Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-03-09
THE BABY HEALTH CONTEST
Why and Where il was Originated,
It's Progress and Result.
Continued from Page One.)


There has been a continuous effort
to supply information at Baby Health
Contests, but this only partially sup
plies the need. Neither time nor
place is suited to bring great results.
There is too much hurry and confu-
sion in the contest rooms to answer
intelligently the many questions ask
ed by anxious parents. We must have
follow up meetings.
These meetings should be held
very soon after the contest and par
ents be given an opportunity to ask
questions concerning obscure points
on score cards. These should be an
swered by the judges, and extra in
struction given
Short Courses in Baby Raising
should be features OF every Farmers
Institute and Child Improvement
Clubs hold regular meetings in every
neighborhood. Instruction in the care
of the child should be a part of the
public school education of the boys
and the girls. from the kindergarten
through the high school. and a couple
of years of college training in this
branch of knowledge that is the
most important and most neglected,
would help to meet the demand of
the age for a better race.
There has seemed to be a demand
for simple study outlines to assist
parents in their belated efforts to
learn better methods in raising fam
lilies so Child Improvement Club
has been planned to meet the 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
strong physique contributes to a well
balanced mind as well as giving to it's
possessor health and power.
AS il is well known fact that
interest in the study circle is more
easily maintained in the study circle
than by individual effort in the home,
the mothers are arranged in groups
according 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 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
iSarranged 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 il
is only in this way that she can add
her mite to exchange of ideas that
is making her club of value to her
self and to others.
The first Child Improvement Cir
Gle was formed in Audubon in the
fall of 1914 as a result of the COM
bined efforts of Dr. Florence Brown
Sherbon. of Colfax; DR.. X. II. Syl-
vester of the State university at
Iowa City, Mrs G. A. May. of Audi
bon and myself. Mrs. H. ]. Hoogen-
akker was chosen for president and
the membership consisted of six mo-
theirs and six babies.
Interest in the Baby Club" as it
was popularity called, increased rap
| idly and this first circle soon out
grew the limit of twelve imposed
by the constitution. A group of ru-
raj mothers looked over the plan, de-
cided it was good and in a few weeks
another Child Improvement Club was
meeting regularly each month with
Mrs. Ray Emerson as president
The overgrown Audubon circle
was then divided and Mrs. John
L nAx do Of 4 hn
new circle
About this time the little town of
Ross concluded to have a Baby
Club" and the Ross Child Improve
ment Circle was organized, Mrs.
Fred Jones being chosen for presid-
| ing Office
1t is now little more than a year
since the first circle was formed and
some of the babies have out grown
the study outlines for infant care.
They are babies no longer and the
mothers of these children expressed
desire for a circle to study the child
from three to five years of age, so
the third Audubon circle was formed
with Mrs. X. J. Loveland for presi-
dent. The small beginning Of the
autumn of 1914 has grown in trifle
over year to five organized circles,
representing more than fifty fam
lilies.
4 definite study outline. covering
the first two years work is in print
and a tentative plan for the third
year is being arranged.
The plan and study outline of the
Audubon Improvement Circle has re-
ceived much favorable comment ana
has been adopted by the Iowa Baby
Health Contest Association for fol-
low up work. The Iowa Congress o.
Mothers has asked for the printed
leaflets for distribution and the Iowa
Central Committee of Child Welfare
comprising representatives from all
leading organizations in the state in
terested in child betterment will as
sist in the distribution of the plan.
Before closing this little story of
the Baby Health Contest, | want to
call attention to one fact that has
been overlooked in all accounts of
the early struggles of the Contest
idea to find opportunity to demon
strate its worth to the world. AL
though the contest at the Iowa State
Fair in 1911 was the first Baby
Health Contest, il was not held under
Fair SupervisiOn-it was really the
Audubon County Fair Association
which deserve credit as pioneers
among the Fair people. These enter
prising people accepted the plan for
a contest at the fair in Audubon, Sept
1911 and printed the same in their
Fair book and appropriated suffi-
cient funds to pay for prizes and
travelling expenses of the judge, who
nr