Arizona republican., 1914-02-13

It seems strange that parents should
 be willing to send their children to a
 teacher of whom they know little or
 nothing. and have serene faith that all will be well and the child will be
 ''educated.' More than that is often expected of teacher. I have heard
 mothers say. Never mind, when he goes to school he will have to learn to
 behave" expecting the teacher to cor rect the mistakes the mother has made,
 and forgetting that we have been told
 over and over again that the first seven
 or eight years are the most important of the child's life in implanting right views and principles and forming strong character, to say nothing of awakening the little minds through the intelligent and wise answering of their questions. One of the most encourag- ing of our associations is the Young Mothers League, composed of mothers
 of little ones not yet in school-not on account of numbers, but because they
 have begun early to study earnestly the problems of the welfare of the child The solution of questions that arise in the Parent Teachers associations in- variably refers to the home and the responsibility usually falls on the moth CT, so these young mothers are to be congratulated that they have begun early Mothers are burdened with many household cares, social duties, etc. but all the duties, pleasures and
 privileges, surely the greatest of these is motherhood. There is much to be learned of home sanitation, school hy-
 giene, and of health for the family. The cooperation of parents and teachers
 is needed to study these problems.
 ! The teaching of morals and manners is surely the province of the home though the school finds it necessary to | assist, and some homes relegate that, even, to the school or Sunday school The child is essentially initiative, so these things are taught by example, at home and al school. as well as by our words. so We must guard against care less manners. thOughtless remarks or 1 insinuations which may mean very lit tie to us, and soon be forgotten. but
 
 Joubert says, Children have more need
 of models than critics" Last year our
 main encouragementa as a congress was
 in the new associations which had been formed and the introduction of loan
 papers. The loan-papers have proved great help in the work of the local
 associations and we have new list which can be obtained by applying to the chairman of that department. We
 have also a small though good collec- ton of books concerning the study of
 child nature belonging to the state congress- MT. Loper kindly offered to allow us a place in the city superinten dents office for them, and they will be loaned to any member of an asso- citation who wishes to call for them. We are pleased and encouraged with | the report of work by our organizer | and welcome these new associations
 with all our hearts, and hope to go on
 extending the work to farther parts of i the state At the state fair we met teachers and parents from all parts of l Arizona through the restroom and
 hope to accomplish much Through cor respondence with them. We had many
 expressions of expectations of our 1 restroom at the fair and thanks are | due the committee on furnishing, and | the committees from the various asso- | citations which were responsible for its
 conduct during the week. It was an en- l tirely new line of work for all, but it proved it's need and we feel that with | al "a
 many improvements.
 l One new feature we expect to intro | duce is that of a playground, fitted with playground apparatus and super vised, of course, where parents may leave their little children to enjoy 1 themselves instead of tiring both chil-
 dren and parents by roaming over the
 grounds. Another thing that was asked
 for is a baby checking department The
 fair commission invited us to hold
 better babies contest and offered fi- l nancial aid but we felt unable to un-
 dertake it, owing to ineXperience lack of numbers and shortness of funds. We are sure now that the undertaking
 would have been more than we could 1 have carried through. Screened orr
 from our restroom, which was furn-
 ished with rocking and other chairs, ! books and magazines. was a dressing
 room, giving opportunity for little
 touching up" after a dusty ride, also
 sanitary cups for sale, checking stand
 and opportunities for making cup of tea or heating milk for the baby. There
 were cots and babies beds in one cor ner, and a lecture room curtained ln where were given free daily lectures.
 the most of which were enjoyed by | goodly number, though some days oth-
 CT attractions proved too strong. These
 lectures were all on timely subjects, by
 those who spoke with authority, and l those of us who were hostesses in the
 rest room planned to miss none. our thanks are due these lecturers who
 served free of cost to us. The crown ing features was the child welfare eX-
 hibit, arranged by Mrs. A. w. Morrill,
 and Mrs. r. T. Alkire This consisted ] of charts of food values loaned by the nigh school, cases of various foods in | quantities to equal each other in nu-
 triton, prepared by Miss Worthy John- l son, teacher of domestic science in the l Phoenix high school. charts showing 1 proper and improper articles to use for
 babies, hygienic wearing apparel, chli-