Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 223, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1916 — TRAINING TODAY'S BOYS AND GIRLS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRAINING TODAY'S BOYS AND GIRLS

A Little Talk on the Appreciation of Their Efforts.

SHOULD KEEP THE CREATIONS

H la the Pleasant “How Nice” That Makes All the Difference to the Hearts of the Children.

By SIDONIE M. GRUENBERG. As each child’s name was called he stepped forward and received from the kindergarten the result of his efforts at “making something” for some member of the home. The children were gay and they were anticipating the Joy of giving. It wus a pleasure to watch them. But when Genevieve’* name was called a new note was struck. “Please, Miss White,” she said, “my mother does not wunt me to bother her any more with, the things I make.” And Miss White laid Genevieve's calendar aside. It Is not difficult to see the point of view expressed in Genevieve’s plaintive abnegation. There is really no room for all these things at home. We have all the calendars and blotters and picture frames and shaving pads that we really need. And as for ornaments, these things are not particularly beautiful, and if they are, as may sometimes happen, they do not -harmonize with the scheme of things already installed, and, besides, they gather dust, and there are few homes that have not already too many dust catchers. We- can well understand that Genevieve’s mother was weary of calendars and bookmarks.

But Miss White is also weary of calendars and bookmarks. Where one mother has had half a dozen she has aad hundreds. She manages to smile, however, in spite of the clutter and in spite of the obvious monotony through a curious trick of the mind which It would be well for Genevieve’s mother and other mothers to learn. The trick is this: Instead of dealing with calendars and bookmarks, she fixes her mind upon the efforts of the tots, she sees trial and tribulation, she sees wonder and experiments, where the rest of us see only crude imitations of tulips or apple blossoms.

Notwithstanding the high rentals we have to pay it ought to be possible for every mother to keep each child’s tokens of struggle and conquest for some time at least. For nothing is more Important to the child than that his meager and unsuccessful attempts at mastering his material surroundings should receive generous encouragement. And while much is gained by having someone stand by and cheer him when he falters, that is not enough. The product, poor though It be, Is the symbol of an idea, fn Inspiration, and deserves the courtesy of serious and dignified attention from parents and other elders The calendar is as worthy of a place on the wall as anything you can buy at the store, for by honoring it you teach the child that his efforts are not wasted. As for taste In calendars, leave that to the years.

Of course It Is not necessary to display all of the child’s creations or to convert the home Into an industrial museum. It is. In fact, the latest trophy that carries the greatest interest, and the latest may be made

to displace its predecessor, each effort thus receiving its due share of attention and appreciation. Where there are several children it should be possible to provide large paper envelopes and boxes in which these early treasures may be kept. J... Every mother knows that young children can be a nuisance and in the way Just when they are trying to help with some “work.” The number of peas that the baby can shell or the area that the child can sweep will contribute little to lightening the day’s work. But the value of the contribution is not to be measured thus. It is to be measured in good will, in application and in the satisfaction that comes—or should come —from having made a worthy effort at doing something useful. We should therefore not belittle the achievement or make the child feel that his assistance is worthless. The child works in the spirit of the Artist. He is not seeking material rewards; he wants the satisfaction of doing something that has meaning and he wants appreciation. Without these he will become either a shirker, shunning all effort or a perfunctory grind, laboring under compulsion of

one kind or another. It is th , elvt« necessary not only that opportunities be furnished for doing various kind* of work, but that the first awkward attempts be appreciated In a way that will lead to further effort. And this is Just as true of attempts at singing or Invention —invention of a song or story, for example—as it is of attempts at making some object or drywlng that others may handle or exhibit. W’hlle this doctlgne of appreciation, does not permit us to belittle the! child’s efforft. It still leaves us free : to help the child with criticisms calculated to enable him.to Increase his work. But we should cnll attention toi such defects only as he is In a posl-> tlon to remedy himself, and without! too much effort. If the doll’s dress Isl too long, it’s a simple matter to ent It: down. But If it’s too short we uotei that It’s a very nice dress, and thinkj we’ll make the next one a little long-] er. The repeated emphasis on defect#* of design or execution may have th**, effect of improving the child’s taste or judgment; but they are more likely to discourage ail effort. A child that sees too clearly th» shortcomings of his efforts will refuse to do anything at all. This was the case with four-year-old Herbert, whose sense of form was so far ahead of hi*

muscular control that he could get no satisfaction out of the paper stars he cut out himself, and W refused* after one or two attempts, to try; again. When little Allan’s mother failed to recognize the child’s drawing as that of a “lamp” she was wise enough to take to herself the blame —“How stupid of me!” For, after all, you can recognize even the lamp if you are told what It Is supposed to be. And so the burden of keeping keen the edge of effort rests upon us. But don’t let the child become conceited.

Could Get No Satisfaction Out of the Paper Stars.

The Children Anticipated the Joy of Giving.