the americanization of edward bok-第33章

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But　he　did　not　raise　the　finger。　No　one　enjoyed　the　〃paragraphs〃　more　heartily　when　the　wit　was　good；　and　in　that　case；　if　the　writer　was　unknown　to　him；　he　sought　him　out　and　induced　him　to　write　for　him。　In　this　way；　George　Fitch　was　found　on　the　Peoria；　Illinois；　Transcript　and　introduced　to　his　larger　public　in　the　magazine　and　book　world　through　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal；　whose　editor　he　believed　he　had　〃most　unmercifully　roasted〃；but　he　had　done　it　so　cleverly　that　the　editor　at　once　saw　his　possibilities。

When　all　his　friends　begged　Bok　to　begin　proceedings　against　the　New　York　Evening　Sun　because　of　the　libellous　（？）　articles　written　about　him　by　〃The　Woman　About　Town；〃　the　editor　admired　the　style　rather　than　the　contents；　made　her　acquaintance；　and　secured　her　as　a　regular　writer：　she　contributed　to　the　magazine　some　of　the　best　things　published　in　its　pages。　But　she　did　not　abate　her　opinions　of　Bok　and　his　magazine　in　her　articles　in　the　newspaper；　and　Bok　did　not　ask　it　of　her：　he　felt　that　she　had　a　right　to　her　opinionsthose　he　was　not　buying；　but　he　was　eager　to　buy　her　direct　style　in　treating　subjects　he　knew　no　other　woman　could　so　effectively　handle。

And　with　his　own　limited　knowledge　of　the　sex；　he　needed；　and　none　knew　it　better　than　did　he；　the　ablest　women　he　could　obtain　to　help　him　realize　his　ideals。　Their　personal　opinions　of　him　did　not　matter　so　long　as　he　could　command　their　best　work。　Sooner　or　later；　when　his　purposes　were　better　understood；　they　might　alter　those　opinions。　For　that　he　could　afford　to　wait。　But　he　could　not　wait　to　get　their　work。

By　this　time　the　editor　had　come　to　see　that　the　power　of　a　magazine　might　lie　more　securely　behind　the　printed　page　than　in　it。　He　had　begun　to　accustom　his　readers　to　writing　to　his　editors　upon　all　conceivable　problems。

This　he　decided　to　encourage。　He　employed　an　expert　in　each　line　of　feminine　endeavor；　upon　the　distinct　understanding　that　the　most　scrupulous　attention　should　be　given　to　her　correspondence：　that　every　letter；　no　matter　how　inconsequential；　should　be　answered　quickly；　fully；　and　courteously；　with　the　questioner　always　encouraged　to　come　again　if　any　problem　of　whatever　nature　came　to　her。　He　told　his　editors　that　ignorance　on　any　question　was　a　misfortune；　not　a　crime；　and　he　wished　their　correspondence　treated　in　the　most　courteous　and　helpful　spirit。

Step　by　step；　the　editor　built　up　this　service　behind　the　magazine　until　he　had　a　staff　of　thirty…five　editors　on　the　monthly　pay…roll；　in　each　issue；　he　proclaimed　the　willingness　of　these　editors　to　answer　immediately　any　questions　by　mail；　he　encouraged　and　cajoled　his　readers　to　form　the　habit　of　looking　upon　his　magazine　as　a　great　clearing…house　of　information。　Before　long；　the　letters　streamed　in　by　the　tens　of　thousands　during　a　year。　The　editor　still　encouraged；　and　the　total　ran　into　the　hundreds　of　thousands；　until　during　the　last　year；　before　the　service　was　finally　stopped　by　the　Great　War　of　1917…18；　the　yearly　correspondence　totalled　nearly　a　million　letters。

The　work　of　some　of　these　editors　never　reached　the　printed　page；　and　yet　was　vastly　more　important　than　any　published　matter　could　possibly　be。　Out　of　the　work　of　Ruth　Ashmore；　for　instance；　there　grew　a　class　of　cases　of　the　most　confidential　nature。　These　cases；　distributed　all　over　the　country；　called　for　special　investigation　and　personal　contact。　Bok　selected　Mrs。　Lyman　Abbott　for　this　piece　of　delicate　work；　and；　through　the　wide　acquaintance　of　her　husband；　she　was　enabled　to　reach；　personally；　every　case　in　every　locality；　and　bring　personal　help　to　bear　on　it。　These　cases　mounted　into　the　hundreds；　and　the　good　accomplished　through　this　quiet　channel　cannot　be　overestimated。

The　lack　of　opportunity　for　an　education　in　Bok's　own　life　led　him　to　cast　about　for　some　plan　whereby　an　education　might　be　obtained　without　expense　by　any　one　who　desired。　He　finally　hit　upon　the　simple　plan　of　substituting　free　scholarships　for　the　premiums　then　so　frequently　offered　by　periodicals　for　subscriptions　secured。　Free　musical　education　at　the　leading　conservatories　was　first　offered　to　any　girl　who　would　secure　a　certain　number　of　subscriptions　to　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal；　the　complete　offer　being　a　year's　free　tuition；　with　free　room；　free　board；　free　piano　in　her　own　room；　and　all　travelling　expenses　paid。　The　plan　was　an　immediate　success：　the　solicitation　of　a　subscription　by　a　girl　desirous　of　educating　herself　made　an　irresistible　appeal。

This　plan　was　soon　extended；　so　as　to　include　all　the　girls'　colleges；　and　finally　all　the　men's　colleges；　so　that　a　free　education　might　be　possible　at　any　educational　institution。　So　comprehensive　it　became　that　to　the　close　of　1919；　one　thousand　four　hundred　and　fifty…five　free　scholarships　had　been　awarded。　The　plan　has　now　been　in　operation　long　enough　to　have　produced　some　of　the　leading　singers　and　instrumental　artists　of　the　day；　whose　names　are　familiar　to　all；　as　well　as　instructors　in　colleges　and　scores　of　teachers；　and　to　have　sent　several　score　of　men　into　conspicuous　positions　in　the　business　and　professional　world。

Edward　Bok　has　always　felt　that　but　for　his　own　inability　to　secure　an　education；　and　his　consequent　desire　for　self…improvement；　the　realization　of　the　need　in　others　might　not　have　been　so　strongly　felt　by　him；　and　that　his　plan　whereby　thousands　of　others　were　benefited　might　never　have　been　realized。

The　editor's　correspondence　was　revealing；　among　other　deficiencies；　the　wide…spread　unpreparedness　of　the　average　American　girl　for　motherhood；　and　her　desperate　ignorance　when　a　new　life　was　given　her。　On　the　theory　that　with　the　realization　of　a　vital　need　there　is　always　the　person　to　meet　it；　Bok　consulted　the　authorities　of　the　Babies'　Hospital　of　New　York；　and　found　Doctor　Emmet　Holt's　house　physician；　Doctor　Emelyn　L。　Coolidge。　To　the　authorities　in　the　world　of　babies；　Bok's　discovery　was；　of　course；　a　known　and　serious　fact。

Doctor　Coolidge　proposed　that　the　magazine　create　a　department　of　questions　and　answers　devoted　to　the　problems　of　young　mothers。　This　was　done；　and　from　the　publication　of　the　first　issue　the　questions　began　to　come　in。　Within　five　years　the　department　had　grown　to　such　proportions　that　Doctor　Coolidge　proposed　a　plan　whereby　mothers　might　be　instructed；　by　mail；　in　the　rearing　of　babiesin　their　general　care；　their　feeding；　and　the　complete　hygiene　of　the　nursery。

Bok　had　already　learned；　in　his　editorial　experience；　carefully　to　weigh　a　woman's　instinct　against　a　man's　judgment；　but　the　idea　of　raising　babies　by　mail　floored　him。　He　reasoned；　however；　that　a　woman；　and　more　particularly　one　who　had　been　in　a　babies'　hospital　for　years；　knew　more　about　babies　than　he　could　possibly　know。　He　consulted　baby…specialists　in　New　York　and　Philadelphia；　and；　with　one　accord；　they　declared　the　plan　not　only　absolutely　impracticable　but　positively　dangerous。　Bok's　confidence　in　woman's　instinct；　however；　persisted；　and　he　asked　Doctor　Coolidge　to　map　out　a　plan。

This　called　for　the　services　of　two　physicians：　Miss　Marianna　Wheeler；　for　many　years　superintendent　of　the　Babies'　Hospital；　was　to　look　after　the　prospective　mother　before　the　baby's　birth；　and　Doctor　Coolidge；　when　the　baby　was　born；　would　immediately　send　to　the　young　mother　a　printed　list　of　comprehensive　questions；　which；　when　answered；　would　be　immediately　followed　by　a　full　set　of　directions　as　to　the　care　of　the　child；　including　carefully　prepared　food　formule。　At　the　end　of　the　first　month；　another　set　of　questions　was　to　be　forwarded　for　answer　by　the　mother；　and　this　monthly　service　was　to　be　continued　until　the　child　reached　the　age　of　two　years。　The　contact　with　the　mother　would　then　become　intermittent；　dependent　upon　the　condition　of　mother　and　child。　All　the　directions　and　formule　were　to　be　used　only　under　the　direction　of　the　mother's　attendant　physician；　so　that　the　fullest　cooperation　might　be　established　between　the　physician　on　the　case　and　the　advisory　department　of　the　magazine。

Despite　advice　to　the　contrary；　Bok　decided；　after　consulting　a　number　of　mothers；　to　establish　the　system。　It　was　understood　that　the