In development of the plan for nation-wide education of mothers, the National Congress of Mothers wrote to every board of health in the United States, urging that a child hygiene department be established; that a parents' educational bureau be made a permanent feature of the work; and that to this bureau all mothers be invited. for the purpose of studying all that conduces to the health of the baby and all that is injurious. This appeal resulted in the establishment of some child hygiene departments, but in many cases inability to secure sufficient appropriations have delayed this. The parents' educational bureau in Portland, Oreg., was established as a result of this plea, and has been supported by the Oregon branch of the congress, though given rooms in the courthouse.

Settlements, visiting nurse associations, and charitable organizations have promoted education of poor mothers in many cities, but the task of arousing every mother to the fact that instinct is not a safe guide in securing health and life for babies has made necessary a campaign of education showing that parental ignorance of infant hygiene is responsible for more than half the deaths of babies. The interest of physicians in saving babies led to the organization of the American Association for Prevention of Infant Mortality. The work of Nathan Straus in providing pure milk for babies before any general attention had been given to this subject has saved many lives. Federal and State authorities have issued valuable bulletins on the care of milk.

Indiana, by special act of legislation, authorized the State board of health to publish an attractive cloth-bound book, containing full instructions as to the care of the baby. The Indiana Mothers Baby Book is sent to every mother in Indiana on registration of the baby's birth. This book substantially bound will be of more permanent help than the paper bulletins usually published.

The North Carolina State Board of Health publishes a pamphlet on the care of the baby, which is sent to every mother, with a letter from the governor, on the registration of the baby's birth.

New York State Board of Health issues a booklet on "Your Baby; How to Keep It Well," which is sent to each mother on receipt of the birth certificate. It is also distributed at infant welfare stations and at city and county fairs. The first edition was 100,000 copies.

Idaho, Virginia, and Utah also send a booklet on receipt of birth certificates.

Thirteen State boards of health report that special bulletins on the care of the baby are distributed to parents upon request.

The Indiana Health Board publishes in 40 newspapers every bulletin it issues, and in that way makes known to parents that this literature is at their disposal.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Health publishes its baby bulletins in five languages and does considerable exhibit work in communities throughout the State.

Reports of the circulation of 532,000 bulletins on "Care of Baby" in 1914 have come to the Home Education Division. This is, of course, but a small percentage of what has been distributed by the many agencies now interested in promoting education in infant hygiene.

Interest of many fathers in rural districts has been aroused through the better babies examinations conducted at State fairs. Already interested in perfecting their live stock, the fact that in many cases their children fell below the standard of perfect development led them to study more carefully the conditions that are favorable to infant development.

HOSPITALS EDUCATE MOTHERS.

Hospitals in many cities are inviting mothers to weekly clinics where their babies are carefully examined and advice is given as to food, clothing, sleep, ventilation of rooms. No statistics as to the number of hospitals conducting clinics for mothers are available. A campaign of education of citizens and taxpayers can alone educate public opinion to the necessity of making ample appropriations to boards of health in order that they may do their part in reducing the death rate of little children. In the last analysis childrens' lives depend on mothers and only by education of all mothers can infants have a chance for life and health.

HELPS FOR PARENTS IN MORAL TRAINING OF CHILDREN UNDER SCHOOL AGE.

The International Kindergarten Union has given practical educational help to parents in giving them an understanding of the soul life of little children. Through valuable books covering this subject, by organization of mothers of little children for study, an educational work of inestimable value has been conducted. Churches and Sunday schools are realizing that a large part of the responsibility for moral education rests with parents and parents' associations are being organized in many churches to make a study of parents' duties and to determine how parents may most effectively guide the child into moral habits.

MOTHERS' CLUBS IN KINDERGARTENS AND PRIMARY CLASSES.

The mothers' clubs in connection with kindergartens have given valuable educational help to parents in the guidance of little children. This instruction has given a different point of view and a fuller

conception of parental duty to thousands of parents. The mothers' club as a parental educational auxiliary of the kindergarten may be regarded as the inauguration of the movement for the education of mothers in child nurture.

As the child advanced beyond the kindergarten the mothers found no continuation of opportunities for child study except from personal experience and observation, until mothers' circles and parent-teacher associations began to be organized in connection with schools of all grades, with the purpose of extending parental opportunities for child study and home making all through the life of the child.

WHAT SOME HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE DONE IN PROMOTION OF BETTER

HOMES.

In response to a letter of inquiry as to what high schools were doing for parents and citizens, 2,167 replied that they were doing nothing; 511 had established parent-teacher associations for study of the problems of children of high-school age by parents and teachers; 567 high schools expressed the desire for information as to methods of reaching parents and help that might be given. Lantern-slide lectures and popular courses in cooking, sewing, hygiene, and sanitation were reported in a small proportion of schools. The opening of school libraries for the use of citizens is noted as one form of home education work in some schools. Testimony as to the benefit to many homes resulting from the school courses in cooking and household arts is given by many superintendents and principals.

HOW ONE SCHOOL ENLISTS OUTSIDE HELP IN TEACHING.

Fayette, Ohio, has a required course for all the senior girls, which will be of great value to their homes now and the homes which they will have in a few years. They visit all the business houses, where one of the firm explains facts they should know. They visit homes, read to the sick, prepare meals, tend babies, etc. They are learning baking from the best woman baker in the community. They are learning to clean a house from a woman who, although she has a large family, is noted for the neat appearance of her home. The girls have plain sewing and make their own commencement dresses at a minimum cost.

Succasunna, N. J., conducts home extension work by a township library managed by the pupils of the high school under supervision of the faculty. From the central branch located in the high school deposits of books are sustained in the other schools of the township, which are an exchange with the central branch. As the work is

done by the pupils all the money that is expended goes for the purchase of new books. The library is thus placed within the reach of every home in this rural township.

Goshen, Ind., has "Home Reading Circle Books." These are taken by the children and are governed by rules similar to those governing public libraries. About 75 homes are reached.

Coalinza, Cal., has a boys' club entitled "Knights of Valor," with a membership of 500 men and boys; a girls' club of over 100, and a parent order of 200 mothers, meeting monthly to discuss child welfare and school problems. The work has been very helpful in the home and has brought parents into a new and better conception of school work and deeper sympathy toward the teacher.

The principal of Kindred, N. Dak., public schools called a meeting of the fathers of the school children to discuss with them matters that had a bearing on the welfare of their children. The greatest obstacles to the progress of the pupils were discussed. The chief of these were that children were permitted to be about at almost any hour of the night; that the parents set a bad example in failure to obey laws-particularly game laws and prohibition laws-and that children were frequently permitted to spend most of the night at dances. An immediate result was a mutual agreement among the fathers that each one would see that his own children were off the streets at dusk every evening. Another result was the adoption of a resolution by the school board prohibiting teachers and pupils from attending dances on evenings preceding school days.

Logan County high school, Colo., gives canning demonstrations, talks on home sanitation and home decoration, and sends the teacher in domestic science to rural schoolhouse meetings to take up and discuss the problems of the home; conducts a winter short course in which an expert seamstress is employed in a laboratory fitted up for sewing work. Any woman who desires to bring her work will receive such help as she needs. Women in this department are doing all kinds and varieties of sewing, from altering and making-over old garments to making and finishing tailored suits. A community welfare conference is planned with instructors furnished by the extension department of the University of Colorado. This course continues for six weeks. One hundred homes were reached last year. The Poplarville (Miss.) agricultural high school is making extension work the leading feature of the school. It is spreading the gospel of self-sustenance in urging that each farmer raise enough on his own farm to live on, without having to buy anything to eat. The teacher of domestic science is going into the homes, giving lessons in sanitation, home decoration, and cooking wherever she is invited 73226°-ED 1914-VOL 1-24

to do so.

Invitations are so numerous now that it keeps some one in the field nearly all the time.

Newberg (Oreg.) high school conducts a class in domestic science for the mothers, who meet once a week, and enrolls about 30 women outside the school.

In New Haven, Conn., a modern workman's house built by a civic federation was used during the year for the teaching of cooking and sewing. This was turned over to the board of education and assigned to the trade instruction department. Definite periods of instruction in cooking, sewing, and household work are open for residents of the district.

Madison, Minn., has a short course in home economics open to mothers. Sanitation, cooking, and home decoration are taken up. Ashley, Ind., devoted time to study of home conditions and home problems, enlisting the girls and their parents in this study.

Fort Scott, Kans., tries to raise the musical tone of the community and conducts a lyceum course.

Saginaw, Mich., opens its school Sunday afternoons for talks to parents by the medical supervisor.

Ericson, Nebr., reports 60 families affected by home extension work.

Ontario, Cal., has evening classes in home making and other subjects, reaching many young people and elderly people.

Athens, Ga., High and Industrial School conducts a six weeks' course each winter for mothers or housekeepers and domestic help. The course consists of two lessons per week, two hours each. A lecture of 45 minutes' length and a practical demonstration in cooking are given at each lesson. Certificates are given for completion of a three years' course in this department. Last year 45 housekeepers and domestic workers received these certificates. Some of the lectures are on the following subjects: "Prevention and care of diseases;" "Sanitation-household and community;" "Foods and food values;" "The fly;" "How to beautify the home;" "Home gardening;" "Crime-its causes-its remedy."

Moose Lake, Minn., high school gives a series of lectures and demonstrations on household economics, attended by 50 women. Greenwood, Va., high school invites the housewives to visit the domestic science department and has a series of weekly lectures on the sciences touching the home.

Red Lion, Pa., high school opens its library two evenings a week, under the supervision of one of the instructors. Here pupils and their parents may come to read or discuss problems arising from the child's school life. The ultimate aim is to make people realize the value of a public library.