the americanization of edward bok-第38部分

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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　greatest　care　was　to　be　exercised：　the　most　expert　advice；　if　needed；　was　to　be　sought　and　given；　and　the　thousands　of　cases　at　the　Babies'　Hospital　were　to　be　laid　under　contribution。

There　was　then　begun　a　magazine　department　which　was　to　be　classed　among　the　most　clear…cut　pieces　of　successful　work　achieved　by　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal。

Step　by　step；　the　new　departure　won　its　way；　and　was　welcomed　eagerly　by　thousands　of　young　mothers。　It　was　not　long　before　the　warmest　commendation　from　physicians　all　over　the　country　was　received。　Promptness　of　response　and　thoroughness　of　diagnosis　were；　of　course；　the　keynotes　of　the　service：　where　the　cases　were　urgent；　the　special　delivery　post　and；　later；　the　night…letter　telegraph　service　were　used。

The　plan　is　now　in　its　eleventh　year　of　successful　operation。　Some　idea　of　the　enormous　extent　of　its　service　can　be　gathered　from　the　amazing　figures　that；　at　the　close　of　the　tenth　year；　show　over　forty　thousand　prospective　mothers　have　been　advised；　while　the　number　of　babies　actually　〃raised〃　by　Doctor　Coolidge　approaches　eighty　thousand。　Fully　ninety…five　of　every　hundred　of　these　babies　registered　have　remained　under　the　monthly　letter…care　of　Doctor　Coolidge　until　their　first　year；　when　the　mothers　receive　a　diet　list　which　has　proved　so　effective　for　future　guidance　that　many　mothers　cease　to　report　regularly。　Eighty…five　out　of　every　hundred　babies　have　remained　in　the　registry　until　their　graduation　at　the　age　of　two。　Over　eight　large　sets　of　library　drawers　are　required　for　the　records　of　the　babies　always　under　the　supervision　of　the　registry。

Scores　of　physicians　who　vigorously　opposed　the　work　at　the　start　have　amended　their　opinions　and　now　not　only　give　their　enthusiastic　endorsement；　but　have　adopted　Doctor　Coolidge's　food　formule　for　their　private　and　hospital　cases。

It　was　this　comprehensive　personal　service；　built　up　back　of　the　magazine　from　the　start；　that　gave　the　periodical　so　firm　and　unique　a　hold　on　its　clientele。　It　was　not　the　printed　word　that　was　i