Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-07
Frederic Haskin's Letter
10 EDUCATE MOTHERS

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faFe worker making . survey In q
western county stopped ct . log
shack. -Four lan1y children popped
out, followed By the mother with
. twslye-months old baby. After
automatically admiring the baby,
the visitor ventured to ask:
And what do you feed him?,
WELL" said the mother. 81 al
ways begin feeding my babies by
giving them . taste Of everything
on the table. can Judge pretty
well BY the faces they make wheth-
er 1t IL good for them"
Further conversation showed
that this particular housewife, b
foreigner, liked highly seasoned
foods, and had for months tested
the baby's appetite on meat. cheese
and cabbage.
This mother was typical Of mil
lions of American mothers. She
had NO idea how to feed and care
for Q child, She was not = fit
guardian for . future American
citizen.
The existence Of millions Of L.
norant mothers has led to the in
PRODUCTION of a bill in the house
and senate, with administrative
backing. which has for its purpose
to create q federal system Of edu-
eating mothers in the care Of child
rem.
Two million dollars would be ap-
propriated by the federal govern
ment for the first year, and the
states would put up similar sum,
the amount being apportioned &C
cording to the population. Later
the fund would be increased until
it became . four million appropria-
ton from the government, to be
doubled by the states.
This money would be used to pay
public health nurses to instruct
mothers in hygiene and care Of in
fants, for the consultation centers.
and for medical and nursing care
for mothers and children, at home
or in hospitals.
The Children's Bureau Of the
Lobor Department. is greatly inter-
ested in the bill. The bereau has
kept so closely In touch with rec
i ords of infant mortality and dis
ease that it understands better
than any other organization the
need for federal aid. OF sixteen
important countries, says the bur-
eau. thirteen have q lower matern-
al death rate than the United
States, while six have a lower in
fam death rate. About $1,000
mothers and 25o, 900 babies die ev!
/, cry year in this country. A large
percentage Of these deaths are pre-
ventable.
A woman will use directions to
cut her ohildren's clothes. Size
will follow q recipe to make a
cake. But when 1t comes to feed
ing. bathing. and doctoring q baby
she is inclined to fall back on the
customs Of her ancestors and trust
to instinct. This is true, the chill
dren's bureau has found, not only
in poor, illiterate households, bu.
in the homes Of the wealthy as we'll
Grandmother raised family
by the old fashioned methods,
says the young mother, never stop
ping to consider that out OF grand
mothers eleven children only five
grew up, and all that lived long
enough had every disease known
to childhood.
These mothers Of the better class
usually think that public instruct
ion or the visits Of public health
nurse is a form of charity. To gel
them to understand that govern
ment aid in child welfare is NJ
more a matter Of charity than tbs
public school system is one Of tn
problems confronting the Child
ren's Bureou and health officials
of states engaged in child welfare
work.
The states find that once tn,
mothers are interested and lear-
the difference between science an(
the results of instructive carl
they are rapidly converted and ar,
anxious to learn all they car
about the care Of their children
Tho main trouble is that the serv
Ice rendered is slight in compari
son with the need. Even the pro
posed federal and state appropria
tioLs will only begin to pay for tn,
doctors, nurses, hospitals, an,
clinics necessary to save tn
thousands Of lives lost yearl,
through ignorance and lack of care
| Until the funds provided are larg,
enough. the special attention of tn,
government Is necessarily turnet
toward families in rural district
and others who cannot obtain ad