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THE ANCHOR-Diocese of Fall River-Thurs. Sept. 21,1961
Major Australian ~rty Favors Education Aid
Women'·s Club Encourages Matura~ Feeding of Bab'ies
SYDNEY (NC) - One of the three major parties in New South Wales has come out in favor of state aid to
By Father John L. Thomas, S.J.
Ass't Sociology Prof.-St. Louis University "R~cently a group of women in our town formed
a club to 2ncourage and teach young mothers to breast-feed their babies. We found de~D satisfaction in this practice ourselves and· feel that it provides an ideal atmosphere in which motherly love can grow. It "it comes in such handy containappears tha~ many women ers." Creates Ideal Conditions do not nurse their babies Second, common sense and because they are uninformed or fear ridicule. Do you think this is a worthwhile project? Are we on solid ground in assuming th a t breast - feedi ng is a .practice that should be promoted?" You may be interested in learning, Noreen, that several women from different parts of the country have written to me that they have formed similar organizations or clubs. Although artificial. feeding methods have been quickly and widely accepted in our society, this seems to be one change that many people have now decided to reevaluate. As in so many other .areas, the results of modern scientific medical progress may give' rise to more ..problems than they solve if they are thoughtlessly misapplied.. One has only to consider some,of the abuses related to the popular consumption of tranquilizers, vitamins, anti-biotics, and so on, to get the point I am making here. The practice of breast-feeding has come in for a considerable ainount of discussion -and study during the past few decades. According to reliable estimates, 4>nly about one out of five American mothers now nurses her baby. Such sudden abandonment of an age-old universal, vitally necessary practice was made possible, of course, by the discovery of substitute scientific feeding formulas, but this development does 1Iot wholly account for the widespread shift. Changed attitudes tow a r d motherhood, convenience, -and the assumption that artificial feeding methods are better, because scientifically devised, have created a cultural situation in . which the average mother apparently does not even consider the possibility of breast-feeding her child. Exaggerated Claims 'In attempting to' modify this situation, some persons have proceeded with all the zeal of crusaders, frequently making claims that were exaggerated or not founded and provoking anxieties that defeated the very purpose they wished. to achieve. When promoting your project, therefore, you should keep the following points in mind. Although a mother's milk is obviously made for her baby and normally contains the proper balance of ingredients needed for the child's health, one should not make exaggerated claims about its superiority over scientifically prepared formula.' The records show that children do quite well on the 'latter, though there is evidence to suggest that mother's milk promotes greater resistance to sickness and is easier to digest. Besides, it is always at the correct temperature, and as the advertising experts would say,
Seminarians Promote Boo'ks for Africa ST. MEINRAD (NC) -Last September the students at St. Meinrad's Seminary in Indiana decided to start a small-scale "Books for, Africa" program. Their initial goal was to send 400 books. They underestimated 'their abilities.· They actually sent out 23,136 books and 10,939 Catholic magazines. Into each book the seminarians sent, they rubber-stamped a message in English and Swahili: "A gift from ~your friends in America."
modern theories of personality . development suggest that breastfeeding should have significant psychological advantages for the infant. Nevertheless, it should be noted that such advantages have not yet been empirically demon"strated, so that one must advance this claim with cauiion. Reliable studies do show, however, the importance of affectionate handling or mothering, and there can be little. doubt that breast-feeding. creates ideal conditions for the expression of this c~ntact and intimacy. In other 'words, your program should stress the exceptional advantages of this method ,for offering much needed mothering. Commends Book Third, since many young mothers do not know how to nurse, over-estimate its difficulties, or are afraid to attempt it, to stress its advantages without giving them positive and detailed instructions will only increase their anxieties. An excellent little book for this purpose is Breast Feeding by Betty Ann Countryman (Bobb-Merrill Company, Indianapolis, $1.95). Every young mother would learn much from reading this book, and you will find it very helpful in your work. N~edless Distress Fou~th, your group must be mindful that a minority of women are unable to breast-feed for ,serious practical, medical, or psychological reasons. Avoid provoking needless guilt and diStress by tactfully recognizing this fact. Since attitudes are' more important than' methods in this matter, a mother should never feel "pressured" or, compelled to use one of several available feeding methods. . Medical Merry-Go-Round . Fifth, you should secure the cooperation of local doctors and nurses in your project. Experience shows that there is a considerable amount of mutual buck-passing in this matter. . Doctors claim that mothers refuse, and nurses don't want to be bothered; nurSes protest that doctors won't use their influence with mothers; and mothers insist that medical authorities are impatient ,or unsympathetic. Your project won't make much progress on such a merry-goround. Finally, remember that husbands are part of the family. They too should be informed concerning the aims of your program, for th~y can play a significant role in its promotion by lending their wives sympathy,' encouragement, understanding and emotional support..
Sodal Life Meeting HALIFAX '(NC)-The threeday Canadian National Catholic Social Life Conf.erence will be held beginning Friday, Oct. 13. Sponsored by the Cana'dian Hierarchy, the conference will devote itself to a study'of indus"trial relations and the papal social encyclicals, although farm-" ing will also.be treated.
approved private schools. . Under the Country party's new plan; the state would pay all interest on loans raised by. the independent schools for construction or expansion. The Country party based its demand for state aid to private schools on the "belief that continuance of the present dual system of State and Independent Schools operating in New South Wales is an integral part of a free community." The Australian Labor party, which is in' power in New South Wales, has taken an official stand opposing state aid to independent schools. Yet several leading FIlRST TO SOUTH AMERICA: The first two Sisters members of that party in..parliaof Charity of the Bless,ed Virgin Mary ever to be sent to ment expressed agreement with South America are shown looking over the continent which the Country party's new. prowill be their new home. From the left, the Sisters are Sister posals. One member of the state cabinet said a large number of Mary Ruth Marie; Mother Mary Consolatrice, Superior Laborites favor paying interest General of the congregation; and Sister Mary James Leone. on loans taken out by independent schools. NC Photo. 'Fhe third major party in New South Wales; the Liberal party., has not adopted a firm policy regarding aid to independent education. CARSON CITY (NC)-NevThe Attorney General issued a Auxiliary Bishop Thomas ada's attorney general ~as sug- n~ne-page statement' backing up Muldoon of Sydney said the gested. avenues of acbo~ for hIS conclusions, and followed Country party has revealed clampmg down on semmude this up with an ll-page memor- . "courage, wisdom and a' sense 01 sh?wS and. other indecent en~er- andum to the district and 'city justice." tamment m the state, parhcu- attorneys serving Las Vegas and larly in Las Vegas and Reno. Reno. Atty. Gen. Roger Foley issued Foley compared his position in two separate opinions and a the matter with the stand taken LOS ANGELES (NC) - The lengthy "memorandum" on the ?y Bishop Dwyer, saying that he subject from his capital city IS pot a policeman. But he sug- Kaiser Steel Corporation and the office here. In doing so he quoted gested that the Gaming Commis- United Steelworkers of America extensively from a recent passion use its powers, endowed by received the annual Father Coogan Award of the Catholie toral letter of Bishop Robe!rt J. the Legislature and defined by Dwyer of Reno that called for a the state Supreme Court, to "pro- Labor Institute here. The award, named for the late cleanup of indecent .floor shows tect the public health, safety' Thomas Coogan, the institute's in certain resort hotels and morals, good order and generai casinos in Nevada. . welfare of the inhabitants of' founder, is given' to a company and a union which have co'ntribThe Attorney General's stateNevada." uted to the search for industrial ments left the road open for a peace. possible crackdown to the GamEc:lgar F. Kaiser, president of ing Commission, the State LegisKaiser Industries Corp", and lature, or the local governments SYDNEY (NC) - In a city of Las Vegas and Reno. The two ,where' two stage shows recently David J. McDonald, president of cities were singled out because closed for lack of patrons, a 13th the union, accepted the awards some casinos in them present century liturgical drama, "The at a Communion breakfast attended by more than 1,000 per"bare bosom" shows and aHow Play of Daniel," has done amazsons. Gov. Edmund G. (Pat~ suggestive remarks by comeing business here, playing to Brown of California was the dians. crowded aui:liences in the crypt main speaker. Suitability Standards .of St. Mary's cathedral. Extra performances had to be Foley said the Gaming Commission, whose members are ap- arranged and seats were quickly pointed by the governor, "has taken up, despite the fact that the power to establish standards . all the dialogue was in Latin the of suitability for live .entertain- Church's universal language: (an ment offered the. public on English commentary was spoken by a narrator). premises of gaming licensees."
Points Out Wa'ys .of Clamping Down On Indecent S.hows in Nevada
iteel Company, Union Get Labor Awards
Play in Latin 'Hit' Where Others Fail
5 34%
Coy.le Alumni ChoCl,se Officers, Set Dancc~
NONE TOO SMALL
Coyle' High School Alumni Association plans for the corning season include a general meeting at 7:30 Sunday night, Oct. Ili in the school cafeteria, the annual Thanksgiving dance and a tentatively scheduled Communion breakfast, also in November. New officers include Robert Bereri, president; Frank O'Boy, vice president; 'Thomas Whalen, treasurer; Paul O'Boy, secretary.
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