Efficient Motherhood Recognized by C. C. LEWIS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 28, 1914

Efficient Motherhood Recognized

By C. C. LEWIS

The first person to complete the mothers’ normal course of the Fireside Correspondence School is Mrs. Lorinda A. Blodgett, of Southbridge, Mass. Although she is a mother of good education and much experience, having a family of several children, yet she felt the need of further suggestions, and has proved to be an apt and intelligent student. Evidently her success in home education has attracted the attention of her local and county school officers; for she recently received the following letter from the United States Commissioner of Education:—

“DEAR MADAM: Your name has been sent to the Bureau of Education by the county superintendent of schools, who indicates that you are interested in affairs concerning little children in the home and the school and in the community generally.

“The Home Education Division, which has just been established, will do whatever it can to help parents:—

“1. To further their own education by recommending to them interesting and valuable reading matter.

“2. In regard to the care and home education of their children, with reference to: (a) Physical care and health, sleep, food, etc.; (b) games and plays; (c) their early mental development; (d) the formation of moral habits.

“We hope to interest the boys and girls who have left school and are still at home, and by directing their home reading and study we may be able to further their education.

“It is our intention to issue bulletins and literature, practical in their character, which will be available to every home. The National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations has agreed to assist the Bureau of Education in this work, and can supply much literature not available through this office.

“If the parents of your school district could be brought together at the schoolhouse or any other good place, perhaps once a month, to discuss their common problems, it would be mutually helpful. Will you let us know if you are willing to take up this matter in your school district, and make a beginning by inviting some of the parents who are interested in such matters, and by enlisting, if possible, the cooperation of the teacher or teachers? The bureau will send a brief form for simple organization of a parents’ association if you desire it. We expect to have a great deal of valuable matter for the use of parents and teachers and for older boys and girls.

“Rightly used, the home is the most important factor in the education of children. Through its Home Education Division, the Bureau of Education is trying to help the home to do its best work. Your cooperation will be invaluable. Kindly let me know if we may expect it.

“Yours sincerely,

“[Signed] P. P. CLAXTON,

“Commissioner.”

This letter opens a broad field of usefulness to intelligent mothers who, by study and observation, will prepare themselves for leadership. They may conduct parents’ meetings in their own neighborhood, with the United States Department of Education to give them counsel and otherwise assist them by supplying them with valuable reading matter for parents and children. Even if they do not wish to lead out in this semipublic way, they would do well to write for reading matter for their personal benefit.

Commissioner Claxton delivered an address at the Foreign Mission Seminary a few weeks ago, in which he described and highly commended the hill school work of Professors Sutherland and Magan, of Nashville, Tenn. We were happy to form his acquaintance, and pleased to find him conversant with our educational work and favorable to its principles.

The Fireside Correspondence School will hereafter have sent to its students of the Early Education course for mothers the reading matter referred to in the Commissioner’s letter, and will also be pleased to secure this matter for any other mothers who are interested to make the request.

C. C. LEWIS, Principal, Takoma Park, D. C.