The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-08-15
Re Opening of Schools and
Lack of Funds Demand
Immediate Action on
Nursery Problem.
CITY COUNCIL MUST DECIDE
New Problem Is Municipal Affair as
the Mothers Are Doing the Work of
Men in Factories Manufacturers
Favor Immediate Action.

Announcements were made today that
there is possibility Of the Scho~l
nursery having to close it's doors to the
several dozen little children who have
grown to love the place better than
home and to the several dozen mothers
who have welcomed the organization
as a Godsend and have been doing a
man g work in the factories of Kenosha
while their little ones are being scien-
tifically cared for. If the. city should
allow such thing to happen, it would
be the biggest stain on her patriotic
record that she could possibly incur,
and the men over there, when they
come back will hold the city respon-
sible for the children they left behind.
1t is clearly a child welfare prob
lem. Mr. Theirs of the Allen tannery,
declared today that the matter would
be put before the school board at its
meeting tonight but that it was not a
school board affair However, a com
mittee will no doubt be appointed to
bring the question before the council
at its next meeting and some steps
will be taken Immediately. Mr.. Theirs
decidedly favored the continuation of
the nursery and declared that every
large manufacturing concern I'm the
city also favored it. In lieu of this
fact, more funds can possibly be raised
through the Manufacturers association
for the furthering of the nursery.
Down at the Weiskopf school where
the institution was founded and has
been located for the summer, from
twenty to thirty little ones are cared
for every day, from six-thirty or seven
O'Clock in the morning, when the mo-
theirs bring them on their way to work
until five o'clock at night when they
call for them on their return to their
homes. During the day their children.
are washed and fed three times, are
given an afternoon nap, are taught
how to play, sing and dance, and also
are instructed in the almost unheard-of
art of table manners. They are taught
to be clean, kind and courteous and
the decided change in the faces of the
little ones from day to day is evident to
even the most casual observer.
At present Miss Annette Phelan is
in charge of the nursery Every day
Mrs. Phelan the Kenosha school nurse,
visits the institution to examine the
children carefully while every week or
so the health doctor is in attendance
for the same purpose. The children are
given every care that would be given
any child by a private nurse besides
the advantages of an educated mind
to train them in their early habits.
The mothers are more than grateful
for the wonders that the nursery is do
ing for their little ones. They realize
that the ten cents a day which they
pay for each child sent, hardly pays for
the milk alone that each child con
sumes during the day.
Miss Phelan is earnestly hoping that
something viii be done about this mat
ter Immediately as the janitors must
have the building next week to prepare
for the coming school season. The mo-
theirs have become so dependent upon
the nursery that they willingly offered
to pay more for the care of their little
ones. There are many mothers who
have been made free to do a man s
work in the factories and if not for
this nursery would have to stay at home
and care for their children. AS they
are taking the places of men who have
gone to war, it is up to the city to take
care of their children while they are so
engaged. AS both Mr.. Theirs and Miss
Phelan declared, it is a city proposition
and it is hoped that the council will
cake the matter up Immediately.
Mr.. Theirs announced that it was i'm
possible to tell just what the outcome
would be as no action had been taken
as yet, but also that something would
have to be done in the very near future
as an institution that is doing so much
good should not die.
] is just possible that the question
will be brought up before the next
council meeting and that some immedi-
ate action viii be taken.
Miss Phelan is of the opinion that
the city must either have centrally
located day nursery with adequate
means of transportation for the chill
dren or else several day nurseries in
different localities, the location de-
pending upon the surrounding factories.
Miss Phelan also has found in her work
that the duties of those in charge
should include not only the care Of