The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-08-21
PLAY AND INSTRUMENTATION.

~ striking instance OF community
where foreign born mothers have lived
and brought up their children in ig.
fOf8flce Of American customs is found
in the report recently made public
by the children's bureau of the Unit
ed State department Of labor on the
conditions affecting children's welfare
iii Waterbury, Conn.
It Ifs mothers and children such as
these who will, it is expected, find
special pleasure in the patriotic play
week Of the children's year recreation
drive, one purpose of which is to in
crease Iii each community the feeling
Of neighborliness. Other children's
year plans are already tending to
teach mothers American customs and
the English language as well as to
give them the instruction they are
seeking IN child care. But play week
offers an exceptional opportunity to
reach mothers of all nationalities.
4 This is especially true of the prepare
! lions for giving folk dances of differ
emit nations and for singing national
hymns and songs at the patriotic play
weeks In various communities.
In Waterbury the foreign born
mothers had become practically isO-
lated from the life of the others in the
community and were perpetuating in
their small groups the superstitions
and old country ideas with which they
had come to the United States. Mean
time many thought not all of their
children were acquiring different no
tions of life, and growing used to 9th
er ways and customs. In fact, the
welfare workers of Waterbury found
IL difficult to make plain to the moth
ers themselves the principles Of mod.
erns hygiene, and were better able to
4 reach the mothers by instructing the
children in the schools through little
mothers leagues. In these leagues the
children, who often have the care of
Y younger brothers and sisters, are in.
\ stfucted in approved methods of child
care, and by demonstrating what they
have learned at home they can do
much to convince their mothers of its
value.
Another approach to these mothers
ID through play. They will be inter
I ested in how their children play espe-
cialiy If they realize how it affects
4 their welfare. One remarkable fact
about the Waterbury study is that out
OF more than two thousand mothers
4 who were interviewed not one refused
to give the information needed by the
4 children's bureau, because they be.
Ieved that the bureau was working
to help their children. They will be
no less interested in knowing how
their children compare with those OF
their. friends and neighbors when the
badge tests of physical efficiency are
given. The mothers will want the
exhibits OF useful things done during
the summer which their children de.
wise to be as good and better than
those Of other children. In all these
! things the mothers as well as the chill
dren will be coming in contact with
other mothers interested in the same
things, and in this way, it may be
expected, new bonds will be formed
between them which will work for an
increasing spirit of neighborliness.
And the mothers and fathers who
come together to promote healthful
play for their children will, it is
hoped, continue their feeling Of com
mon responsibility for the children's
welfare, so that more community meas
ures for the protection Of children
viii result