[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 80 (Monday, June 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING NATIONAL HISTORY DAY PARTICIPANT MIRIAM CARLSON

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                        HON. DONALD A. MANZULLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 17, 2002

  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Miriam Carlson, a 
home-schooled 9th grader from Rockford, Illinois. Miriam was selected 
from over 700,000 students from across the Nation to be one of 2,000 
participants in the National History Day. This year's theme called for 
contestants to select a notable woman in history under the topic, 
``Revolution, Reaction and Reform.'' Miriam's project was on the life 
of Julia Lathrop, entitled, ``Julia Lathrop: Mother to Uncle Sam's 
Children.''
  I would like to extend my congratulations to Miriam on her hard work 
and dedication to this project and I wish her success in future 
endeavors. Here is her essay:

             Julia Lathrop: Mother to Uncle Sam's Children

                          (By Miriam Carlson)

       I wanted a project where I could find photos. My father had 
     read about Julia Lathrop. He mentioned her to me and I became 
     interested.
       Julia Lathrop was born in Rockford and later returned to my 
     hometown. What was exciting is that her second home, which 
     she shared with her sister, is only three blocks from my 
     house. A friend of mine lives in that house. Also, Julia 
     Lathrop is buried in nearby Greenwood Cemetery. Here when I 
     was younger, I took my first long bike rides when my father 
     ran. I enjoyed researching someone with whom I have some 
     connections.
       My research began at the Rockford Public Library. I looked 
     up Julia Lathrop, the Children's Bureau, Baby Week, Infants, 
     and Department of Labor in the Reader's Guide to Periodicals. 
     I grouped all my articles by journal and checked to see which 
     sources the Rockford Library had. Next I looked up the same 
     topics in the New York Times Index. Later I found these 
     articles on microfilm.
       Most of the journals I found at The University of 
     Wisconsin. In five trips, I used the Memorial Library, the 
     Historical Society Library, the Health Sciences Library, the 
     Social Sciences Library, and the Steenbock Agriculture 
     Library. I also used inter-library loan.
       I visited the University of Illinois-Chicago to use their 
     archive and to see Hull House. I watched a slide show about 
     Jane Addams and the founding of Hull-House. At the archive, I 
     found letters written to and by Julia Lathrop. I went to the 
     Rockford College Archives. I copied her handwritten rough 
     drafts of speeches and letters. I interviewed her niece. I 
     also found Julia Lathrop's Childrens Bureau files in the 
     National Archives.
       In past years, I used vertical boards. This year I wanted 
     something different. I had an idea of a project that would 
     rotate. I had no idea how this would work. My father and I 
     took a trip to my local hardware store I found a fixture that 
     would attach to a base and spin. Basically this is what is 
     inside a Lazy Susan.
       Finally my father and I designed the panels. We took the 
     dimensions and bought the insulation board and wood at the 
     lumberyard.
       I took notes and wrote summaries for the annotated 
     bibliography. I made copies and wrote the labels. I then 
     worked on the layout. My father helped cut the mat board on 
     our 24-inch paper cutter. My mother helped with the word 
     processing.
       Julia Lathrop reacted to a problem that resulted from the 
     Industrial Revolution. Children were suffering and dying 
     because of this great change. She was especially concerned 
     with the infant mortality rate.
       My project explores Julia Lathrop's reaction to this 
     Revolution and how she tried to create reforms that combated 
     it. Her work began in Illinois, spread to the entire United 
     States, and eventually worldwide.
       Julia Lathrop worked to lower infant and maternal 
     mortality, increase maternal education, and reduce child 
     labor, all the harsh consequences of the Industrial 
     Revolution.

     

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