Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-03
CHILD WELFARE LAWS
BIRTH REGISTRATION MEASURE
RECOMMENDED BY IOWA
H. COMMITTEE.
ASK ESTABLISHMENT ~
OF RESEARCH STATION
Report Filed Recommending Plans For
Scientific Work in Social Betterment
-Comprehcnsive Plan For Encour-
asement of Community Orsaniza-
=
ton. ."
Special to Times Republican.

|
| Iowa City, Feb, S.--Adoption by
Iowa of a birth registration law. estab-
lishnent of child research station at
4 the state university, and encourage
ment of community organization with
| in the county are advocated by the
| Iowa committee on child welfare IN
the report which it has prepared to
| be issued soon by the extension diviI
| ion of the university OF Iowa as the
Iowa Handbook on Child Welfare.
The committee consists of leaders in
Ieight women's organizations of the
state. Its membership is as follows:
Chairman, DR.. Florence B. Sherbon. OF
ColfaX: secretary treasurer, the Rev.
Laura 3. Caller, of Mount Pleasant:
Federation of Women's Clubs. pr.
Velura E. Powell, of Red Oak: Mothers
Congress, Mrs. Martha 0. Ruste of
Charles City; Baby Health AssoCia-
ton. Mrs. Mary I. Watts. of Audubon;
Iowa State Medical Women, DR.. Kate
Harpel. of Boone; Iowa Child Research
Station Association, Mrs. Cora p.
Hills, OF Des Moines: Iowa Visiting
Nurses Association, Miss Maud Reeder,
of Dubuque: Daughters o. Ceres. Mrs.
Harriet w. Ashby. of Des Moines;
Womens Christian Temperance Union,
Mrs. Ida B. Wise Smith. of Cedar
Rapids. =.
Birth Statistics Unsatisfactory.
THE committee believes that the
passage of an adequate birth regis
tration law which will admit Iowa to
the registration area and permit our
statistics to become a part of the fed
eral census, is the immediate and i'm
perative duty of the state" the report
declares Figures are given on the
birth registration canvass conducted
by the women of the state in fifteen OF
the larger cities. These, compared
with the figures of the assessors, who
now have the duty Of gathering statis-
tics, show that 100 babies or 8. per
cent of all those born in the cities are
overlooked in one year by the asses
sors
This subject should be strenuously
agitated during the coming year to
the end that when the next Legislature
convenes. the passage of q satiSfac-
tory law will be a foregone conclusion"
is the final appeal Of the committee.
Scientific Child Welfare Study.
Concerning the necessity for estab-
lishnent of a child welfare research
station. the handbook points out. the
time would seem to he ripe for the
application Of the same scientific
methods TO the study Of the human
animal that have so revOiu tioniZed
plant and animal husbandry. To do
this efficiently there must be a fixed
point of eparture-normal standards" !
The plan to determine what the normal
standards are thru special research |
work is outlined, and the club women !
of the state are urged to impress upon ,
their senators and repreSen taliveS the !
of the proposed institution. |
Encourage Community Organization
Announcement of comprehensive !
plans for encouragement Of community |
organization is an important feature |
Of the report. The committee urges |
formation of county associations for !
the purpose of making child welfare
establishing child welfare CEN
ters, mothers study circles parent /!
teachers clubs. introducing nursing |
service into town and rural schools in
Producing medical examination into /
the schools. making a wider use of the ,
visiting nurses for prenatal care and |
instruction in child rearing and home /
nursing. supervision Of school hygiene, !
intensive education in public health |
matters. and employment Of social !
agent for the county whose activities |
shah correspond to those Of the county |
crop agent. An extensive list of sources |
from which persons interested IN COM |
munitv betterrer. can obtain help IL /
furnished !
The handbook will be ready for dis |
trtbution within few days. Copies OF |
II may be obtained by addressing the |
extension division of the University |
Of Iowa,