The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-25
CALLS FORUM
MOTHERS BOON
Prof. Edward J. Ward Ad-
dresses Meeting of Com
munity Sunshine Society.

The Community Center as a Means
of Bridging the Widening Gap Between
Us and Our Children was the theme Of
an address by Prof Edward ]. Ward,
of the United States Bureau Of EduCa-
ton at meeting OF the Community Sun
shine Society in Woodward & LOthrOp' 5
Auditorium yesterday afternoon.
The effort to interest the fourth
commandment as prohibiting the COM
munity's coming together in the school
house, and so being made socially whole
on the Sabbath day" said Prof Ward
becomes Intellectual in view OF the I'M
answerabIe defense which Jesus gave for
the right Of propagating health on this
or any day.
Until the Hollis-J ohnson bill, which
guarantees that the desires of the men
and women of each community, when
properly organized. shall be respected,
every public school building in the Dis
trict of Columbia will be, by implica-
ton. a symbol of the disregard of the
authority of the community association
of adult citizens.
"On the other hand, when the Com
munity Forum bill becomes the law. the
public schoolhouses will tend to become
not only more efficient for the instruc-
ton of children through the example of
good citizenship set by the assembly
there OF the men and women of each COM
munity, but will tend to become the
means by which the older people may
keep up with the younger generation.
Falls Behind Her Children.
What this will mean is told strongly
and simply in the words of a mother. She
writes:
The community center comes to the
| rescue OF the middle-aged woman in the
bitterest hour of her life. The average
woman who brings up a family of chill
dren on the average wage must do all her
own Homework. her sewing and mendng.
The constant demands of little children
on her time and energy leave her little
opportunity to read or to think of any
thing besides the work in hand She is
probably happy in this and looks FOR
ward TO the time when her children grow
up. Then they go to high school, or they
go out into the world.
'Mingling with people of different
training and greater advantages, they
no longer think mothers decision on any
matter final. She Is suddenly aware some
day that she is not her daughters equal;
that she is no longer a fountain of wis
dom as she was to her little children.
that she is ignorant and hopelessly be-
hind the times.
What shah she do? What can she
do!
"'She goes to the community center.
There she finds people with the same de-
sire for self-improvement, the same
want of training, and she also finds peo-
pie of superior ability and experience
who are ready to help her while they
are helping themselves. She hears mat
tiers of public interest explained and dis
cussed and she is delighted to find that
she can understand them. She gains
courage.
"'After little she takes mart in q do
bate, and before the season is over she
is able to participate in the discussion
and express intelligent opinions. The
woman has found herself. Her children
look at her with new interest and begin
, to take pride in her
Following Prof. Ward DR.. Martin spoke
| briefly on the baby week campaign.
The meeting was closed with a bene-
| diction byo Rev. DR.. John McMurray.