Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-03
WOMEN PRISONERS.
TAUGHT BABY CARE
aEiNG INSTRUCTED IN THE BEAU.
TIES or MOTHERHOOD BY
PSYCHOLOGIST
It IS A REDEMPTION MEASURE
Influence 5eing Brought TO Bear on
Women 20 Care for Their
Children

Children
Chicago. Hl-The mother spirit
ho4ers over the brldewell. For the
WOMEN inmates OF the House OF Cor
reotion are being instructed In The
beauty Of motherhood nowadays. Miss
Mary r. Campbell. formerly with
Chef Justice Harry Olsen in the PSF
chopathic laboratory in the City Hall
has been appointed as psychologist
for the womens department
Miss Campbell is at her task OF fos.
tering the mother instinct to lead
young women and old repeaters in
the footsteps Of the Madonna instead
OF the Masdalen. For the redemption
OF erring women can come through
baby hands-not reformers-she con
tends.
As psychologist It IS Miss Camp
bells duty TO lit the gray atmosphere
that hangs over the House OF Correc-
ton. And this is TO be accomplished
by baby hands. AS an Illustration OF
her theory Miss Campbell pointed TO
IS year old Marie croeheting desper-
ately about table A dozen friends
were busy plying their needles also
for her. Among them was Buster"
who was given six months at the
Bridwell for wearing boys clothes and
Tipping freight cars in the North
western yards. Buster" was indus.
triously embroideting forget-me nots
on a towel for Maries new baby.
About the table on which stood the
psychological tests were gathered the
drabclad women inmates. They were
trying to understand that what
brought disaster TO them could be
turned to good account The young
girls were making an attempt TO oy.
ercome the repulsion they felt for
their future, and with determined face
were preparing for the stork The old
timers stood by and Offered sugges.
tons in the fashioning Of the small
garments. And there came a far off
look in their hardened faces and a
softness from memories OF long ago.
They had performed the tasks that
since had been forgotten until then.
The same impulse fundamentally
makes one woman good and another
bad" says the psychologist. The
idea is TO foster the mother spirit TO
keep the bad women good. This Is
done by psychologically suggesting
TO an unfortunate mother that she
should keep her baby--neyer give it
up. This is the influence which will
keep her from -traying into the broad
path again.
THE mothers will be trained scien.
tifieallJ in the care of their babies
during their Imprisonment. From
the care OF their own experimental
babies they will become excellent
nursery maids, for they will have
learned everything about a babys
care. The new line of work as nur.
sery maids will give them chance
for employment when they leave the
Bridewell
A baby is an advantage to a mother
In securing employment in country
places, according to Supt John l..
Whitman. Many prefer mother with
a baby to a woman unattached in the
country, he declares.
Besides this reform, there will be
more handicraft work at the House
OF Cofrection-rug weaving, pottery,
gloyemaking and toy industries. The
advantage to the women OF educa.
tional training for two or three diff
ferent trades is considered in order
TO insure their independence in other
lines, than as servants. it is said. But
the psychological tests will be the
ability Of doing And more than any.
thing else will the women be taught
the care Of their babies.
a school of mothercraft for women
under Is years old is one Of Miss
Campbell's hopes. The course in moth.
or training will cover from one to
two years. After the women leave the
Bridewell they will continue their
training in mothercraft in some home
provided by the generosity of CLUB
women.