the americanization of edward bok-第66章

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　my　wife　and　my　mother。〃

Secretary　Taft　adhered　to　his　conservative　policy；　Sir　Wilfred　Laurier；　premier　of　Canada；　met　the　overtures　of　Secretary　of　State　Root；　a　new　international　document　was　drawn　up；　and　Niagara　Falls　had　been　saved　to　the　American　people。

In　1905　and　in　previous　years　the　casualties　resulting　from　fireworks　on　the　Fourth　of　July　averaged　from　five　to　six　thousand　each　year。　The　humorous　weekly　Life　and　The　Chicago　Tribune　had　been　for　some　time　agitating　a　restricted　use　of　fireworks　on　the　national　fete　day；　but　nevertheless　the　list　of　casualties　kept　creeping　to　higher　figures。　Bok　decided　to　help　by　arousing　the　parents　of　America；　in　whose　hands；　after　all；　lay　the　remedy。　He　began　a　series　of　articles　in　the　magazine；　showing　what　had　happened　over　a　period　of　years；　the　criminality　of　allowing　so　many　young　lives　to　be　snuffed　out；　and　suggested　how　parents　could　help　by　prohibiting　the　deadly　firecrackers　and　cannon；　and　how　organizations　could　assist　by　influencing　the　passing　of　city　ordinances。　Each　recurring　January；　The　Journal　returned　to　the　subject；　looking　forward　to　the　coming　Fourth。　It　was　a　deep…rooted　custom　to　eradicate；　and　powerful　influences；　in　the　form　of　thousands　of　small　storekeepers；　were　at　work　upon　local　officials　to　pay　no　heed　to　the　agitation。　Gradually　public　opinion　changed。　The　newspapers　joined　in　the　cry；　women's　organizations　insisted　upon　action　from　local　municipal　bodies。

Finally；　the　civic　spirit　in　Cleveland；　Ohio；　forced　the　passage　of　a　city　ordinance　prohibiting　the　sale　or　use　of　fireworks　on　the　Fourth。　The　following　year　when　Cleveland　reported　no　casualties　as　compared　to　an　ugly　list　for　the　previous。　Fourth；　a　distinct　impression　was　made　upon　other　cities。　Gradually；　other　municipalities　took　action；　and　year　by　year　the　list　of　Fourth　of　July　casualties　grew　perceptibly　shorter。　New　York　City　was　now　induced　to　join　the　list　of　prohibitive　cities；　by　a　personal　appeal　made　to　its　mayor　by　Bok；　and　on　the　succeeding　Fourth　of　July　the　city　authorities；　on　behalf　of　the　people　of　New　York　City；　conferred　a　gold　medal　upon　Edward　Bok　for　his　services　in　connection　with　the　birth　of　the　new　Fourth　in　that　city。

There　still　remains　much　to　be　done　in　cities　as　yet　unawakened；　but　a　comparison　of　the　list　of　casualties　of　1920　with　that　of　1905　proves　the　growth　in　enlightened　public　sentiment　in　fifteen　years　to　have　been　steadily　increasing。　It　is　an　instance　not　of　Bok　taking　the　initiativethat　had　already　been　takenbut　of　throwing　the　whole　force　of　the　magazine　with　those　working　in　the　field　to　help。　It　is　the　American　woman　who　is　primarily　responsible　for　the　safe　and　sane　Fourth；　so　far　as　it　already　exists　in　this　country　to…day；　and　it　is　the　American　woman　who　can　make　it　universal。

Mrs。　Pennypacker；　as　president　of　The　Federation　of　Women's　Clubs；　now　brought　to　Bok's　attention　the　conditions　under　which　the　average　rural　school…teacher　lived；　the　suffering　often　entailed　on　her　in　having　to　walk　miles　to　the　schoolhouse　in　wintry　weather；　the　discomfort　she　had　to　put　up　with　in　the　farm…houses　where　she　was　compelled　to　live；　with　the　natural　result；　under　those　conditions；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　secure　the　services　of　capable　teachers；　or　to　have　good　teaching　even　where　efficient　teachers　were　obtained。

Mrs。　Pennypacker　suggested　that　Bok　undertake　the　creation　of　a　public　sentiment　for　a　residence　for　the　teacher　in　connection　with　the　schoolhouse。　The　parson　was　given　a　parsonage；　why　not　the　teacher　a　〃teacherage〃？　The　Journal　co…operated　with　Mrs。　Pennypacker　and　she　began　the　agitation　of　the　subject　in　the　magazine。　She　also　spoke　on　the　subject　wherever　she　went；　and　induced　women's　clubs　all　over　the　country　to　join　the　magazine　in　its　advocacy　of　the　〃teacherage。〃

By　personal　effort；　several　〃teacherages〃　were　established　in　connection　with　new　schoolhouses；　photographs　of　these　were　published　and　sent　personally　to　school…boards　all　over　the　country；　the　members　of　women's　clubs　saw　to　it　that　the　articles　were　brought　to　the　attention　of　members　of　their　local　school…boards；　and　the　now…generally　accepted　idea　that　a　〃teacherage〃　must　accompany　a　new　schoolhouse　was　well　on　its　way　to　national　recognition。

It　only　remains　now　for　communities　to　install　a　visiting　nurse　in　each　of　these　〃teacherages〃　so　that　the　teacher　need　not　live　in　solitary　isolation；　and　that　the　health　of　the　children　at　school　can　be　looked　after　at　first　hand。　Then　the　nurse　shall　be　at　the　call　of　every　small　American　communityparticularly　to　be　available　in　cases　of　childbirth；　since　in　these　thinly　settled　districts　it　is　too　often　impossible　to　obtain　the　services　of　a　physician；　with　the　result　of　a　high　percentage　of　fatalities　to　mothers　that　should　not　be　tolerated　by　a　wealthy　and　progressive　people。　No　American　mother；　at　childbirth；　should　be　denied　the　assistance　of　professional　skill；　no　matter　how　far　she　may　live　from　a　physician。　And　here　is　where　a　visiting　nurse　in　every　community　can　become　an　institution　of　inestimable　value。

Just　about　this　time　a　group　of　Philadelphia　physicians；　headed　by　Doctor　Samuel　McClintock　Hamill；　which　had　formed　itself　into　a　hygienic　committee　for　babies；　waited　upon　Bok　to　ask　him　to　join　them　in　the　creation　of　a　permanent　organization　devoted　to　the　welfare　of　babies　and　children。　Bok　found　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　company　of　representative　physicians；　and　helped　to　organize　〃The　Child　Federation；〃　an　organization　〃to　do　good　on　a　business　basis。〃

It　was　to　go　to　the　heart　of　the　problem　of　the　baby　in　the　congested　districts　of　Philadelphia；　and　do　a　piece　of　intensive　work　in　the　ward　having　the　highest　infant　mortality；　establishing　the　first　health　centre　in　the　United　States　actively　managed　by　competent　physicians　and　nurses。　This　centre　was　to　demonstrate　to　the　city　authorities　that　the　fearful　mortality　among　babies；　particularly　in　summer；　could　be　reduced。

Meanwhile；　there　was　created　a　〃Baby　Saving　Show；〃　a　set　of　graphic　pictures　conveying　to　the　eye　methods　of　sanitation　and　other　too　often　disregarded　essentials　of　the　wise　care　and　feeding　of　babies；　and　this　travelled；　like　a　theatrical　attraction；　to　different　parts　of　the　city。　〃Little　Mothers'　Leagues〃　were　organized　to　teach　the　little　girl　of　ten　or　twelve；　so　often　left　in　charge　of　a　family　of　children　when　the　mother　is　at　work　during　the　day；　and　demonstrations　were　given　in　various　parts　of　the　city。

The　Child　Federation　now　undertook　one　activity　after　the　other。　Under　its　auspices；　the　first　municipal　Christmas　tree　ever　erected　in　Philadelphia　was　shown　in　the　historic　Independence　Square；　and　with　two　bands　of　music　giving　concerts　every　day　from　Christmas　to　New　Year's　Day；　attracted　over　two　hundred　thousand　persons。　A　pavilion　was　erected　in　City　Hall　Square；　the　most　central　spot　in　the　city；　and　the　〃Baby　Saving　Show〃　was　permanently　placed　there　and　visited　by　over　one　hundred　thousand　visitors　from　every　part　of　the　country　on　their　way　to　and　from　the　Pennsylvania　Station　at　Broad　Street。

A　searching　investigation　of　the　Day　Nurseries　of　Philadelphiaprobably　one　of　the　most　admirable　pieces　of　research　work　ever　made　in　a　citychanged　the　methods　in　vogue　and　became　a　standard　guide　for　similar　institutions　throughout　the　country。　So　successful　were　the　Little　Mothers'　Leagues　that　they　were　introduced　into　the　public　schools　of　Philadelphia；　and　are　to…day　a　regular　part　of　the　curriculum。　The　Health　Centre；　its　success　being　proved；　was　taken　over　by　the　city　Board　of　Health；　and　three　others　were　established。

To…day　The　Child　Federation　is　recognized　as　one　of　the　most　practically　conducted　child　welfare　agencies　in　Philadelphia；　and　its　methods　have　been　followed　by　similar　organizations　all　over　the　country。　It　is　now　rapidly　becoming　the　central　medium　through　which　the　other　agencies　in　Philadelphia　are　working；　thus　avoiding　the　duplication　of　infant　welfare　work　in　the　city。　Broadening　its　scope；　it　is　not　unlikely　to　become　one　of　the　greatest　indirect　influences　in　the　welfare　work　of　Philadelphia　and　the　vicinity；　through　which　other　organizations　will