social. educational aspects. is u bigger
thing than the dream OF the doctor
whu made tho suggestion"
by this tino the Little Mother had
taken on a personal interest. 1 Won
dercd where she had ;,ained the knowl-
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07
A School for the
Tenement Mothers
How the Foreign Women of the Poor Are Taught to
Take Care of Their Children

tho window on to the fire escape. and a
large umbrella was arranged to shield
the baby from wind and sun.
wen have the other one out as soon
as ha gets his bath, volunteered the
young woman, and meanwhile l can
uegin to tell you Of our work. You
have lust missed our consultation
hour. For you know" she said quick
y. this Is less a maternity hospital
than a maternity school We have
only two patients here now, one with
q week-old lby, tie other with one OF
twenty daTs."
This was my introduction to the Lit
tie Mother Qor so, as | later learned,
all the neigh borhood called my young
hostess). She told me of her work. II
was constant propaganda, in which
the management of the tenement lent
her n willing hand. Mothers We're urged
to come for advice at least six months
before the birth of their children. At
frequent consultations they were given
simple lessons I'm physiology and hygi-
enc. Here many of the mothers learned
for the first time that the lifting or
heavy weights, straining TO reach high
shelves and fatigue or severe excite
mcnt Of any kind were liable to bring
premature birth. They were warned
against falls and blows because Of the
Gcformity that might result for the
child and the permanent organic injury
to the mother. They were taught that
light housework and moderate exercise
would improve both their health and
the child's. but that work OF too mo-
notonous or heavy sort would not only
take away from their own and the
chid's vitality, but would so harden
the muscles as to make the labor of
childbirth doubly severe.
"Slmple points. these" she said; "you
would think them self-evident. But
you admit they are vital points, and
assure you that nine mothers In ten
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

T WAS visiting model tcnements In a
great American city Here ana
there these model tcnements have
spfung up. built by five per cent.
Philanthropy amid the low squalor OF
Chi-ago's tenement wilderness and
ans the toppling gloom OF New York 3
lover East Side These model tene-
meets are quickly crowded, the more
Urib.ii.us families Of Irish. italian or
S.aV.a Immigrants pressing their op>
unc4.ons. Another element has found
IT, Coy into these tenements and given
Qltt peculiar atmosphere TO them.
ghis IS the well-to-do American. the
htr ncse man, author and teacher
moe oriei the social worker drawn
- re model tenement by wish 10
ccoro ll!sc, or perhaps BY feeling OF
fol 4anc.. or oftener by a genuine de-
s..t - I've rock-bottom life among
Z IS jce carners who are the biggest
e.s ha,st-AnUwn part of our country.
ID V .. sud ying the child question. ana
y IN .re sign | found hung by the
81 &c. -6trance OF the model tenement:
~ 1t-snity Rooms Apartment oil.
o.. ~ Consultations 10 to IL.
',oi,o Night and Day, Mad. 331."
Ea5 visited model tenements be-
f0ro. had found roof gardens ln
gnrpc r.nuergartens In others and
playrooms. laundry rooms and dictetic
! tchcir Mothers and growing chill
drt ~cit provided for. but never (un-
80 possibly In the roof garden) had
,,tur a.. provision for the babies.
H"a Fcs progress, IL seemed.
!. .ol.M Apartment 81. and the door
d3c.ed my ring through a mechan-
isia ps:ateG from an inner room.
q lare large sunay kitchen. a fine
;sag.t.ics cnmo from a soup pot slid
i'iorinl. u the gas stove, and from be-
yo;.i 0afae the Wavering marvel of
ysrs t!aH Tiny haby wall. Then bed
. IN daor opened, and pleasant
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07
VARIOUS USES FOR
YOUR SOUR CREAM
Recipes for Delicious and Wholesome Cakes Cookies
Fried Cakes and Pie

one-half teaspconful each OF salt and
soda, one OF baking powder; vanilla.
Bake in three layers. Use nut filings.
Spice Cake.
Three-fourths CT a cupful of sour
cream, three-fourths of cupful of SUI
gar, yolks of Two eggs and one whole
egg, two cupfuls of sifted -four one
teaspoonful each OF baking powder.
cinnamon, cloves and nutmegs, one
half teaspoonful Of salt and soda. Bake
in three layers, and put together with
boiled frosting.
Plain Fruit Cake.
One cupful Of sour cream, one cupful
of brown sugar, one-half cupful of mo-
lasses. three cupfuls of -four, one cup
ful OF raisins one cupful II chopped
walnuts. Spice TO taste; one teaspoon.
full OF soda in tablespoonful OF hot
water, one-half teaspoonful OF salt. one
egg.
Black Cake (Used Since 1e23.)
One cupful os sour cream, one cupfu
Of molasses. cne pound OF sugar. ono
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

Interested to know the argument for
vegetarianism which has oftenest sue
ceeded. ] tell them that meat and eggs
contain In especial quantities the lime
producing elements. and that lime
makes bone, and that n child before
birth ought TO have "a skeletonsof yield
ing cartilage, which allows OF an easy
childbirth, while a carnivorOus diet by
the mother turns this cartilage to bone
and doubles the pain and peril OF chill
birth. Many mothers have needed this,
and have lost their taste for meat
through disuse Then they put their
protesting families on Il fruit and vege-
table diet, and tho cost OF living comes
down.
you Sec" continued the Little
Mother. I'VE have two battles to fight
the battle for prenatal hygiene and the
battle for baby hygiene. The first is
the harder nGht. because the results
are less apparent than they are in the
application Of baby hygiene. a mother
soon recognizes for herself that when
she nurses her baby at regular inter
walls IL cries less and sleeps more. Ii
is fact that regular nursing has taken
the place Of soothing syrup and plain
whlskey with a score Of families in this
tenement.
Eyes, of whislSey. Only this morning
mother horrified me by the innocent
remark that her baby was as good as
gold; he slept from breakfast time till
the middle of the afternoon. she sim
ply fed him "a Tablespoonful Of whlskey.
Many Of her friends did this, she said,
and ! know It to be true.
"Fresh air Tor the mother Is harder
to teach than fresh air for tho babe,
for the baby responds so quickly to
fresh air and sunshine that the mother
observes 1t. With diet it IS the same
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

one cupful Of sour cream, one cupful
OF granulated sugar, one egg. saltspoon
OF salt, one teaspoonful OF soda, one OF
havoring Stir stiff with spoon, take
small quantity on board, roll, sprinkle
sugar ana cinnamon on top.
Fresh Cookies.
Two tablespoonfuls of sour cream,
Two cupfuls OF sugar, two cupfuls OF
TWO eggs, one cupful OF chopped wal
hui meats, one teaspoonful each OF soda
ana ai, cinnamon, one-half grated nutmeg.
Flour to roll.
Cream Cookies.
One cupful Of thick, sour cream, two
cupfuls OF sugar. one cupful OF butter,
TWO eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, salt
ana naVoring 10 taste. Flour to make
as soft as can be rolled. Sprinkle with
sugar.
Quick Cream Cookies.
One cupful OF sour cream. one cup
ful OF sugar, one egg, two and one-half
cupIuls OF flour, one level teaspoonful
each OF soda and salt; favor. Drop
with teaspoon on well-buttered pans,
pdt uoWn and sprinkle sugar on each.
ALSO ohe-half nut meat on each.
Ginger Cookies.
one-half cupful of sour cream, one
ana one-half cupfuls- OF molasses. one
quarter eupful OF hot water with one
teaspoontul Of soda In IT, one teaspoon
ful or salt, two teaspoonfuls of ginger;
mix as soft as possible TO roll.
Thick Ginger Cookies.
One cupful Of sour cream. one oupful
OF lard, one cunf1l of mOlasSes one
cupful OF brown sugar, one tablespoon
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

OF the mothers Ignorance but many
of the mothers were suffering from
weaknesses and organic troubles that
We're the direct result OF the failure
of the hospitals TO give elementary
instruction. How marty n mother is
there In this nelghbdrhood whom !
knew four or five years ago as n
blooming young woman who is now
worn and old from the unnecessary
effects Of motherhood" , usy5.
Suddenly the Lattle Mother broke
out: But there's one respect IN
which tenement house mothers have
a better chance Than we WHO call ourr
selves Of the clqsses. They have no
relativesn 'h "'i' i''
when looked mystifidd. she con-
tinued. Ill came home from the ma
ternity hospital, and with my hus7
band sat looking helplessly across the
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

NURING three generations Of cooks
IL these recipes for the use Of sour
cream have been in use, and can
always be depended on to give fine re-
suits.
Feather Cake. &.
one cupful of rather thick, sour
cream. one cupful of sugar. two cupfuls
Of sifted flour, one egg, one-half tea
spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful, level,
OF soda dissolved in a little water, one
.teaspoonful OF vanilla, one teaspoonful
OF baking powder.
Nut Cake.
Three-fourths cupful Of thick. sour
cream, one cupful of sugar. one and
one-half cupfuls OF -four. one cupful
OF chopped English walnuts, one egg,
one-haif teaspoonful each Of salt and
soda; flavor to taste. Bake in loaf
nearly an hour in moderate oven.
Layer Nut Cake.
One-haif cupful of rich. sour cream,
one cupfu1 OF sugar, two cupfuls OF
-four, measured before sifting. two eggs,
- q.
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

graham flour, one egg. one teaspoonful
each OF salt and soda. Have gem pans
hot.
Graham Biscuits.
One and one-half cupfuls OF graham
-four, one-half cupful OF white -four,
one tablespoonful of brown sugar. one
egg, one teaspoonful each OF salt and
soda. Wet with thin, sour cream.
Roll one-half inch thick. Bake slowly.
Sweet Potato Pie.
One cupful of sour cream, one cup
full OF sugar one pint of mashed sweet
potato. yolks of four eggs. one tea
spoonful OF cinnamon one-half q nut
one crust Cover with merlngue or
spread while hot with strained honey.
Sour Cream Pie.
One cupful of sour cream, two-thirds
cupful of sweet milk, one cupful OF
sugar, one-half cupful OF chopped
raislns, one and one-hnlf tablespoonfuls
Of vinegar one tablespoonful of -four,
one-half teaspoonful OF cinnamon, yolks
OF two eggs, little salt. Bake In one
crust. Use whites for merlngue. with
four tablespoonfuls OF sugar; brown.
Devled Eggs.
Boil six eggs hard. cut in halves
lengthwise, remove yolks and mash
with fork. adding enough thick, sour
cream to moisten, add mixed mustard,
salt and little red pepper. If cream
Is too sweet add dash OF lemon juice
and put back into whites.
Cream Horseradish Sauce.
Beat one-half cupful OF thick, sour
cream, add u little salt and sugar and
beat In one-half cupful Of grated horse
radish, Serve with cold ham, 80
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

faced young woman entered the kit
chen with q large clothes basket in her
arms
GOOD morning" she cheerily called.
'1'li be with YOU In moment. Let me
get this youngster on to the fire escape
for an airing
And sure enough. there IN the basket
lay one of my walters. only now he
I was a picture of pink-and-white con
tent. And quite to my astonishment,
bapket, baby and all We're put out OF
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

neither know them nor apply them, and
that just these simple points make up
much of the hard missionary work in
this tenement.
This was the calisthenics of mater
nifty. the Little Mother said. OF the
deeper hygiene, the mothers OF the
tenement were even more ignorant.
"Ive fought the fight Of rational vege-
tarianism.' she said. Here were the
most stubborn preJudices, next to the
prejudice against fresh air. You'll be
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07
HINTS FOR
THE HOUSE

NUR supply of dishcloths giving out
~ whom We were at an Isolated sum
mer cottage, friend recommend
ed ordinary white mosquito netting.
1t sounded absurdly inadequate, but,
proved more satisfactory In every way
than the cloths woven for the purpose.
IL was thin enough to 20 easily into
pitchers and small cups; 1t was pleas.
ant 10 handle; II scalded and dried cas-
lly and quickly; and 1t was SO cheap
there was no temptation to keep ii
AFTER 1t began TO grow dingy IL was
necessary TO make the cloths double
and larye--say ~ by "a inches. NJ H..
A FAVORITE amusement with my
a little ones. when shut In on. ac-
count of bad weather or Illness, Is to sit
al the front window and guess what will
pass. one decides Il win be a man, an
other dog, and the next girl, and
When II Is near meal time we add Father
70 the list. IT keeps them busy an hour
II Mother Will play too, so i often take
my sewing and join In the game.
w. II. w.
"A PRETTY scheme for the dinner ta-
n Bile is to have on each bread and
butter plate the butter nodded In three
balls the size OF cherries. Then take q
sprig OF parsley, cut off the foliage, and
WIN the large stem standing up and
each OF the three branching stems az
the ends stuck In a butter ball, the ef-
rect produced Is a luscious bunch of
cherries. A. b. ....9
sSSeCT9 SS$Se5So O1s5S9 oaS,0
The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-10-07

pound of flour. one pound OF currants.
one pound of raisins, one-half pound Of
citron, one-half pound chopped figs,
one-half pound, almonds, three-fourths
of pound Of butter, ten eggs Qeaving
out the white OF two, one teaspoonful
of soda, two of cinnamon, one Of cloves,
one of allspice. four tablespoonfuls of
orange marmalade. Bake very slowly.
Cream Cake.
One cupful of sour cream, one cupful
Of sugar, two cupfuls of flour, two tea
spoonfuls of baking powder, two eggs,
one-half teaspoonful of salt and soda
vanilla. Bake in gem pans. Sprinkle
granulated sugar over before putting in
hot oven.
Gingerbread.
Three-fourths Of a cupful Of thick,
sour cream, one-half cupful Of molasses,
one-half cupful of sugar. two supfuls
of -four, two eggs, one rounding tea
spoonful of soda, one tablespoonful of
ginger. one teaspoonful of cinnamon.
one of lemon extract, one-half tea
spoonful OF salt. Bake in gem pans
and frost with confectloner's sugar
frosting.
Southern Gingerbread.
One eupful of thin, sour cream, two
thirds cupful Of butter. one cupful OF
molasses, one cupful of brown sugar,
two cupfuls OF raisins, four eggs, one
and one-half quarts Of -four, one table,
spoonful OF ginger, one teaspoonful each
of soda, cinnamon, cloves, grated lem
on peel and nutmeg
Plain Gingerbread.
One cupful Of sour cream, one cupful
OF molasses, one-haif cupful OF sugar,
one egg, one teaspoonful each of soda,
ginger, cinnamon, allsplce, salt, two
cuptuis OF hour Bake In fiat tin and
frost.