The record-union., 1898-01-02
GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
LET THE CHILDREN HAVE A
CHANCE TO DEVELOP.
Some Very Wise Remarks About
the Care and Training Of
the Little Ones.

and rosy children, With outgrown skirts
and trousers and much abused hats and
caps, holding tightly a bunch of half
| faded flowers, a basket of sea shells
and pebbles, a dearly priced though
| battered shovel and pail, or a well-worn
bat, axe in evidence at any hour of the
day Every incoming train or boat
brings its contingent of them, full of
happy memories and gay with vigorous
health; alive in every nerve with rest
less enthusiasm. The boys who yester-
day were tumbling in the hay or build
ing forts upon the sands look gravely
at the crowded, unpleasant streets, and
the girls cling to their treasures, re-
membering happier times.
An almost invariable epoch of all
ments and malaise follows the sharp
change from the joyous freedom of the
country, even in the case of adults, and
to she little ones the results are very
commonly grievous To little girls es-
pecially the loss is very great. Yester-
day d torn hat or no hat at ALL a
shabby frock worn needless of briers
and art, and hands busy with picking
and planting and digging; to-day, a
dress that must neither be rumpled nor
torn, spotless shoes and gloved hands.
and not spot where they can move
with safety. Gable cars, bicycles, ice
wagons every conceivable enemy
meets them at every crossing, and they
walk demurely down monotonous
streets and avenues, while the nurses
chatter in voluble French or German
over their summers experiences. No
wonder that their we'll won vigor
dwindles, and their tempers grow irri-
table, and their ways become irritat-
ing 10 those about them.
The elder boys are better off; they
may take their lives in their hands and
dart across streets and find exhilaration
in dong we'll nigh impossible things on
sidewalks and in cutters, which imperil
foot passengers, and keep drivers NUT
terng bad words. They are cornmunis-
tic and fraternal, and for the most part
find mischief and adventure take the
place OF peaceful, harmless enjoyment
quite satisfactorily. Even their school
life has jolly, noisy intervals of recess,
and they keep each others spirits from
tagging. But for the little girls and
small children 1t takes month of de-
pressing usage, to restore their equilib-
rum.
We do not easily realize the effect of
external liberty which comes in con-
Eection with it. They will scream with
fear or shout with pleasure on great
occasions, but they say nothing about
their everyday sensations. 1t is how
ever, easily demonstrable to any close
observer that the heavenly order of
the sky and earth and air soothes and
delights them as much as it does their
elders, though they cannot tell why
Take troublesome five-year-old child,
fretful and very trying while confined
to its nursery, and let it loose on a
wide green lawn or in the walks Of a
Towering garden. and your care is over.
The sky to which you consciously raise
your satisfied eyes has it unconscious
charm for the child, the summer air
caressas it more skillfully and to better
results than your tenderest touch, and
all the lovelinesS of turf and of cool
shadows under bending trees lures it
to happiness. Perhaps in ten minutes
the flushed little face will be quite nat
ural, and chase for a butterfly will
bring back sweet temper and docility.
Everything which surrounds a child has
its 1uieting or eXasperating result upon
its nerves, and tends toward its educa-
ton and development in wholesome or
unwholesome ways. Out of doors, light
and air and all the divine beauty of
nature are having their effect, and
within its home, order, peace, simplicity
and freedom to act in the reasonable
limits of necessary restraint, contribute
to the maintenance of calm nerves and
good temper.
A nagglng nurse or governess whose
watchword is don't and who cannot
realize the wisdom of letting exceptions
prove the excellence of rules, is an lnfiic-
ton which it is cruel to ask children to
endure, though she may be a model of
truth and cleanliness, and faithful as
Casabianca to her post. We make too
little of ingenuity and resource of in
vention in our catalogue of nurses
virtues, and greatly neglect the value of
her who realizes that children have
rights of property and privilege, and is
willing to respect them. The destruction
of favorite though dilapidated toys, the
scattering of priced collections. the TAX
ing from one to give to another with
out the consent of the owner, are wrongs
which we have only to regard through
the magnifying lens of our added years,
and apply to our grown-up selves in
order to judge of the gravely injurious
effect on tem0er and character.
In our large cities, especially in
crowded and expensive New York, it is
well-nigh an impossibility to give the
children what they ought to have, a
room of their own. Where they can have
such a kingdom intrusted to them, if it
is at the top of the house, lighted and
ventilated from the roof, they are
blessed. Where there is a family of lit
tie ones, and they can possess their own
corners, over which they have rightful
control, such pfay-rooms. if under judi
cious motherly guidance make for every
good thing in body and mind and where
the government is defective do much to
mitigate the consequent evils.
A place where a bali can be thrown
feariessly, where running and jumping
are not only permissible, but in order,
holds patent key to bliss. 1t is best to
keep such a play-room cool, and let in
fresh air enough to make exercise invig-
Grating. A jersey and a Tam" give the
needed wormth and keep up an illusion
of outdoor liberty which adds zest
Not to overload the space with toys is
an advantage. There is a peculiar and
never-ending charm in every sort of
spherical toy. This, by the way, ap-
pertains to children of larger growth.
Almost every favorite game is played
with a ball. Golf. tents, football, base
ball, racquets, lacrosse, croquet, bill
lizards. pool, all depend on tossing or a
rolling ball. Even to playful animals
ball is delight. 1t is capable of the
greatest diversion to the largest number,
and to children the fun is endless.