Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-05-04

many cases accomplished by a cam
paign undertaken by some small group
who co-operated for the first time in
arranging their Baby Week. One CAM
paign in a Southern mountain village
was launched and carried through by
one woman alone, a tuberculosis pa
tient. She arranged for meetings and
secured literature on baby care, which
was distributed in the two stores of the
town.
OF course Baby Week can effect no
immediate revolutions in community
care, but it has proved an excellent
starting point for new and permanent
work.
Perhaps q Westinghouse service is
organized, because the women of the
community come to realize during
Baby Week that there is no other way
in which they can be instructed so cas-
lily and so well in the modern science
of baby care. They see, perhaps more
clearly than before, that the mother
who depends on instinct and tradition
in regulating her baby's food and cloth
ing and sleeping and all the details of
the baby's day is behind the times.
They see, further, that intelligent care
not only will prevent illness but will
simplify their own daily work.
Or perhaps Baby Week leads to a
determination to have complete birth
registration in the community, with a
committee to carry on test and assist
the local officials in enforcing the birth
registration law.
Or classes are started in the public
school for the instruction Of girls in
domestic science and in baby care.
Baby Week, especially in small COM
munities, is frequently concerned with
little children as we'll as babies, and
several reports tell Of provision for
physical examination of children or of
new interest in wholesome play. As
one woman wrote to the Childrenss bu-
reau after Baby Week:
I'VE feel that the danger from con-
tagious diseases, the need of a strict
quarantine, the danger from flies, bad
milk. unclean stables, and bad farm
sanitation need publicity in rural CON-
munities. Our whole county does not
boast Of one kindergarten, and the idea
Of the value Of play for children, both
young and older, is very poorly under
stood. A popular proverb in these
parts is only babies and monkeys need
amusing Itwas very interesting to
see the play-hungry children hover
over the toy exhibit and to watch them
as they listened to the primary teacher
tell them stories. The young mothers
who brought their children seemed sc
interested, and so frankly acknowl
edged the helpfulness of the work, thai
1t seemed altogether worth WHILE"
And last but not lease, Baby Weel
has usually led to better understand
ing of the child-hygiene work of the
state health authorities. Four states
have special child-hygiene divisions
and several others are doing extensive
work for children. Nearly all of the
states have special bulletins or leaf
let's on baby care. To show parent:
how and where authoritative ,materia.
on the care of their children can bt
secured free Of charge, and to make
community eager to cooperate witt
state health officials in their work fol
child welfare would be by itself a sub
stantial result from Baby Week.
~O~~~~~~~N~S~D~~S~~~
gestions for planning and carrying ou
Baby Week. The new edition of 1911
is full of interesting bits reported from
the local Baby Weeks of last year.
Two bulletins, "Child- Welfare Exhib
its" and ''How to Conduct Children''
Health Conference" give more de
tailed instructions on these specia
features of Baby Week.
Other bulletins on infant welfar
include a tabular statement of infant