Williston graphic., 1916-05-25
Club WOman's Power
For the Betterment
OF Her Home
By Mrs. Larkin C.. Hart

OF Her Home
BY Mrs. Larkin C. Hart
(Read at the third district conven-
ton, North Dakota Federation of
Women's Clubs, held at Crosby, May
Is it worth while? To answer,
yes. If educational work is worth
while; if clean as we'll as pure foods;
| if more scientific knowledge and
practice of domestic science in our
many homes; if better legislation; if
if organized effort to benefit our
homes; the poor, the needy; those
who have faltered by the wayside is
worth whilst: if these things are all
worth while: if these things are all
of value, for along all these and many
other lines are women working to-
gether for better home life and better
community life.
Far greater than any other has
been the influence of the club upon
woman, herself; she has become a
better home maker; because the do
mestic science work of the federated
club has given her new understand
ing of the beauty of we'll ordered
home, she has become better mother
because
mothers; she has studied the child life
in many phases. She has come in
touch with the great questions of the
world, which her children must soon
face and she is able to intelligently
safety.
In reply to the question:: "Why
did I join Club" desired to give my
mind more wholesome food, and re-
ceive help from other club women; to
make me a better homekeeper and to
raise my children, l wanted to keep
abreast of my children to prevent that
loss of prestage and companionship
that comes when the child recognizes
the parents lack of knowledge.
The voice of single individual may
express a prejudice or narrow view
power while, the united voices of
many women associated as Club,
may be discussed the problems Of the
bettermcnt of our homes, may come
to a better understanding, and each
woman carry more power, on her re-
turn home, for the betterment of her
children and home. A mothers high
est duty of course is to render home
the best and dearest place in the
world; the true home recognizes thru
it's inmates that it has five fold re-
sponsibility, duty to the state, to the
community, to the home, itself, to the
child, and the Greater. To everyone
of these five factors the controlling
powers of the home owe continuous
duty. No home can unselfishly exist
that forgets community rights, the
home, as we'll should be for the child
spiritual as we'll as material shelter,
and to recognize under all the vary
ing conditions of life the unceasing
love, and unchanging wisdom of the
one God. AS the home and its teach
ings are, so will the citizens of the
state be later.
Prof. O'Shea, says; in America to-
day, the training of the children
should be a community matter. No
one home can raise much higher in
it's standard of training than the gen.
eral level of training in the neigh
borhood. Bad conduct is as con-
tagious among children as scarlet
fever. 1t would be just as sensible to
permit each home to treat diptheria
and small pox in it's own way, regard
less of the common welfare, as for
each to train it's children without re-
gard to other children in the COM
munity. Thus we see the need of
Mothers Clubs for the power of the
mother in the betterment of the home
and community. Club women are
learning that they need not only be
good home mothers, but also good
community mothers.
To the rural clubs: The newly coin
ed phrase one hears to-day in connec-
tion with farm life: Better farming,
better business, better living, better
homes; how to help to bring about
these great ends, is one of the best
things a club can do.
The first subject that will come up
will be: What are the principal pro-
blems to meet in our homes, and how
to meet them. The first topic you
treat is that Of home hygiene, discus
sions of how better ventilation of
sleeping rooms; better protection from
flies, better cooking, better sanitation
can be secured, beatifying the farm
home and this will suggest the clean
ing up of the farm yard-of these
subjects are intelligently discussed
every woman will carry home spirit
of power for the betterment Of her
home From the fact she is men,
Der of a Club.
AS one kind of work is taken up
after another; it will soon be seen
how much woman can do if they work
together for the betterment Of their
homes, schools, and communities.
Country life has it's problems, and far
more it has it's great, glorious oppor-
tunities.
There is no one in all our land for
whom we have higher regard whom
we honor more than the mother in the
country, whose days are filled with toll
and whose nights are given to anxious
planning for the welfare Of her hus-
band and children. But the time has
come when we must realize that the
woman who gives all her physical
strength to the service of her family,
is not rendering the truest service,