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HEARST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA, (1A., SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1013. 3 E sticks that seem fated to be hobbyhorses. There are hard places for marble rings, and soft places for leapfrog, so that nobody is ever hurt. But it is not all play for the children. The mother-nurses put them to work after a while, in the kindergartens. There is a kindergarten at each of the four nurseries, in which the children of the mills and shops are taught after the same methods that apply in the kinder garten instruction of the richer children. They study by examples, and are taught to work with their fingers. Last week, for Instance, in the John Barclay Nursery, they studied wool. The sheep was displayed, the method of shear lug illustrated, the wool was handled by each baby finger, and the fiber examined. Then a ‘Sheltering Arms’ Association Also Teaches Struggling Parents How to Gain Renewed Strength From Better-Chosen Food, and How to Keep House to Best Advantage. By TARLETON COLLIER thread was roughly wrapped, that the children could get an idea of the manufacture of cloth. Then several threads were interwoven, and they bad learned how wooleh cloth was made. Last, week, too, was Thanksgiving week. In the kindergartens, the children were taught the meaning of Thanksgiving, and all the tra- F ORTY women, tired-looking, plainly dress ed women they were, sat in the recep tion room of the Sheltering Arms Home one night last week and listened to Miss Mary Barnwell talk to them. She spoke as simply, as carefully as if she were instructing children of the kindergartens. And indeed, to most of those who heard her, this talk of household care and cleanliness, this revelation that there is such a thing as science and thought in home administration, was as new as the A B (7s to a six-year-old child. The time before this that they met Miss Barnwell and others of the Sheltering Arms administration, these same ttred-Iooktng, plain ly dressed women were told that those who felt ill at their work, and those who worried their hearts out over anemic, peaked children could most likely trace all their trouble to poor, illy-judged food. They were told that there Is a relative value in every food article, and that can be built and strength can be as sured by a study of these values. They heard how values can be enhanced or depreciated, according as the food is prepared well or thoughtlessly. The time before that the talk was of some thing else, something new and instructive to most of the listeners. And all of the talks, and many more, are part of the general scheme of social help and uplift that the prominent women of Atlanta are doing who are behind the work of the Sheltering Arms Association. First, an analysis of that gronp of listeners will serve as a sort of explanation of the work itself. They are tired-looking women, you have heard, and are really as tired as they appear. They have been working all day, some in of- fli-es, as clerks and stenographers, some In stores, standing all day behind the counter, but the most of them in the mills, at the looms and at the machines, working with their hands, and with their backs and shoulders, until their bodies are drawn in an aching stoop that will hardly lie gone with the night's repose. They are widowed mothers who must work to support themselves and their children. They have not the traditions of housekeeping hack of them, and must learn now how to care for themselves and their children. Teaching them is a part of the work that the association is doing. it is the most practical charity in the world. The talks like that of Miss Barnwell the other night prove that much. And as the women of the association, Mrs. Gilbert Fraser and the pothers, explain it, the work endeavors to strike it the source of the unhappiness and wretch- dness of the very poor classes, by teaching ffiem the secret of economy and science and Judgment in the home, which is after all noth ing but the science of life. Not satisfied with merely taking care of the children of these widowed mothers, allowing them to play and to study, nursing them and doctoring them in its five-day nurseries, the association finds In the mothers themselves a fruitful field for missionary work. Mrs. Fraser is opposed to the idea of grant ing pensions to widfrwed mothers, the idea de fended by the Associated Charities of Atlanta. “How much more effective is this other way,” she explains, “where the mother is relieved of the care of her children, and worry for her children during the day, allowed to work for them, given them back at night after they have played and studied the whole of a very happy day. And where she herself is reminded of her duties in the home and in the care of her children. Granted a pension, the mother incurs the danger of the loss of her self-respect. She Is pauperized, and there is no uplifting teach ing influence.” There are four day nurseries operated by the Sheltering Arms Association, and the establish ment of a fifth is in immediate prospect. The nurseries care for an aggregate of 200 children each day, the children of mothers who must work. “The nurseries take the place of the mothers of the children,” explained Mrs. Fraser. "The women who must work give their children over lo the matrons and nurses early in the morn- ditlons that surround the day—even to the tradition of turkey and pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie living mentioned, an effort was made to drill into the minds of the little children some thing about the operation of pie making. Al ready lhey bad been taught to paro and to slice apples for preserve making. The pre serves they helped thus to make were opened Thanksgiving Day at a great party. At the John Barclay Nursery, at least, they helped to make the pies for the party, in a way. Each mother of a mirsery-ohild was requested lo prepare the crust for the pies at her home, the children looking on. The uext day the crusts wore brought to the nursery, tilled where they were with the succulent fruit, and later In the evening were out with great ceremony. So much for the kindergarten work through which the children are put h,v their foster mothers, the nurses. They are taught to sing, too, for in most nurseries there are pianos, ob talned by the association, or given by private benefactors. They are taught to recite some times. and above everything they are taught to express themselves, and to talk on the things that interest, them. Whenever a holiday comes along there are excited discussions In the nur series, following the instructors’ explanation of the occasion. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, Faster, Washington's Birthday, all of them are times for the consideration of history, tra dition, sentiment, and for a detailed explana lion. Kindergarten work occupies the smaller chil dren through the morning. A little more pe riod of free play in the yards or, If It Is cold or damp, in the big playrooms, and a hot din ner. cooked in the nursery, is served them. Dinner time Is variable at the nurseries. About the time the smaller children are smack ing their lips over the last mouthful, the older ones come In from school, and they sit down to the second table, or maybe the third. After dinner they rest. There Is hardly any crying for mother, and hardly any moping from Illness or toothache. Any evidence of illness is the signal for the call of a physician, and I here are a number of physicians who have proffered their services free to the association. Most of the visits from doctor or dentist, how ever, are made in’ the morning, rather than after dinner. About the only business of the afternoon, then, Is the study hour for the school children. lng, and from then until late afternoon their responsibility and care is over.” The function of the nurseries as foster moth era begins early In the morning. It Involves even the homely task of washing faces and hands that are grimy after the night’s sleep. Half past five In the morning brings all sorts of children to the nurseries. Some are tiny, baldheaded babies of five and six months Some are eleven or twelve years old, or even older In the case of a few exceptionally defl eient and helpless boys and girls. Some are In school, but the large proportion are not, be cause a child old enough to bo entered in the public school Is usually considered by its mother old enough to take care of Itself -particularly with the mother, her resources strained at ev ery point,, is asked to pay twenty-five cents a week for the care and support of each child in the nursery. This nominal fee is required by the asso elation to eliminate the elements of pauperism. "There is nothing so fatal to self-respect and to the desire really to better oneself than the idea that one is dependent on the bounty of another,” the policy of the Sheltering Arms Association was explained was Mrs. Fraser. But as to the children again. The school boys and girls, their faces washed, even behind the ears, are packed off to their classrooms. Here is the function of the mother exemplified. The very tiniest children, the babies in arms, are bathed if necessary and put to sleep in the big cradles that fill at least one room in every nursery. The other children, of age interme diate between the cradle and the school, are set to playing for a while. There are all sorts of ways to play. There are swings, and planks to potter with, and lit tle bits of lumber for playhouses, and long Children who are left for the day at the “Sheltering Arms” Nurseries do not, mope or grieve while their mothers are away at work, as the pictures show. Swings, “teeter” hoards and all man ner of things to play with are provided. Having, Ilka mothers, sent them to school, the nurses and matrons lake them in hand after they come back, and hear the lessons for the next day. The workers at the nurseries wili tell you with considerable pride tfiat seldom do their children fall to achieve promotion at the end of the school year. One afternoon the week, usually Friday, club meetings of the older children are con ducted by the kindergarten teachers. At the meetings there are topical talks, perhaps songs or recitations, and a half-serions, half-tender lecture on Ambition, Service and Cleanliness, and Kindness, and the other big things. Then, as the afternoon wears on, the moth ers come in from work. Along late In the aft ernoon the front fence is lined with the chil dren if the day is good. Because, you know, It doesn’t matter how gloriously kind the foo ter mother is, there is always a real mother whom you love before everything else. The coming of the mothers Is always the time for little yells of Joy and kisses. In a little while after the factory whistles blow the nurseries are empty. The matrons and nurses, employed by the Sheltering Arms Association, remain at the nursery buildings every night of the week ex cept Saturday night. They open the doora at half past five every morning for the first sleepy mother and sleepier children to come In, as the woman goes to work. In must of the drab lives of the working mothers and their children, the nursery la a very bright spot. The rooms are clean and fresh and light. There are always green plants, and everywhere is cleanliness. Thus the nurseries of the Sheltering Arms Association become mothers to 200 children euch day while their real mothers are away working. The association which accomplishes this work was prganlzed in 1884. One of the pioneers in the work was John Barclay, an old Atlantan whose name is to-day beloved. The nursery at No. 83 Jefferson street, at the Exposition Cotton Mills, bears his name. The first nursery established was that on Walton street, near the Intersection of Ma rletta, the land for which was given by Osgood Sanders. Because of his benevolence, the nur sery was named for him. The five nurseries of the association are con ducted each by a definite group of the asso ciation women, with all of them, of course, tinder the control of the Sheltering Arms Board. The locations and the management of the five are as follows: Osgood Handers Nursery, No. 161 Walton street, conducted by the Sheltering Arms Board, Mrs. Gilbert Fraser president. John Barclay Nursery, No. 88 Jefferson street, at Exposition Cotton Mills, conducted by the John Barclay Board, Mrs. Edward Van Winkle, chairman. Cornelia Moore Nursery, No. 55 Garibaldi street., conducted by the Order of Old-Fashioned Women, Mrs. R. F. MaddAx, president. Whittier Mills Nursery, at Whittier Cotton Mills, conducted by Sheltering Arms Board. Mrs. Mary Woolford, superintendent. Gate City Nursery, at College Park, to be conducted by the Junior Order of Old-Fash ioned Women, Mrs. Lee Jordan, president. The officers of the general Ixiard of the as sociation are Mrs. Gilbert Fraser, president; Mrs. W. S. Elkin, vice president; Mrs. W. H. Kiser, recording secretary; Mrs. Dnnbar Roy, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Eugene R. Black, treasurer. And about the money that pays for the oper ation of the nurseries. Naturally, the cost is considerable. To Atlanta’s credit be it said that the institution is practically public, being paid for, In the most part,, by the proceeds from the city’s one Tag Day. One day each year, usually in the early spring, girls and women of Atlanta’s society sot take their stand at every corner, and at the entrance to every of fice building, and buttonhole every person who Iiasses. Everybody must buy a tag, and every body does, the money going to the support of the nurseries. The Sheltering Arms Association Is aided greatly by the mills in whose districts certain nurseries are established. Quarters are fur nished, appropriations are made, and pianos and other fittings for the establishments are given by the mill operators, who realize, more perhaps than anyone else, the services the nur series are rendering in raising the standard of living among their people. One of the features of the Child’s Welfare Congress this week will be a model nnrser.v and medical examination room, established and maintained by the Sheltering Arms Association. The nursery will be ir^ practical operation, and women who come to view the exhibits and to hear the lectures may be sure that their tiny children will be cared for In the well-fitted rooms. The working mothers, for whose chil dren the nurseries were established, have been requested to attend the Congress, and to place their children In the model nursery during the course of their visit. At the close of the Congress, the furnishing of the model nursery will be transferred to the new College Park Nursery, which will be opened immediately. TV I • • Q •| A 1 in ? • 4 IP Iff T Diamonds in be orgia o oil—Upals an d sapphires Are round Here, loo D IAMONDS were not even considered In the list of Georgia products; diamonds, nor rubies, nor sapphires, nor opals, nor amethysts, nor pearls. And yet— The bulletin by S. W. McCallle, State Geolo gist, dealing with the mineral resources of Georgia, will tell you: “A large variety of minerals suitable for gems and other ornamental objects and cabinet sjiecimens has been found in the State. No systematic mining for gems, however, has been carried on, and the finds have been accidental, or incidental, to gold, corundum and other mining. Nearly all the minerals are found in the Piedmont Plateau and the mountainous section of the northeastern part of the State, but a few, such as opal, chalcedony, jasiier and agate, occur in the Coastal Plain.” A visit to the really excellent exhibit of the State Department of Geology, on the third floor of the Capitol, will bring conviction that Geor gia is a State of precious stones as well as of cotton and cane syrup and ’possum and ’taters. In one well-locked case a tremendous ame thyst, of a beautiful deep purple, cut to glitter from a hundred facets, confronts you. All around it are opals, garnets, a pearl from a mountain stream, and a stone that is very much like a ruby. There are no diamonds on exhibition, but the records of the State Department of Geology tell of the discovery of a number of these very precious stones. Most of the diamonds of Georgia production were found in connection with gold mining, particularly with placer gold mining of the ear ly days. Then it was that the miner looked scrupulously at every pebble in his pan as lie washed it by the side of a creek, it is likely that there are diamonds in the same localities, but the present day methods of mining do not tend to easy discovery of the rough stones. Ae cording to the report of the geologist, dia monds have been found in the following coun ties : Hall, White, Habersham, Banks, Lump kin, Dawson, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Clayton, Bartow, Haralson, Carroll, Paulding, Cobb and Twiggs, all ol' them having been re ported to have furnished one or more stones each. “Most of the finds,” Wie report continues, “it must be admitted, lack satisfactory verification, and in some instances one is led to suspect that pure deception has tieen practiced, and that in still other cases other minerals, as very clear quartz crystals, have been honestly mistaken for diamonds. However, there arc a few well au thenticated finds which place the existence of a diamond-bearing rock In Georgia not beyond the bounds of probability.” Rubles and sapphires have been found in Georgia, although not frequently, and not large single gems. The book of the scientist, how ever, holds out the hope for them, saying there Is always the possibility of discoveries, since there are a large number of corundum occur rences iu t^e State. The two precious stones are corundum gems. One or two rubles found In Georgia, It is re corded, were of considerable value. As to amethysts, however, the Georgia prod uct is notable. Amethyst, described technical ly, is a violet, or purple, variety of crystalline quartz, and the clear, beautiful quartz Is found in many localities in Georgia. Rabun County has furnished some of the finest amethysts ob tained In the country, but no systematic search has been Instituted. Amethystine quartz is very .common in the crystalline rocks of the State, and a number of pretty specimens of rose quartz, which produces a gem of considerable beauty, have been found. Chalcedony, agate and jasper, stones of val ue, have beer found in Lowndes, Brooks, Thom as, Crisp, Jones and Houston Counties. Opals of considerable value have been found In sev eral counties, and emeralds, although none of fineness or value. Garnet, a stone or iron-alumina composition, has been found in considerable quantities. In this instance, too, the geologist holds out a promise. “It is reasonable to predict,” says the State Bulletin, “that careful search would reveal much material that could be used for gems, or watch jewels.” Moonstones of beuutlfnl pale bine opales cence have been found, particularly on the Addison Lowe farm, in Forsyth County, and good gems have been cut. The report of the geologists concerning precious stones ends with the declaration that several valuable pearls have been obtained from the shells of mussels in streams in northwestern part of the State. Evidences of Georgia’s fecundity on this score is presented in the exhibit at the State Cap itol. This collection of minerals and mineral products is one of the unexploltcd assets of the State. Thousands of specimens worthy of a day’s study are there. Interesting as are the precious stones ex> hlbited, much more are the specimens of gold- bearing rock and pure gold nuggets taken in North Georgia. That Georgia before the war between the States was one of the foremost gold-bearing States of the Union, and that a branch mint was maintained at Dahlonega to coin the gold there taken, is the story told with this exhibit. Another case bears a number of household articles, with utensils for every department of the home, made of aluminum, a mineral in which Georgia’s earth abounds. Altogether, the exhibit is comprehensive, and holds out the promise of considerable wealth to be derived ■ from Georgia’s mineral resources. e