Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20

d. c., THURSDAY, n
terment Of children grows out Of this
tation and public health loom In every
direction. Delinquency increases with
congestion. Overcrowding produces dis
ease and contagion. The child's natu-
raj play place Is taken from him. His
mind is stunted by the lack of imagi-
native surroundings and lack of con-
tact with the fields, streams, trees and
birds. Home life becomes more dim
cult Cherries homes produce morbid
minds. Our growth of town life unend-
ingly imposes such problems as milk
and food supplies, for We have shifted
these children from diet of 10000
years standing.
Nor is our problem one solely of the
city child. we have grave responsible
ties to the rural child. Adequate expert
service should be as available to him
from maternity to maturity. Since SCI
ence discovered the cause of commune
cable disease, protection from these dis
eases for the child of the farm is as
much an obligation to them as to the
child of the city. The child of the
cultural influences extended by the city.
We must find ways and means of ex-
tending these influences to the children
of rural districts. On the other hand,
some of the natural advantages of the
country child must somehow be given
back to the city child--more space in
which to play, contact with nature
and natural processes. OF these the
thoughtless city cheats its children.
Architectural wizardry and artistic skill
are transforming our cities into Won
derlands of beauty, but we must also
preserve in them for our children the
yet more beautiful art Of living.
Modern Changes Drastic.
Even aside from congestion, the dras-
tic changes in the modern home greatly
affect the child. Contacts of parents
and children are much reduced. Once
the sole training school of the child
the home now shares with the public
school. the great children's clubs and
organizations, and a hundred other
agencies the responsibility for him,
both in health and discipline, from
birth to maturity. Upon these outside
influences does his development now
very largely depend.
The problems of the child are not
always the problems of the child alone
In the vision of the whole of our social
fabric, we have loosened new ambitions,
new energies; we have produced COM
plexity of life for which there Is no
precedent. With machines ever enlarg-
ing mans power and capacity, with
electricity extending over the world its
magic, with the air giving us wholly
new realm, our children must be pre-
pared to meet entirely new contacts and
1ck 10. nh yeS1 0Il Y
strong and mentally placed to stand up
under the increasing pressure Of life.
Their problem is not alone one Of
physical health, but Of mental, emo
tional, spiritual health.
These are a part of the problems
that charge you to answer. This task
that you have come here to perform
has never been done before. These
problems are not easily answered, they
reach the very root of our national life.
We need to meet them squarely and to
accuse ourselves as frankly as possible,
to see all the implications that trail in
our wake, and to place the blame where
it lies and set resolutely to attack it..
From your exploration into the mental
and moral endowment and opportuni-
ties OF children will develop new
methods to inspire their creative work
and play, to substitute love and self
discipline for the rigors of rule, to guide
their recreations into wholesome chan
nels, TO steer them past the reefs of
temptation, to develop their characters,
and to bring them to adult age in tune
with life, strong In moral fiber, and
prepared to play more happily their
part in the productive tasks of human
society.
Inspiration Is Expected.
There has not been before the sum-
nation of knowledge and experience
such as lies before this conference
There has been no period when it could
be undertaken with so much experience
and background. The Nation looks to
you to derive from it positive, definite,
guiding judgments. But greater than
the facts and the judgments, more fun-
damental than all, we need the vision
and inspired understanding 70 interpret
these facts and put them into practice.
know that this group has the vision
and the understanding, and you are
the picked representatives Of the peo-
pie who are thus endowed. It will rest
with you to light the fires of that in
spiration in the general public con-
science, and from conscience lead 1t
into action.
The many activities which you are
assembled mere TO represent touch
thousand points in the lives of children
The interest which they obtain in the
minds and hearts of our country Is a
turning to the original impulse which
inspired the foundation of our Nation,
the impulse to secure freedom and bet
terment of each coming generation.
The passion of the American fathers
and mothers is to lift children to higher
opportunities than they have them
selves enjoyed. It burns like a flame in
us as people. Kindled In our country
by its flrst pioneers, who came here to
better the opportunities for their chill
dren rather than themselves, passed on
from one generation to the next, it has
never dimmed nor died. Indeed human
progress marches only when children
excel their parents. In democracy our
progress Is the sum of progress of the
ndlviduals--that they each individually
achieve to the full capacity Of their
abilities and character. Their varied
personalities and abilities must be
brought fully to bloom; they must not be
mentally regimented to a single mold
or the qualities of many will be stihed;
the door OF opportunity must be opened
to each of them.
May you who are meeting here find
in your deliberations new fuel with
which to light this fame of progress so
that this occasion may be marked with
a fresh luSter that will set us anew on
the road through the crowding COM
oleXitieS of modern life