San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-10
LET THEM DIG.
Some Practical Advice on the
Rearing Of Children.
DIR. Bayard Holmes Considers the Ages of
Six, Twelve and Seventeen as Crit
zeal Periods In a Boys or
Girls Development.

1 duu girl LIS III hO W
and climb-to dig in the earth and to
climb trees. a child, he says, who lives
the first eight years of its life in fat
has only half lived.
In his lecture before the Chicago
Archaeological society the other day
DR.. Holmes pointed out that at certain
periods in the child's life it stopped
growing for a time and that during
these seasons of retarded development
| it was necessary that the child should
receive special care and attention. AS
practical applications of his advice he
gave these:
u speel principally of the boy be-
cause believe he has the hardest time
of it, is the least studied, and is con-
sidered strong enough to develop prop
erly whether he is treated nationally
or not. The first thing boy requires
is room to grow. He should have a yard
in which to dig as he should have trees
to climb. He must not be hedged about
with a high fence of 'don'ts' and take
cares and mustn't touch it's until he
becomes timid, dishonest, vacillating.
Give him plenty of room and there will
not be much doubt about his rational
development until he reaches the age
of six. At this point he stops growing.
Weigh him and he will weigh less than
before. Test his strength and he will
| be found weaker.
"Now this is the age (which the ma
jority of boys are considered old enough
to go to some school. He may be old
enough, bnt he is far from being strong
| enough. He should receive more at
tention, more tenderness, more consid-
Grafton, from six to eight than for the
two years previous. During these two
years no boy should be in school nor
inside any more than is necessary. He
| is bashful. He wants to burrow in the
ground and have place to hide things.
He should not be restricted to regular
meal hours and he must have plenty Of
sleep. During these two years he loses
his front teeth and he should not be-
gin regular public school duties until
these are replaced. AT eight he becomes
fine, manly fellow and is anxious to
learn something more about the Won
derful things he has noted while dig
cling and climbing. He is full of ques-
tons which might puzzle many an old
head to answer.
always remembering to give the
boy plenty of freedom of the natural
sort, he will grow vigorously from eight
to twelve. At this age he should be
taken from school for from six months
to year and given as much mild ex-
ercise and employment in the open air
as possible. After resuming his
studies he should have a man teacher
and be taught with boys only. There is
abundant scientific reason for this and
it should continue until he is through
the high school.
"At II, the most critical period in bis
life, he should be kept out of school
at light employment and under the
most judicious direction, for from a
year TO two years. Not until this period
Of retarded growth is past should he
enter college, no matter how much he
may wish to forge ahead. Between IT
and 81 he should not play football, race,
either on foot or on a bicycle, or indulge
in any vigorous exercise. His heart is
not equal TO the size of his body, and
he must rest till it grows. I may soy
that no boy should play so vigorous a
game as football until after 81. Easy
bicycle riding and light exercise are
proper for him during this important
period.
"All I have said applies with equal
force to the girl. It should be notified,
however, that at the age of II, 10 or IA
she outstrips the boy, not In inches but
in talents. Her growth is much more
radical than his during this period. For
this reason there is greater danger in
keeping the girl in school. This growth
may be arrested and she may never be-
come fully developed woman. Dur
ing this time the girl should be kept
from school and from exciting society
for year or two, or until womanly
functions are established. There is not
as much danger with the girl after IT
as there is with the boy"