The Health of the Child is the Power of the Nation

April, 1918. Unique. As accomplished; tacked into a frame (easily removed).. Very good; some buckling. Excellent color.. 17 1/4 x 23 1/4 inches (painted surface). Gouache on paper board. The original art for the Year of the Child poster. Signed by Mora.

The "year of the child" was declared by Woodrow Wilson to be 1918. This the result of the failure rate of recruits to the armed services in their medical examinations. Wilson's declaration was the first step in efforts to improve the health of the public and especially young men. The execution fell to the US Children's Bureau and Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense. The Bureau was established in 1912 to, " ... investigate and report upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of our people, and shall especially investigate the questions of infant mortality, the birth rate, orphanage, juvenile courts, desertion, dangerous occupations, accidents and diseases of children ...." It became a center for public health initiatives. The Council was established in 1916 to coordinate resources and industries for the war effort. Numerous subordinate agencies and committees were formed. Evolving out of the National American Woman Suffrage Association the Woman's Committee - in structure and resource - was almost pre-formed. As a result it was very effective in marshalling the clubs and associations of women across the nation to further Wilson's purpose. Pursuant to this Francis Luis Mora designed this poster to advertise the bureau (the poster was issued with modified text well into the 1930s - see LC website for the entry) as well as poster work for the bond campaigns for the Liberty Loan boards (under the direction of the Committee for Public Information). He was a well established artist and illustrator before and after WWI with numerous public and private commissions.