Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-14

MALTA. This was the beginning of a
military fad. There were many squads
of little soldiers for month, both al
school and on the streets.
Just another example of the starting Of
fads 80 me- 49, =
While arranging the drawers of a desk
wherein were marbles, tops. etc, that
had been confscated from the school,
a little boy came. in. / gave him top
without placing any restrictions on the
gift. He brought it to school the next
day About four days after, / had to
make another collection of tops. The
fad had waxed strong, all from my gift.
PERSONALITY.
The readiness with which children pass
from one personality to another, and
how tenacious they are that the per-
sonality, whatever it is, shall be recog-
nized, is remarkable. This trait is no
ticed more in children of from 3ato 5,
although 1t Is not confined to any certain
age and has been observed in children
much older.
little next door girl wants her hair
pinned up with hair pins and long
dress on so she can be Mama" and If
her mother is obliged to do anything
for her which she cannot do for herself
the little one always says, Nov play; I
did this myself for you know l am
lady"
Birdie, years old, is a little dog un-
der the table, and when dinner is an
nounced, her father must go through
certain form she has established to call
her out When she reaches the table
she is back to her own personality.
Children initiate funerals at quite an
early age, but 1t is at the age of or 10
that they take on any form of solemnity.
The little girl next door broke her
Christmas doll accidentally. Her broth
er, abolt7 years, Immediately personated
DR.. Davis. He looked at the wound, a
broken head. bandaged 1t, ETC., tried to
console his sister, etc. All walked on tip
toe. The doll died! Preparations were
made for the funeral. The hardest case
in the whole neighborhood preached the
sermon, which consisted of all the mem
DRY gems, ETC., that he had learned at
school. The choir sang the wind
Song" and Hail Columbia" and recited
"Our Father" The doll was then buried
and for a day or two the grave was COW
mourners, when the little doll was resur-
rected
Ed, years old, while busy with slate
and pencil, preparing a number lesson,
held another pencil between his lips like
a pipe. Every few minutes he would puff
the smoke in the air and blow 1t away
1t is owing to imitation that our boys
chew tobacco and smoke Their father
does 1t. and who rs greater man than
father?
SCHOOLS.
Through initiative schools may be
called the carriers of civilization and of
national ideas. We see this in our own
schools Children who come to us,
speaking not a word of English, will
quickly assimilate all that is national,
and carrying this to their homes, will
further influence the inmate there in the
same direction.
Most children are intensely conserv-
alive and insist on doing as other child
rem do. To differ radically from mates
in dress. ETC., is a pain SO intense that
it arouses our sympathy.
The psychological value of this imi-
tative power is great. How can the
teacher apply it to school work? If
the child loves the teacher, he initiates
the good in that teacher. Go into a
school room where the teacher moves
around quietly, speaks in a low, sweet
voice, and her pupils are doing the same.
On the other hand, the noisy, untidy
teacher, has a noisy, untidy room. AS
the teacher so the pupils.
The best place to learn the social life
of the school, however, is on the play
ground, through the games, etc. By
excursions to the woods, by walks, etc.
After learning pupils in. this manner, a
teacher will not likely place very imi-
tative one in the next seat to profane
or ill-mannered one. Nor make the