Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1908 — THE CHILD MIND [ARTICLE]

THE CHILD MIND

Results of an Investigation Into In* fant Mental Processes. Of forty-eight children, says Stanley Hall, twenty believed the sun, moon and stars to live, sixteen thought flowers could feel, and fifteen that dolls would feel pain if burnt. The sky was found the chief field in which the children exercised their philosophic minds. About three-quar-ters of them thought the worm a plain with the sky like a bowl turned over it, sometimes believing that it was of such thin texture that one could easily break through, though so large that much floor sweeping. was necessary in heaven. The sun may enter the ground when it sets, but half of the children thought that at night it rolls or flies away, or is blown, or walks, or God pulls it higner up out of sight, taking it up into heaven, according to some, putting it to bed, and even taking off its clothes and putting them on again in the morning, or again, it is believed to lie under the trees at night and the angels mind IL God, of whom children always hear so much, plays a very large part in these conceptions, and is made directly responsible for a.l cosmic phenomena. Thus thunder to these American children was God groaning or kicking or rolling barrels about, or turning a big handle, or grinding snow or breaking something, or rattling a big hammer, while the lightning was due to God putting his finger out. or turning the gas on quick, or striking matches, or setting paper Oh fire. According to Boston children, God is a big, perhaps a blue man, to be seen in the sky, on the clouds, in church, or even in the streets. They declare that God comes to see them sometimes, and they have seen uim enter the gate. He makes lamps, babies, dogs, trees, money, etc., and the angels work for Jilm. He looks like a priest or a teacher or papa, and the children like to look at him; a few would themselves like to be God. His house in the sky may be made of stone or brick; birds, children and Santa Claus live with God. Birds and beasts, their food and their furniture as Burnham points out, ail talk to children when the dew Is on the grass “the grass is crying,’’ the stars are candles or lamps, perhaps cinders from God’s stove, butterflies are flying pansies, icicles are Christmas candy. Children have imaginary play—brothers and sisters and friends, with whom they talk. Sometimes God talks with them. Even the prosiest things are vivified; the tracks of dirty feet on the floor are flowers; a creaking chair talks; the shoemaker nails are children whom he is driving to school.