Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-18

they would gladly die TO Denent lnelr
children.
And in many cases-perhaps most
cases-I am quite sure this is liter
ally true. 1t is no fresh discovery
that mothers, speaking generally,
are capable of immense sacriices.
Perhaps there is nothing more sub
lime, more heroic in the world than
the courage with which a mother
will act in her child's interest at
whatever cost to herself.
That is, if the sacrifice is big
enough.
In my observation, a mother isn't
always as ready to make the little
sacrifices-those that seem to her
scarcely worth making at all.
But / should like to persuade
mothers that it's often what are
seemingly the little sacrifices that
are really the most important. And
that the big sacrifices, that they
make so magniiicently, are some
times not at all in the child's best
interest. Let me illustrate.
Ever so many families whose i'm
mediate needs require every penny
that's available Nave an ambitious,
quick -witted boy or girl whom they
| want to send to college. But where s
the money coming from? Father
shop or office or on the farm. III
manage it," announces the mother.
So from that time on she takes in"
! sewing, or washing, or whatever
she can get money for. She puts
up jellieS for the market, or she
cooks for a woman's exchange. And
most of this at night, after she's
done as long and hard a days work
as human being ought to.
Well, the boy trips airly through
college. At the end of four years
he is educated" but he's also con-
firmed in selfishness. At the same
time, mother finds that her health
is giving out.
A Better Way
1t would have been far wiser, far
better for the boys character, if he
hadn't accepted his schooling at the
cost of his mothers life-blood, if
, he had partially put himself through
college and borrowed, the rest of
the money to be paid from the pro-
ceeds of his first job This is
what l consider a mistaken sacrifice.
on the other hand, / wish that
mothers. young mothers especially,
would take more seriously the ques-
ton of their children's health and
would be willing to give up small
amusements so that the babies
might go to bed on time or have
supper on time or conform generally
to the health regimen that, is so
! deeply important for the health of
every young child.
It's become, for instance, an ex-
tremely common thing for the
young mother who likes to go to
the movies" with her husband in
the evening to fall into the habit
oF Il
tie Dorothy. And the doctor did
say that Dorothy was nervous and
that it was really imperative that
she be in bed by seven o'clock every
night.
But there's nobody to stay in the
| house with her, and it's manifestly
unsafe to. leave a child alone. So
Dorothy goes to the movies too.
And the result is that she dosen't
get to bed until mother does.
Now, such a mother as this has
Just as much capacity for sacrifice
as any other. She would die for
Dorothy without an instant's hesi-
tation. But she dosen't give up
movies or card parties or whatever
it may be. in the interest of Doro-
thy's bedtime, because she has
never become thoroughly convinced
that bedtime is important.
All American parents believe in
the educational system. And they
will commit slow suicide in order
that their children may profit by it.
But most of them have scarcely any
belief at all in the importance of
health for their children, or in the
means that should be taken to Sc
cure it.
Then very many mothers have
rrNfnnn1 and CGinnnta hnlinf in
the Importance of parties and party
clothes for girls of sixteen and over.
In order that pretty child of sew
enteen, going to her first party"
might have a conventionally COM
plete outfit, including evening wrap,
satin slippers and all the rest of it.
have known mother to go
through a cold winter without any
warm or suitable clothing for her
self and deny herself every other
comfort that she could possibly
eliminate.
"SpoiIcd" Daughters
Is this heroic ?-or just little
foolish?
have no desire to deprive youth
of it's good times" But good times
don't depend on the costliness of
ones equipment. And young girl
who, knowing that the family is
hard up, hasn't the initiative to con-
struct a simple party -frock for her
self from a few yards of cheap ma
terial, isn't likely to develop into a
really competent and admirable
woman. While one who wears cost
ly shimmering vanities that her ill
advised mother has sacrificed and
shivered to procure, is. I think. ac-
tually corrupted by it. If sacrifice
of this sort is good for the mothers
soul, it's distinctly luminous for the
child's.
1t was by no means a selfish
young mother of my acquaintance
/ who, when her husband had
chance to move his family to the
country, refused it, though her
three children were all under six