The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. pireosor.
Washingfon, ID. G.
oRGANIzEp PARENTS.

/ experimenting with not luncnes TOR
school children. certain organiza-
ton volunteered to take the risk OF
losing money. 1t went ahead and
served a substantial hot lunch to the
children at low rate, and it managed
| to clear enough money TO pay for the
help, food, and equipment. Pupils
who could not afford to pay even the
| few cents charged, were allowed to
help serve and earn their meals.
| When the system was well established,
| the school board applauded the sue
cess of the pioneers. and took over the
responsibility of feeding the school
children at noon
! In other communities the same Or
ganization is working to establish bet
ter living quarters for school teach
ers, shorter working hours for minors,
and better state laws for education
and child welfare.
The organization that is doing these
things is the Parent-Teacher associa-
ton, composed of mothers and teach
ers in practically every state and
Alaska. There is probably such an
association in your neighborhood, but
| possibly you never realized what 1t
meant--nationally.
| Every week, or month you may see
mothers in fur coats or in shawls
drift into the school house. after
lschool hours. In the assembly room
of the school they meet the teachers
some one explain some proposition TOR
local Improvement, and then they
have tea and cake and go home. That
may be your idea of what the Parent
Teacher association is, but If so you
have only. caught glimpse of the
routine behind which it really works.
| Twenty-Five years ago. two mothers.
Mrs. Theodore Birney and Mrs.
Phoebe A. Hearst. had a strong con-
tvicton that mothers ought to know
.l-c f&1T-, F@ O
i little child. The average mother de-
pended on instinct and luck to bring
iup her children. and, Mrs. Bfrney rea-
soned, that attitude accounted for a
good deal of unhealthiness, stupidity,
and unhappiness in child life.
| With this idea fixed firmly in mind
that mothers ought to get together
and take a professional interest In
bringing up creditable families, these
1.-TWO women organized the first Moth
iers' congress. People laughed. 1t was
Thought amusing that mothers of chill
, dren up to five years should organize
to study the comparative food value
of pickles and oatmeal, or how much
fresh air child Of two SHOULD con-
sumo.
| United Home and School.
| But the clubs flourished and in
creased, and as the interest grew
mothers began to demand that the
1
cred as well as the needs of children
of pre-school age. Because the life of
school boys and girls is inextricably
bound up in both school and home,
1.-THE organization took the teachers into
membership so as to get both the
home and school point of view in con-
tsidering child welfare matters.
There was no thought, however, of
| the mothers dfcussing school room
management with teachers, and help
| ing them to run their classes. That is
| something which people who are not
familiar with the Parent-Teacher as
| ISOLATION sometimes think 1t does.
| And they say an organization OF
| this sort interferes with the teachers
| business. The executive secretary of
| the association denies this emphatic
ally, and says that every local branch
| is instructed not to attempt to in
fluence the management of any school.
The organization is intended to work
for the broad interests of the children
| of the neighborhood, town, or state.
| This means promoting Americanisrn,
| better films" fresh air schools, home
and school gardens, child hygiene, or
I whatever else the special need of the
community may be.
Thus in Washington state the at
tentien of the Parent-Tea cher associa-
| lions has been centered on food and
dress reform for school children. An
| exhibit was held at which good and
bad meals for children of different
ages were graphically displayed and
reasons given why certain foods were
| to be condemned or approved. A
! clothes exhibit showed contrasts of
health and good taste. as the unob-
trusive serge dress followed geergette
shirt waists and satin pumps.
| In Texas the Parept-Teacher associ-
| atoms engaged in a project to provide
school teachers with comfortable Iiv-
| ing quarters. AS result one town
has built a home costing $4,000 for
| it's school teachers. Another Texas
| town has taken a farm for its teach
| ers. The school principal manages the
place and it is said TO be successful
| venture.
To Give Mothers Legal Status.
The Texas legislature is now con-
sidering a bill to put the Parent
Teacher associations under state di-
rection and make them a part of the
state educational system. This bill is
| being theoretically pushed and is said
to stand a good chance of approval.
The enactment would mean an official
and it would also probably mean finan-
cial backing. At present. the associa-
tions raise their funds chiefly by musi-
Gals. bazaars, fetes, and plays.
In Texas and several other states
legislative councils of the Parent
/ /
established. These councils work for
the passage of state measures such as
teachers pay increases. shorter hours
and better working conditions for child
| labor in factories, minimum wage
bills, or mothers pension provisions.
With mothers and teachers standing
officially back of a welfare measure.
the state legislator cannot fall back
on the old excuse that he doesn't be-
lieve that the people want it. This
feeling of doubt on the part of legis-
lators has blocked many a hunlani-
tartan measure in the past. But now
mothers and teachers have begun to
use some of the methods of business
men in dealing with the law makers
to make perfectly clear what they
want and how they feel about it.
| The force of the opinions of the
mothers and teachers can be roughly
| estimated from their strong erganiza-
/ ton and their numbers. There were
| 0An branches af the Rarept-Tea oh err