DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MOTHERS, WASHINGTON, D. C.
Doings at the Nation's Capital
By M. Ellsworth Olsen
International Congress of Mothers — Prospects for National Prohibition — Regarding Sunday Legislation
Tent Meeting Near the Capitol Building
By M. ELLSWORTH OLSEN
SINCE I wrote my last letter for the SIGNS, several interesting things have happened here in Washington. I will give first place to the Third International Congress on the Welfare of the Child, held a few weeks ago under the auspices of the National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations.
There were delegates from a number of foreign countries, including China and Japan. Among the speakers were distinguished educators and workers for the uplift of home and child life in the United States. The conference lasted six days; and the meetings, which were of an exceptionally interesting and vital character, were held chiefly in the large audience room of the New Museum and in the Hotel Raleigh. A reception was given the delegates one afternoon in the White House. Public interest was very manifest, and the citizens of Washington who were able to attend, enjoyed a rich treat of good things.
UNUSUAL BUT NOT ABNORMAL
One of the speakers was the president of the congress, Mrs. Frederic Schoff, whose practical, sympathetic talks showed an intimate acquaintance with the daily needs of the American mother. The Hon. P. P. Claxton, commissioner of education, spoke with earnestness and enthusiasm of the relation of the home to the great problem of national education.
Prof. M. V. O'Shea, of the University of Wisconsin, discussed "New Times and New Problems in Education," in his very illuminating way, and took part in the discussion of other interesting questions. Professor O'Shea is a specialist on child culture, and his books and magazine articles have done much to awaken parents and teachers to the importance of the subject.
Mrs. Stoner, of Pittsburg University, gave a very interesting account of how she has trained her daughter, who, at an age when most children are struggling with such elementary subjects as reading, spelling, arithmetic, and geography, has already a fair knowledge of several languages, is familiar with higher mathematics and with history, and is withal unusually well developed physically. Mrs. Stoner says her daughter is not at all a prodigy, but that she has taken time to teach her, and that the time other little girls waste, her girl has improved.
There is much food for thought in this. It is a fact that the age of keenest curiosity, hence of the liveliest desire to learn things, is just the age when parents regard the child's time as worth practically nothing, and leave the little one either without instruction, or place it in school to share with thirty or more others the attention of one overworked teacher.
AIMS AND PURPOSES
There were many other helpful addresses, but perhaps the general character of the various meetings held can best be apprehended by means of a brief quotation from a statement of the aims and purposes of the congress. They are in part as follows:
"To carry the mother love and mother thought into all that concerns or touches childhood in home, school, church, or state; to raise the standards of home life; to develop wiser, better trained parenthood; to bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parent and teacher may cooperate intelligently in the education of the child, using systematic, earnest effort to this end, through the formation of mothers' clubs and parent-teacher associations in connection with public schools and elsewhere. . . .
"To give young people, ignorant of the proper care and training of children, opportunities to learn that which will enable them to better perform the duties of parenthood.
"To promote high ideals of marriage and the maintenance of its sacredness and permanence.
"To interest men and women to cooperate in the work for purer, truer homes, in the belief that to accomplish the best results, men and women must work together.
"To rouse the whole country to a sense of its duty and responsibility to childhood."
THE SPIRIT OF THE MOVEMENT
As setting forth the spirit in which the work is carried on, here is part of the president's printed message, entitled, "To Mothers, from a Mother":
"Gentle little mother, working faithfully in your home to make your own children's lives true and pure, strong and vigorous, gathering them each night by your own fireside, listening to the evening prayers, and tucking them snugly in their beds, do you know of the great world outside, of which your children are a part, in which, as soon as school days come, they must live? — Yes, you know only too well of its temptations, and for your dear children's sakes you wish you could make it better. You are only one mother with perhaps little outside influence. You think your own thoughts, but they do not go far toward solving the problems that face the children when beyond home influence. Get six mothers to organize a mothers' circle, and your influence is increased. Get twelve, and it is again doubled. Get the fathers on an advisory council, and keep them informed of what you are studying and trying to do, and the influence is again more than doubled."
Speaking to mothers of the value of associated effort, she says:
"You will be kept in touch with the thought of the best and most experienced men and women on bringing up children.6(Continued on page 13)
Doings at the Nation's Capital
(Continued from page 5)
You will have study courses recommended to you — books for yourself and for your children. You will feel the pleasure of knowing that by your membership you are strengthening and encouraging those who are working successfully to improve the conditions of childhood throughout the nation. You may never find it possible to attend a national congress; but if you do, it will stimulate you to a higher conception of your great privilege and opportunity in being a mother. If you can not attend, you may read the wonderful words of those who have studied children and know how to bring out their best physically and morally."
Such work needs no commendation. All that is best in modern civilization is founded on a tender regard for the mother and the child. Such regard is of the essence of Christianity. The Master said, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones," and He also said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven."
CIRCLE OF MOTHERS IN TAKOMA PARK
Wisely conducted organizations for child welfare can bear much fruit. A circle of mothers on similar lines has been recently started in Takoma Park, D. C., and is already accomplishing good in bringing parents together for council, and prayer, and study of the Bible principles involved in the right training of children. Mrs. C. C. Lewis is leading out in this work, and the Lord is granting His blessing.
Some of the readers of the SIGNS may be so situated that they can start similar circles. If not, it is the privilege of every mother to know that God will freely bestow wisdom and grace upon every humble supplicant. Upon the mother rest the most sacred responsibilities that can be conceived. Her work is not only arduous, but exceedingly delicate, and it can not begin to be done properly without much help from above.
PROPOSED NATIONAL TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION
The best people of Washington continue to take a keen interest in the proposed temperance legislation. Petitions in favor of the Hobson-Sheppard bill calling for national prohibition, are pouring into both houses of Congress, and are doubtless having some weight with the members. At this writing it is doubtful if the bill will be reported during the present session. In any case the friends of temperance should spare no pains to keep the subject before the public by education and agitation. It is an encouraging fact that forty millions of Americans are living where they are not tempted by the saloon; but we should work for the other sixty millions. It is a national crime to license the sale of the deadly poison, and draw government revenue from what is really a traffic in blood.
The friends of temperance in Takoma Park have recently organized a temperance society, with Elder S. B. Horton as president, and Miss Gregg as secretary and treasurer. The members of the Takoma Park church and of the Memorial Church in Washington have been active in circulating petitions, and writing letters to their congressmen.
CONCERNING SUNDAY LEGISLATION
There is nothing of special interest to report in regard to Sunday legislation. A hearing was given a short time ago on a bill brought in by Senator Hughes, of New Jersey, granting all employees in the District of Columbia one day of rest in seven. Several representatives of labor organizations and of large employers of labor spoke for and against the bill. It was plainly pointed out that such a law would work serious hardship both for the men and for their employers in case of emergencies, especially in connection with railways and electric lines.
In the absence of Elder Longacre, the secretary of the North American Division of the Religious Liberty Association, Elder S. B. Horton, of the Columbia Union, appeared before the committee. He pointed out the danger in legislation of a paternal character, and further showed that the advocates of Sunday laws use these laws calling for one day's rest in seven merely as stepping-stones to get legislation setting apart Sunday as a sacred day, and compelling all men to refrain from labor on that particular day.
SERVICES IN A TENT
I must not close without mentioning the fact that Washington is enjoying the privilege this summer of hearing the message of a soon-coming Saviour in a commodious tent pitched on a prominent corner not many blocks north of the Capitol. Elder R. E. Harter, president of the District of Columbia Conference, is preaching nightly to large and interested audiences. There is a large choir, under the direction of Brother de Fluiter, of Colorado, and the gospel singing is an attractive feature of the meetings. At the present writing, a children's choir is being organized, which will add a new feature to the song service. Let us pray that God may use these instrumentalities, and that many honest, truth-loving souls in this city may give heed to the message.
