The Washington herald., 1914-04-23
BRYAN DISCUSSES
Child WELFARE
Chief Speaker at Opening
Session Of International
Congress.
WELCOME nv SIMMONS
WELCOME BY SDDoNs
Commissioner Claxton Says Home Is
Real School of the Boy
and Girl.

Nth delegates in attendance from all
parts OF the world, the third Interna-
tional Congress on Child Welfare, held
under the auspices of the National Con-
gress of Mothers and the Parent-Teach-
ers' associations. opened its sessions at
the Raleigh Hotel last night.
Secretary Bryan, whose interest In the
congress has been shown repeatedly, was
the chief speaker of the evening. COM
missioner Frederick l. Siddons gave the
welcome to Washington, and p p. ClaN-
ton, Commissioner OF Education. also
spoke Mrs. Frederic Schoi presided.
Secretary Bryan in his address said:
Each year it is our privilege to invite
delegates of foreign organizations TO con-
crosses and conventions held in this coun-
try. These gatherings cover every phase
of human character. but l doubt IL any
of all the number that meet in the United
States every year goes deeper into the
problem of human welfare than the con-
vention which gathers here tonight
Worlds Progress Concerned.
Because of my deep interest in the
work. I feel II is an honor and a privi-
lege to address you. Your work is one
vitality concerned with the question OF
the worlds progress. In a sense, ii is a
representation. a naturalization, Of the
commandment Love thy neighbor as
thyself' The world recognizes that ii
must take into consideration every phase
of child life, because upon the child life
of the nation is dependent the greatness
of the nation"
Commissioner Siddon spoke Of the
growing interest in organizations that
look after the welfare -of-the child, and
disseminate a knowledge that is more i'm
portant than book-knowledge, because
IL broadens the child. and enables 1t to
understand all of life.
Commissioner Claxton, in a short talk,
said: -
THAT education is matter solely for
the schools has long been a fallacy OBJ
taining in civilized countries Evolution.
however, has shown, that the school
merely takes the place of the old ap-
premiership system and never can hope
TO equal the home as a training center,
for the home always has been, and pos
sibiy always will be, the real school for
the child.
In the District Of Columbia. it has
been found that the average child spends
800 hours a year in school, out of a total
of $50 hours. The average child in the
United States. from birth to majority,
spends 5000 hours in school out of a
total of ls4, 900 hours
Mrs. schoH's Address.
Mrs. Frederick Schoff, the president, in 4,
her opening address. said:
One of the foundations for race bet |
terment must be the definite provision |
for the extension Of opportunities for |
evsfy one for the study of children, that. |
thbugh sympathy and understanding of \
child nature, the warping and blighting |
OF human lives may cease.
THE next step must be the careful |
guardianship of all children from de- |
moralizinK and degrading influences. |
through the recognition that every child, |
whatever his race or creed, Is worthy |
of the highest consideration and pro-
lection through Sthe years when charac-
ter is forming
GacettnES from Foreigners.
Mrs William Z. Rees gave a solo, and |
the congress heard greetings from a num-
Der of foreign delegates, including Senor
Don J. f. Lefevre, first secretary of the
Panama Legation: Mrs. ZoritZa d. Fur
najieff. representative of the Bulgarian
Mrs. Pingsa Hu Chu, official
delegate of the Chinese government and
Mrs. r. P. Alexander. representative OF
the National Council of Mothers Of
Japan.
A number of messages were delivered |
by members of cooperating organiZa-
tions for social welfare. Among those
who spoke were Mrs. Daniel Lothrop. of
Concord Mass, and Miss Gertrude
Knipp of the American Association for
the Study and Prevention of Infant Nor
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