The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-13
For Temple of Childhood at
Panama Exposition.
Scheme Is Being Worked on
Too Big Scale.
TO BE MILLIONS OF THEM
Probably 100000 From Kansas
1000 From Topeka.
Pick Names From Birth Rec
Ords-Where Is Distinction

On every street corner and probably
| in one half of the palatial homes in
the fashionable West Side lives a child
whose beauty and grace have attract
ed the eye OF Governor Hodges, Mayor
Cofran, United States Senators Bris-
tow or Thompson or some other per-
son of prominence and influence in the
state and these notables have placed
this child in nomination as the most
beautiful of the beautiful in the world
wide contest in the Temple OF Child
hood at the Panama Pacific expos1-
ton in San Francisco. All that re-
mains is for the admiring and honored
parent to rush to Topeka studio and
have this prize winning child's picture
made.
That there may be no evidence of the
slightest fraud or deception in the
transaction, the Temple of Childhood
sends the mother an official certificate,
engraved in colors of black and green
and gold. with half tone color pieces of
child beauty in each of the four cor
ners. Then there is a gold seal and
blue ribbon-to indicate first prize Win
ner perhaps-and the official seal of
the international Child Life Exhibit
company and also an engraving of the
marble temple of childhood under
dome finished in bronze colored ink.
The Loving Mother.
The loving mother to whom the let
ter is sent is told that she may take
her baby to the photographers. D.
Owings is the official photographer for
Topeka-and there a photograph of the
most beautiful child will be made with
out cost to the parent and forwarded
to the Temple of Childhood in San
Francisco. OF course, in view of the
sudden prominence which the child has
attained, it is hardly probable that the
proud mother will neglect to order a
do hot Of
her living example Of innocence and
beauty. But, to be sure, nothing is
said about that in the letter to the par
ent. Such small details are left to the
craftsmanship of the man at the studio.
World Flooded With Letters.
Just at present not only Topeka, but
the entire United States and even the
foreign countries of the world are be-
ing flooded with these letters, it seems.
And that the art of reproducing child
beauty is on the uplift is easy to mag
inc. 1t is a cruel, heartless mother,
you know, who will stay away from
the studio when an engraved certifi-
cate tells her that her baby boy or girl
age six months to IL years-has been
nominated by state official as the
most beautiful child in a city of $4,000
people. Even if it is necessary to sell
hubby's last summer clothes to the rag
man, that woman will probably bundle
hasten to the studio, for she is warned
that delay may permit some child in
second or third place to win the high
honor. And the studio is verita BILE
dreamland of child beauty. So to be
sure the fond and loving mother ex-
hibits the natural motherly pride and
wants the very best. Reasonably good
in child portraits Sx10 are SIS to $50 a
dozen.
The most prominent families are Sc
lected in the naming of prize winners
Mr.. OwingS admits as much.
That Seductive Letter.
And into the home comes a letter
which recites:
THE selections of children have
been made by senators, representa-
tives, governors, mayors and other
public officials and men and women of
prominence
Continuing a little further the let
ter says:
eff therefore, for any reason
whatsoever you are unable to ac-
cept this privilege on behalf of your
child. you will please notify the direc-
ton at once, as second and third
choices have already been made for
each location"
Will a Topeka mother reject an of