Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-26


week. starting March L. 1916.
The movement for a national baby health week
originated with Mrs. Percy b. Pennybacker OF
Texas and was launched by the General FEEDER
alton of womens clubs of which she is president.
When in Norfolk for the last annual meeting of
the state federation Mrs. Pennybacker outlined
her plans in person.
Miss Julia Lathrop. head of the children's bur
eau of the department of labor, most
thusiastc in favoring the plan, and has lent gov
ernmental aid to the work. The clubwomen
especially proud result for this is the first
time the federal government has co-operated with
the clubwomen in any such endeavor.
Baby Health week is to be the first, general
popular expression of the scientific attitude of pre-
venton rather than cure applied, to infant life"
says Miss Lathrop Science has no value unless
it is applied to life, and the chdrens bureau has
value unless gather the information,
prepare 1t in ineligible form, and get it to the
people who want it and who need it.
Whatever the social and medical causes OF
babies deaths, there is immediate opportunity tc
reduce the present death rate by using methods
that we know and understand If babies well
born and we'll cared for, the death rate will dis
appear to the vanishing point
To this end, the childrens bureau has gotten
out special bulletin with practical suggestions for
sizes, drawn from the experiences of communities
where local baby week campaigns have been held.
Demonstration of the gospel OF how to save
babies has been left to the health civics and home
economics departments of the state declarations.
In Nebraska, therefore, the work is in the
hands of Mrs. X r. J.. Edholm, state health chair
we'll as the Nebraska representative of
Miss Lathrop's bureau; Mrs Hugh La Master of
Tecumseh, civics chairman, and Mrs. A. E. Davis
of Lincoln who besides being home economies
chairman, is head of that department at the Agri-
cultural college of the University of Nebraska
Mrs. DAVIDSON is especially concerned in this
work, and at a recent meeting of the Omaha
Woman's club, which she addressed voiced several
instances of infant mortality, a result of ignor
ance of the care of babies by young mothers.
conference of these three chairmen was ar
ranged for Omaha early in the month, but on ac-
count of the illness of Mrs La Master the meet
ing was postponed. to be held in Lincoln early in
January. Immediately after this conference, work
en- Nebraskas observance OF baby week will be
launched.
Women's clubs in every city town and ham,
let will be urged to observe baby health week in
some manner.
Exhibits patterned after the child labor exhibit
held at the court house last year by Miss Josephine
Eschenbrenner under the auspices of the national
child labor committee. is of the ideas that Mrs
Edholm has in mind. 1t includes charts. photo
graphs and other articles which demonstrate the
idea.
Literature bearing the subject will be got
ten out by the children's bureau and many women.s
clubs will arrange special programs, and in some
even pageants will be gotten up to present the idea
forciby.
For smaller towns the suggestion has been
made that meetings at which the speakers
should include health officers and prominent Off
Gals, should be held.
'The children's bureau is ready to cooperate
with any community in the country that wants to
hold baby week. especially those where there are
DO federated clubs" says Miss Lathrop
State health officials in almost every state of
the union have already written offering help in
promoting baby weeks in their states
For the Omaha Woman's club Mrs. Edholm'
who is also health chairman for this organizations
Mrs. F. ]. Burnett of the home economies depart
ment. and Mrs. F. ]. Birss, civcs chairman. will
be in charge of arrangements for the observance
locally
On New Years day, the Omaha woman's club
resumes its activities by large reception to its
members and their husbands at the residence OF
Mrs Edward Phelan. The following dayss the
memorial service instituted during the administra-
ton of Mrs. C. w. Hayes will be held in the audi
forum Of the Young Women's Christian association
between 2;sO and p. m. Mrs T. j. Gist of Falls
City, a prominent figure in state women's club
dom and a gifted speaker. will give the memorial
address, musical numbers for which will be by
Walter Graham.
Additional Club News on PAGE Sly