Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-24
FIRST PRIZE LETTER
By JEAN X. VAN HAAGAN

To The Editor Of the Evening Ledger W0md"
From observations, | should conclude that
the two aims of your department are use
funess and amusement or enjoyment with
these in mind, | would make the following
suggestions:
First, as a young mother, any information
concerning the welfare of children would
be most helpful and interesting. such az
articles on the general care of the health
of the child, on the one hand and on SUIT
able as well as pretty clothes, on the other.
somehow. children's wardrobes are much
neglected from point of view Of SUITABILITY
and originality one can pick up news
paper of almost any issue with new after
noon or evening frocks or accessories for "A
grown-up woman. but the wee tots gar
ments so displayed are few ana far De-
tween. As for the general care of chiIds
health, including the items of food neces-
sarv and beneficial at the different stages
such intelligent information would be
boon indeed to a world of mothers unceas-
ing i'm their efforts to be more efficient in
their calling,
Again. since most of us are home
keepers' in one way or another, as elther
wives or sisters, few articles on the ar
ferent economics in this sphere would be
appreciated Economies Of time, of labor,
of materials The servant problem being
of large concern to most of us, marketing
hints or recipes for cooking inexpensive
food attractively and nourshtngly wouId
save no end OF our perpleXtties and concerns
one of the most useful ideas might be "A
column on "Discoveries little short cuts
I'm daily routine or in mending or making
over clothes or modelling new ones. etc. For
instance, ! happen to be making my snall
daughter some little smocks. wished !
had time to embroder neat little collars ana
cuffs. when thought of the little dds she
had two years ago. When turned around
hot ba
made charming collars Then all that re-
mained for me to do was a little embroidery
ON the cuffs and behold ! with little time
and the use Of the old articles OF no use in
their original form. | had SIX pretty
dresses Ideas of this sort save many
hours for the oVerweary ana hafd-piesseu
parents.
The part of your page devoted to in
ouiries il similarly helpful and I've no
doubt means much to more persons than
one imagines.
4 department or subdepartment under
this mage might be on education. Somehow
uarents are thinking and investigating this
phase of endeavor more now than ever be-
fore We're realizing that mis-education
and ,undereducaton are two Of the big
gest handicaps to the youth of today. There
is at present "A move on foot to discard
the use of Latin and Greek and to sub
stitute more manual work. Just what
effect this would have is, of course, prob
IematlcaI but il deserves lengthy and wise
thought as well as wide discussion.
ANY information of the various helpful
and original things that are being done in
civic or community interest are always read
eagerly, too.
Also il some one connected with any set
Element center would write a daily or
weekly letter to children of comfortably of
families, telling them Of the great pleasure
sluu children get from so little and what
sacrifices they undergo, etc, 1t would mean
n great deal ! am sure, to many of our
Young hopefuls who through overindugence
are becoming unwhoIesomely self-centered,
Suggestions, then, on;
Child welfare,
Health
Food,
Clothes
The care Of our homes,
Discoveries lin any realm),
Education,
civic or community interests,
Settlement work,
would be enthusiastically received by a
| host of women. Sincerely yours.
| JEAN ROBERTSON (Mrs, ii. H. VAN
| HAAGAN).
| AVN u@x,o-