Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-27
IREARING OF FAMILY is VITAL
IN OPINION OF MRS. WILBUR
She Brings to Cabinet Circle
EvangeI of Modern
Motherhood.
Has Varied interests, but
Regards Family as Most
important of All.
BY MARGARET HART.

A white-haired lady with deep sea
blue eyes and dimpled cheeks, Mrs. Ray
Lyman Wilbur. wife of the Secretary of
the Interior, brings to the cabinet cir
Gle the evangel of modern motherhood.
Surrounded In her hotel apartment
with pictures of her children and grand
children. this college classmate of Mrs.
Herbert Hoover has varied interests,
but she regards the rearing of the COM
ing generation as the greatest of the
fine arts and the most important busi-
ness in life.
Like Mrs. Hoover, Mrs Wilbur has a
cosmopolitan point OF social experience.
She has lived in France and Germany,
although she has not been abroad since
1911. She is a constant reader, and is
versed in horticulture.
Young People Worth While"
"Do you find much difference between
the young people of today and those
of generation past?" Mrs. Wilbur was
asked.
The young people today are differ
ent in way" she replied. Every one
realizes that. But / find them very
worth while and perfectly capable Of
rising to any emergency, which they
usually handle most successfully. They
think a great deal for themselves. and
they give more thought to world prob
lens than they did a generation ago.
That is as it should be. because 1
feel that until recent years, generally
speaking. the world was blind to inter-
national problems
In California. where for many years
Mr.. Wilbur has been president OF the
Laland University, young people are
4.,Aa ~, n YnPnnlnFTlE
of the Pacific Much interest has been
shown by them in the Institute OF Pa
cific Relations, founded to promote
friendly understanding among the coun-
tries bordering the Pacific"
Mrs. Wilbur was asked II she thought
It wise to educate a girl with the idea
of self-support.
II believe every girl should be trained
To do something worth while" was the
reply. las life comes to her she should
be ready to meet it. She should have
training which will enable her to sup
mort herself IL life so develops. think
any woman whose mind has been well
developed and we'll trained Is capable
Of meeting ordinary emergencies"
Parents Aid Needed.
Mrs, wilbur is an emphatic believer
in personal parental supervision in the
upbringing of children. In her opinion
9oyernesses and nurses are all right to
perform the minor duties, but the
molding of character and minds should
be controlled entirely BY the mother
and father.
"you can employ some one to give
physical care to children" Mrs. Wilbur
said. but the mental and spiritual side
should be governed by the parents. The
molding of their children's characters
should be left entirely to them.
In view Of the facs that the problems
of today are greater than they were
generation ago the responsibilities OF
the adults as the trainers Of future
generations are also greater. cannot
understand how any parent can turn
over such an important matter as the
rnolding OF child's mind to any one
else
Mrs. Wilbur is not only deeply in
terested in education and the welfare
of young people, but she also is an
astute student Of international affairs
and feels that it is the duty OF every
intelligent person TO give thought TO
these.
She has taken an active interest in
the development Of the Institute OF
Pacific Relations, Of which Secretary
wilbur was unanimously elected presi-
dent at the most recent election. Mrs.
Wilbur accompanied her husband TO
the latest meeting, in Honolulu.
Two of Mrs. Wilbur'S sons are doctors.
She has two daughters married and
living In California. Her youngest son.
Ray Lyman, jr., is Is, and is attending
school in Washington.
Copyright, 1922