The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
NOW FOR THE FATHERS CLUBS

ALLOW a club to meet in it, even when
that club was made W of taxpay,cs
and the fathers OF pupils.
When after much persuasion the
board was prevailed on to allow the
school building to be used by the club
1t was With the understanding that
the club would meet in the kinder
garten loom. This room. like the rest
OF the building. not being provided
with lights. Mr.. Stevenson was forced
to supply candles. And because there
was no furniture for grownups the
fathers were forced to make them
selves as comfortable as they could
in the chairs occupied by their chill
dren during school hours.
Having got them together. regard
less Of poor light and uncomfortable
chairs. Mr.. Stevenson lost no time in
stating the object of the meeting.
What sort Of fathers are you?" he
began. How much do you know
about your own children? How much
do you know or how much do you
care about the schools in which the
future lives Of your children are being
shaped? OF course you will say that
you do everything that you can for
the schools. Now I just ask you. do
you? Some time ago We all voted a
lot of bonds to improve our public
schools. How many Of you know how
that money was spent? Were the
children really benefited by It?
You have only to glance around
this room to see what your own chill
dren need in the way of lights. Are
all the rooms in this building I'M
lighted? Do any of you know? What
do YOU suppose a child does here on
dark winter afternoons? How many
a. you know that this building. the
school building Of your own district.
has no sewer connection? What are
o going 10 do about that?
1.-THE truth IF the matter is We men
don't know our own children. We
have never given the schools they at
tend the slightest attention. II makes
no difference how we have succeeded
in business. what the community
thinks Of us. as fathers We are
failures. We may as we'll face the
situation squarely.
The reason for II Is that men don't
think of themselves as fathers. Wa
think If ourselves as business men
workers. voters. but never as fathers.
Nov, what sort of fathers are you?
Will you get together with Lac AMI
tackle the job Of learning how TO be
a father? It's a man size job. I as
sure you, being an intelligent. efficient
father of children. What are YOU
going TO do about it?"
This appeal brought results. Right
then n there the first fathers club
was organized.
AS those thirty men turned the .dea
over in their minds their plans en-
tlnl.1 Fran pAnsf1arf a, tbafr ,u.,,
children they began TO think of those
of their neighbors. then OF all within
their school district. From this prang
the desire to have a fathers club in
every district in the city. all the clubs
working together in the interest of the
children of their city. With this .dea
they named their organization for the
school district in which they lived
the Fathers Club of the Madison ave-
nue. school.
This club began work by taking a
school census n the district. The men
did all the work themselves. They
visited every house in the district.
getting acquainted with the mother
and fathers as we'll as with the school
children. They not only recorded the
names of the children OF school age.
but they got the Industrial history OF
each child who had begun work.
At is second meeting the club threw
open its doors To all men over 81 years
of age in the city. These men We're
invited to come and hear what the
club had done and get acquainted
with the fathers club idea. In less
han a year there were twelve fathers
clubs in Council Bluffs. one for each
school district except two. a few
months later these two districts fell
into line.
From Council, Bluffs the idea spread
into other cities and towns Of Iowa.
then into other States. Beginning as
"A community idea it has SO broadened
and strengthened that it has now
become a movement that. juds ny by
present indications, will before very
long include the whole country. If
these clubs follow the lead Of the
parent club the work will not he
limited to school matters.
Each club holds a monthly meeting
In the school of its district. and
the city federation holds a meeting
in some centrally located hall once
every three months. A yearly bulle-
tin is printed. with the programmes
for each month. 1t is one of the rules
Of the federation To stick to these
programmes n finish each meeting.
Among the subjects bulletined for
l914-l915 are: "The Tramp Problem
and Its Relation to Public Schools"
Social Significance of Amusements
for the Young" Moving Pictures,'
summer Camps THE Dollar or the
Child" SHOULD We Have More Men
Teachers" The Gang and the Boys
Club"
The membership of the Council
Bluffs clubs includes men Of all
classes and Of every condition. At
the quarterly meetings of the fedora
ton ~clergymen, lawyers, doctors and
%financiers rub elbows with brick ma
sons, postal clerks, mail carriers.
street sweepers. lumbermen. bakers.
railroad engineers, brakemen, carpen-
tiers. cooks. clerks,
One indication OF their strength. as
we'll as the thoroughness with which
they have gone into the work for the
children, was the election OF Mr.. Ste
venso to the Board Of Education.