The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-14

form system. When they were about
| three weeks old they were placed III
darkened room and given elementary
| training in activity by being attracted
| Dy lighted lamps and candles moved
! across their fields of vision. At first
each infant merely followed the light
with his eyes; not long after he learn
ed to move his head, and later 10 turn
| on his stomach in order TO follow the
| glitter still further. At three weeks OF
| age both children were taught to
grasp at attractive toys. In This way
| the activities of the hands and arms
were developed in short while. Balls
of different colors were also shown to
the infants, and they soon learned
enough color discrimination to grab
for the most conspicuous of the group.
AT a remarkably early age the father
commenced system of physical cul-
ture. Before the movements could be
made automatically, each tiny limb
was grasped and worked in all posi-
bic natural directions. By tempting
him with cOlored toys, each child was
soon taught TO raise himself from re
Ginning posture. All sorts of gymnas-
tics were INDUCED in, at first artlhclal-
ly, and all of the muscles OF the body
were daily made active by this system.
the babies of course toppled over, but
the father or mother was always near,
so that when the topping occurred the
only discontinue was a painless bump
OF the head against one of the parental
hands. Even this was Objectionable to
the infantile disposition. Soon it was
| learned that by sitting upright there
would be no such bumps, and one OF
the primary laws of self-preservation
was learned. Stronger and stronger
| efforts to sit erect unsupported were
soon successful AS soon as crawling
was accomplishment it was master
ed at an extraordinarily early age
| each infant was placed in the center of
a large table The first instinct was to
| creep to the edge and drop off. The
parental arms always managed to catch
| the daring little fellow before he could
strike the floor. This slight jar was
not pleasant, and soon another lesson
| in SeIf-preServation was learned. Other
simple lessons were given, such as the
lodging of light blows, the avoidance
of hot objects, etc. When about six
months old each child was grasped I'M
der the arms, jumped on the fathers
shoulders and taught to assume var1-
Gus harmless attitudes when supported
in his arms. When about eight months
while held in his hands.
| Being a great athlete himself, Mr..
Dinwiddie was able to gradually devise
more and more elaborate acrobatic
tricks for the little ones, all of which
were controlled entirely by his grasp.
Up to the time they were respectively
one and two years old he never let them
perform these feats independently.
| ho nv n n
feet, hold them straight in the air, re-
quire them to perform all sorts of
somersaults, swings, balances and
Jumps. above his head or under his
arms and legs. Although no profess
sional acrobat could obtain a better
fundamental training than this, Mr..
Dinwiddie tells the writer that it is to
be put to a strictly practical use. The
whole system of physical culture will
be aimed strictly at muscular cO-ordi-
nation and self preservation. 1t Will
not be carried into absurd phases,
whose results are often seen in the all
physical college man. AS q result OF
this cultivated activity one of the chill
dren. who fell down steep flight OF
stairs when but a year and half old,
reached the bottom unhurt by catching
himself on each step as he continued
to roll. The little girl, the elder of the
two. can now jump from point 16 feet
high and fall into her fathers arms
without a sign of fear This physical
culture is enjoyed by both little ones
more than their usual games. Both
children are taught to ride bicycles
and to swim.
Ever since they have been able TO
notice ordinary objects both Of these
children have been regularly taken out
for walks or drives. during which expe-
ditions every object along the way
which might interest them has been
named and crudely explained. 1t has
been a regular habit of the father, in
the hours directly preceding bedtime
to recite to the little ones interesting
stories descriptive of the habits of all
familiar animals and of the uses of the
different familiar plants. At the table
they are taught the names of their food
in the natural product. Although nc
efforts have been made to clog theiI
childish minds with schOol-book lore
both OF the tots can say their letters
and their figures. The beauty of their
| training as described to the writer by