Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-12-16

mothers and for this reason cannot
cover every need of any one individ-
ual.
A baby is an individual and must
be treated as such. 1t is well to bear
this in mind and one is not apt to
be allowed to forget it If there is a
baby in the house or in the family
So mother to be educated in moth
er-craft should read many books and
then mix common sense with her book
knowledge just as physician or a
lawyer must mix studya and practice to
enable him to become learned in his
profession.
Educating mothers is slow work
because the desire for knowledge
comes with the baby, and the baby in
the home adds so much extra work
and makes such incessant demands
on time and strength that the mother
finds little time for study. Unless
there is outside stimulation she de-
ponds for help on an occasional visit
from her family physician when her
child is critically i'll and the advice
of we'll meaning neighbors whose
knowledge is often traditional.
This great work of educating moth
ers, and we should include fathers,
would progress much faster il the
proper care Of child was taught in
the school. A kindergarten pupil
could learn in one year much useful
knowledge that the high schol grad
uate, worrying along with her first
born would be glad to use. A three
year old child can be taught
to detect bad habits and assist In
correcting them in the baby sister
or brother.
The present day parent has not had
the benefit of special training in the
care of the child for onYy a very few
ton to the subject of baby raising
and even If they did, It would not be
available for the greater majority,
as statistics tell us that most of the
parents of large families are the
children who quit school in the gram
mar grade.
There has seemed to be a demand
for simple study outlines to assist
parents in their belated efforts to
learn better methods in raising famil-
les so Child Improvement Club, has
been planned to meet that demand
and give some assistance, at least,
to the mothers who are anxious to
give to their babies the best possible
chance in life, and who believe that a
strong physique contributes to a well
balanced mind as well as giving to its
possessor health and power.
AS 1t is a well known. fact that
interest In study Is easier maintain
ed in the study circle than by in
dividual effort in the home, the
mothers are arranged in groups ac-
cording to the age of the child whose
needs are most pressing and who else
particularly desires to study.
A mother interested in prenatal
influence and the child under one
year is asked to become a member of
circle number one. If her problems
are perplexing concerning the child
from one to three, she enters circle
number two, and circle number three
is arranged for the mothers of child
rem from three to five, thus taking
him to school age.
The lessons, talks, comparative
tests of children and social relaxa-
ton of these meetings, which occur
monthly, are beneficial, but one par
ticular point that is often overlook
ed, is summing up the benefits of
cooperative study and club work Is
the inspiration received by each in
dividual member to add to her know
ledge by observation and little
home study. She soon sees that 1t
is only in this way that she can add