Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-10-21
TH-DISTWICT CLUB WOMEN
DISCUSS COMMUNITY WELFARE WORK

state IeueThtlou III Inv
and loan fund was given by Mrs.
j. e. Raymond OF Girard, the state
vice president.
Mrs. c. A. Hoffman was the third
state officer present and she urged
that all the members of the differ
ent clubs subscribe for the National
Federation Journal. And II not each
member, there should at least be
one copy OF the publication in each
club Of the district.
All present were enthusiastic
over the proposed work to be ac-
complished by them as given by
DR.. Lydia Devilbliss. the state su-
perintendent OF child hygiene.
Talked ON Child Hygiene
Public health nurses and child
hygiene stations as means OF saving
the lives Of babies needlessly lost
each year, were advocated. That
the problem of child mortality is
no longer an individual one. but
social and public question, was EN-
phasized. Disease and filth. bad
milk and water, affect not individ-
uals only, but entire communities.
what does 1t profit a parent II his
child gains the whole school cur
riculum and loses his health?" was
n question the Kansas authority on
child-saving asked. 1t is recognized
that sickness is a cause Of poverty
that Ill health leads to drunken
ress, and that disease and poverty
constitute a vicious circle In the
lives of many unfortunate human
beings. DR.. Devilbiss said. with a
properly equipped public health
service and the loyal cooperation
and support of the public, it will
be possible to replace the vicious
circle with the cycle Of health, hap
piness and prosperity to the peo-
pie"
She gave some interesting facts
that awakened the women on many
points. She raped the race suicide
idea so prevalent and spoke OF me
widespread ignorance of mothers In
feeding their babies.
She said that the infant mortality
rate in Kansas was one in nine as
compared to one in fifteen in New
York. and why this was in the APP
psrently healthy state Of Kansas, no
one seemed to know, but the doc
tors we're earnestly trying to faith
ON the cause. "In India the moth
ers throw their babies into the
Gauges rivers as offerings to. their
idols but in the state of Kansas the
mothers offer their babies on the
altar of greed and ignorance. The
rate of infant mortality marks the
state of civilization for country
"How many mothers present can
cut freehanded pattern Tor :"
baby's dress in half hour and In
the rest of the afternoon make it!
One hand was raised. She then said
"The babies clothes should not be
bedecked with ruffles, laces, rib
bons and frills, but the babies
should have clothes that they can
wear comfortably
"A person would not think OF
starting on an automobile trip lo
California with a broken cog in the
machinery. But mothers will allow
their children to start out on their
educational journey with weak eyes
moor teeth, a dislocated 7erta bra
which is nothing more than brok-
on cog in the human machine.
Scholarship and Loan Work
The report from the scholarship
and loan committee by Mrs. AKIN
of ManHdIIdH1 CuuAA AAoA'
great work being done among the
worthy girl college students OF inc
district who need extra funds TO
helm them through their junior and
senior years. In the last year $|O0
has been loaned to six girls, stu
dents at the Kansas state agricul'
tural college and living in the
Fifth district. Since the loan was
established $7445 has been loaned
by the state federation.
The fund totals $4O62.5O. al
raised by the club women, and the
money is reloaned from year tc
wear. Mrs. C. F. Henson Of Paola II
chairman of the state committee
and the state report was given BY
Mrs. ]. E. Raymond Of Girard, vics
president of the state federation.