The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-14
FOR FEMININE READERS
EFFECT OF THE FORCING PROCESS
AS APPLIED TO CHILDREN.
No Longer Good Form to Indulge i'm
Iess-WOmen as BoOkbInders.

Old-fashioned children are almost obso-
lete, says a writer in the Philadelphia In
quirer. Occasionally one appears, an iso-
lated example Of the real beauties of child
hood. The child of these latter days offers
to this shy, unassuming little creature
contrast so startling as to be absolutely re-
pugnant.
The charm of childhood is sacrificed at
the present period to dress, to amusements,
10 frivolities, which once were deemed prop
er only for full-fedged young women to par
ticipate in Even these pleasures were
taken in an entirely different spirit from
that shown by the society girl of to-day.
Occurrences stamped every move.
There are those who claim for the present
culture pose that in the generations to come
we will have self-reliant women, the prod
ucts of an age in which children are pushed
into maturity of thought before they are
out of the kindergarten. 1t is questionable.
The boys are all right Their athletic
sports save them from degeneracy. The
girls-and here, OF course, we must bunch
them-are in danger of being ruined. Where
will you find a really modest, unaffected
little girl? There is an aggressiveness
about modern youngsters in petticoats that
such a state of things.
Girls, mere babies, are allowed to dictate
to their mothers in matters of the ward
robe. saw an atom of five dressed the
other daV and il took maid and three rea-
tiyes to get her into her clothes. After the
trying ordeal was over the mother actually
said with a triumphant smile; Won't that
child make people stand around Wnen she
gets to be a woman? Nothing VIII be good
enough for her.
l hear children dispute their parents be-
fore strangers with a hardihood that makes
me vince. l hear mothers with years or
experience to their account deferring TO
tots in plnafOreS
Nowadays children are showed under ones
very nose for admiration. infatuated moth
ers allow them to pose as skirt dancers;
they have their luncheons, their box parties
and their afternoon 'at homes, Wnere
there are lights and flowers and music ana
the artificial atmosphere of society in min
nature
The old-fashioned child used to delight in
candy pull and regarded bubble party
as d rare treat. The 4ew-fashioned child,
up in ali the latest dahcing-scnool quirks.
isn't content with such primitive amuse7
ments. She wants to be a belle in her small
world she is as keen after admiration as IL
she had passed through her hrst season.
BY the way, isn't it something of a question
just when the first season of the aver
age debutante begins? 1t is supposed to
have it's start-off when she takes her stand
beside her mother and formally shakes
hands with lot of people who are expected
to give her a social boost, so to speak
But long, long before this she has had
many and varied opportunities of seeing
what the big world is like. so much so that
as a conventional bud" in white tulle she
could give pointers to the most worldly wise
of chaperonS.
Some of the knowledge she has gained
may be EXCELLENT, but some alas, would
electrify the grand dame of half a century
ago.
in justice to the ultra-fashionables they
may be said to represent the most sensible
mothers They throw about their daughters
a mantle of seclusion which is not removed
until the girls are entirely emancipated
from the schoolroom. 1t is the mothers a
round or two lower down the ladder who
are striving to give their children social
start before they have passed their lisping
days
And some would avow that this nurtures
self-reliance. No, self-conSciousness, ego
tism artificiaity that is but a poor equip
ment for the coming bachelor girl, wife or
mother