Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-15
MRS. DATESMAN
TAKES REAL PRIDE
IN HUSBANDS WORK
Wife of the Prospective Director
a Helpmeet of Practical
Ideas and Large
Intelligence
HER SHARE IN HIS SUCCESS

This Is the third of a series Of inter
views with the wives Of the men selected
by Mayor-elect Smith TO compose his
A one-mlnute chat with Mrs George r.
Datesman, the wife of the next Director
OF Public Works will find you completely
won by her womanliness and absolute
naturalness.
whether the topic OF conversation veers
from such discussions as the really big
thing to be accomplished Cor nearly so)
during the next administration by the
department, of which her husband has
been made director, namely the erection
of sewerage disposal plants. or the reasons
Tor the claim that he is the one man In
the whole country best fitted to officiate
to the cltys best interests as head of
the Department of Public Works, to a
chat about things feminine and personal.
such as the fact that not only Is she the
mother Of three grown daughters, but a
grandmother, 1t is patent that she Is the
type OF woman who combines the plea sing
qualities that make her the ideal mate
and mother.
PRIDE IN HUSBANDS WORK.
Mrs. Datesman claims some OF the
credit for the unqualified business success
attained by her husband in his many long
years of service with the city of Phlla-
delpha. She does it modestly, explaining
that II had been her fear that II he
weren't prodded on, his lack of self
assertiveness would result in his hiding
his light under a bushel"
"Of course she added refiectively, 81
realized that ability such rs Mr.. Dates
man possesses must be recognized in time,
and | must confess l was surprised that
happened just now. You see my husband
has never gone in for politics: he doesn't
know whole lot more about It than
Son here" pointing to a rolllcSing canine
pet. who pricked up his ears as his name
was mentioned.
She placed her finger on the real "open
sesame to the secret OF her husbands
unusual progress in his profession when
she told of the years in which he has
made 1t point to arise at o'clock and
devote the before-breakfast hours to
specializing In certain studies connected
with his engineering work.
For instance" she explained, "he has
been specializing for a very long while
on the best and most approved methods
OF sewage disposal. consulting at times
with New York's engineers to get their
ideas on this problem. He Is and has
been simply wrapped UP In his work"
I'VE have n pet expression about IA
ther In the family" she continued. You
see. he never does anything except for
one ot three reasons-God, his family or
the city OF Philadelphia. 1t has finally
resolved itself into family Joke. We'll,
father. who are you doing this for-your
family or the city of PhiladelphlaT
FOR CHEAPER COST OF LIVING.
Like every other housewife Mrs. Dates
man is interested I'm reducing Ito pulp
~ n thing nplV nOgqihlpl that
monster. the 'high cost OF living" She
admitted the SO-Cent gas rate would help
even more than "some," but didn't know
whether any such blessed relief will be
one OF the outcomes of new Director
OF Public Works or not
Mrs. Datesman also has an eye for
things artistic, and agreed that the pres
ent condition of the Parkway is an eye
sore. She believes that this will be one
of the first things rectied by the new
department, however.
Much as this matron was interested IL
talking OF things which concerned her
husbands work she was equally pleased
to discuss her family and her home. She
Is an example of that wise type of
woman whom the noted suffragist, DR..
Anna Howard Shaw. meant when she
said, "I believe not so much in mother
love as mother intelligence"
MOTHER AND CHILDREN.
She seemed to demonstrate this in her
remark: 81 have made it a point, since
my children were small, to keep abreast
of them in everything they did Yes,
even TO the dress question. have gone
as much socially, dressed as well and
well''-she finished laughingly-'I have
never let them get ahead of me in any
thing they did. I don't consider 1t wise
nor right for mother to efface herself
for her children"
Mrs. Datesman's two eldest daughters
are married. They are Mrs. c. Elmer
Townsend, of Harrisburg, and Mrs. Devils
Howell, Sd, of this city, the latter's nus
band is secretary OF the Franklin Trust
Company.
The youngest daughter, Marion, lives
at home, and for a 2O-year-old miss seems
to have beauty cornered pretty Well.
The Datesman home is located at 6as
Wayne avenue, Germantown.