The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1918-09-06
Play And ADMINISTRATION,


Al striking instance of a community
where foreign born mothers have
lived and brought up their children
In ignorance Of American customs is
found in the report recently made
public by the Children's Bureau Of
the u. S. Department OF Labor on the
conditions affecting children's well
fare in Waterbury, Connecticut
1t is mothers and children such as
these who will, it Is expected, find
special pleasure in the Patriotic Play
Week df the Children's Year Recrea-
ton Drive, one purpose OF which H.
tO increase in each community the
feeling Of neighb0rliness. Other
Children's Year plans are already
tending To teach mothers American
customs and the English language
as well as to give them the inStruc-
tion they are seeking in child care.
But Play Week offers an exceptional
opportunity to reach mothers of al
natiOnalities- This iS especially true
or the preparations for giving folk
dances of different nations, and for
singing national hymns and songs at
the Patriotic Play Week In various
communities.
In Waterbury the foreign born
mothers had become practically iso-
lated from the life of the others in
the community, and we're perpetual
ing in their small groups the super
stitions and old country ideas with
which they had come to the United
States. Meantime many though not all
of their children were acquiring differ
emit notions OF life, and growing used
to other ways and customs. I'm fact,
the welfare workers of Waterbury
found 1T difficult to make plain to the
mothers themselves the principles OF
modern hygiene, and were better able
to reach the mothers by instructing
the children lin the schools through
Little Mothers Leagues. In these
leagues the children, who often have
the care OF younger brothers and
sisters, are instructed in approved
methods df child care, and by demon
strating what they have learned at
home they can do much to convince
their mothers of its value.
Another approach to these mothers
is through play. They will be inter
ested in how their children play
especially liz they realize how AZ
affects their welfare. One remark
able fact about the Waterbury study
ID that out OF more than two thou
sand mothers who were interviewed
not one refused to give the informa-
ton needed by the Children's Bureau,
because they believed that the Bureau
was working to help their children.
They will b. nc less interested in
knowing how their children compare
with those of their friends and neigh
bors when the badge tests OF physi-
cal efficiency are given. The mothers
will want the exhibits of useful
things done during the summer
which their children devise to be as
good and better than those of other
children Tn all these things the
mothers as well as the children will
be coming in contact with other
mothers interested in the same
things, and in this way, it may be ex-
pected, new bonds will be formed be-
tween them which will work for 90 in-
Icreasing spirit Of neighborliness And
the mothers and fathers who come to-
gether IT'D promote healthful play fOr
their children viii. II Is hoped, con-
tinne their feeling of common re-
sponsibiity for the children's vel
fare, So that more community meas
ures for the protection Of children
will result. Ert