Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-04-07
Educating the Small Boy.

THE small boy is a serious problem.
and should be taken seriously says
Kate Epson Clarke in a volume which
she has recently published upon this
question. ITO him the small things
which make up his interest in life are
as great as the responsibilities Of dip
lomats seem to them when sent to ar
bitrate between nations. 1t is quite
necessary for mothers, fathers, nurses,
governesseS and teachers to try as far
as possible to put themselves in his
place. look at the world from his point
of view, before forming judgments
which might hurt his feelings and per-
haps cmbitter his whole life"
This is impossible to do perfectly, but
one can do no more than try. 1t is the
personal sympathy which influences
the boy. and unless a mother enjoys
the unlimited confidence of her boy,
she cannot bring him up or have the
fullest influence upon his life when
she desires and should have.
The author states in her preface that
she takes it for granted that the boy
is properly housed. fed and clothed.
1t is his mental and spiritual uphring
ing which forms the subject of her
book The book is directed more es-
pecially t. the mother who never had
any brothers. and. lacking the privi-
lege of having been = boy herself. is
therefore wholly at loss to know how
to treat her little son when he begins
to develop from a baby into a real boy.
In regard to a boys manners she has
this to say:
No cut and dried rules will ever
make the boy the sort Of man the
parent wants him to become. He must
he impressed with the personality of
his parents. The boy is a great imita-
tor. and very likely to be the same
kind of man his father is.
A certain conventionality must be
observed at home if the child is to be
made welcome member Of society.
There can b. no division or difference
no company manners. Company
manners must be home man
ners. Josh Billings remarked
once that good breeding can make
even a fool agreeable. which is
true. He who has the sclf-posscssion
and art of your true society man, has
4 weapon for the worlds battle, which
he is a fool to scorn.
Good poetry is, perhaps, the very
best thing to develop right sentiment
in a child. Notionalism in eating or
anything else, should be discouraged
He should be kept busy. too. Make
him understand that the price Of i
home is very great, and he, as one of
the individuals who derive the benefits.
should also perform as much as posi-
bic of the work required to keep it up
AS to the practice of smoking. She
contends that it is of no use, and is
unhcalthful besides. The first obiec-
ton which will appeal to the boy is
that it will stunt his growth. and that
athletes are never allowed by their
trainers to smoke. Games and athlct-
fcs she thoroughly believes in. Most
of all. perhaps, she emphasizes the
necessity for learning to swim before
all other aquatic sports. Football.
however, she characteriZes as too bru-
tai to be called a game.
In the line of home education she
| says that there is only one thing more
harmful than too little care about
what books are read. and that is too
| much. She believes in the old books
Of standard literature. 1t is her
| opinion that if the boy is let loose in
a library full of good old standard
| books he will find much nourishing
reading which will help him more than
| # he is given certain books and for
| hidden to read others-the worse posi-
BILE thing to do. As proof of the worth
| Of this advice, she cites the great
number Of famous men who have