The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-25
DOLLS AS CHILDREN SEE THEM
Any Doll Exerts influence CharacterMakns That May Be
Turned to Good Account by Wise Parents.

Element there are half dozen babies
waiting to be loved and petted. There is
a scramble for them in the morning and
the children learn to be generous and I'M
selfish. The dolls are cuddled during the
morning circle and then put to bed for
nap, and every child learns that baby
must have his morning sleep undisturbed
and whisper: flush. you'll wake the
baby" will cause the childish voices to
drop in second.
It is pleasant to think that there are
not many children in Minneapolis who
do not own a doll Of some sort, while
there are many small mothers who are in
exactly the position the Old Woman OF
the Shoe, who had SO many children she
didn't know what to do When one Of
these promiscuous mothers was asked be-
fore Christmas what kind Of q doll she
wanted Santa Claus to bring her, she
looked bored
Don't want any doll at ALL" she said
GROSSLY, ST want a stove with really.
truly fire that'l let me make really truly
pies.'
Children are given too many and too
| frail toys" said Miss Nettie Waite, the
! director of Unity House kindergarten.
| when they break one, they think never
mind, I can get another. I think it has
they are older and Misunderstanding
with friends arise, the same thought comes
up, never mind. can get another"
Dolls should never be too fine for the
children to play with. for the influence
they exert then is appalling. One small
from Europe. not long ago. They were
miniature representations of Italian and
| French peasants and were so interesting
| that Mollie's mother kept them in the
closet for Mollie to look at when she grew
up and to think what fortunate little
leir chn ho1 tn how c,1oI Hn11
was robbery, pure and simple, and Mollie's
heart rebelled. When the cousin who
brought them planned to make another
trip abroad she asked ,Mollie what she
wanted her to bring her. Mollie frowned
your life. not another doll"
It is the baby doll, or ''sleep DOLL" as
the children call her, that Is loved and
cuddled. The helplessness Of the baby
appeals to the children and, II they are
not laughed at and leased. they touch it
gently and softly. r
Where did you learn to be SO loving
with the baby asked mother. who had
been watching her 4-year-old son playing
with the little sister.
"Why,'' exclaimed the child, in sur
prise, TITS just the way we do to tho baby
,, dolls in kindergarten"
1t is no easier for child to tell why
she loves her doll than for grown per-
son to explain why she finds pleasure In .
; certain friend.
II like my doll because it is jointed just
like me-" one infantlle mother explained.
81 just love my Minnie because she al
ways has the sweetest smile. It makes me
, happy to see her, she's SO sweet. ex-
l claimed another with an ineffable smile
, of her own.
The question of the influence she ex-
3 erts does not trouble dollie nor dollie'a
8 mother, and, If she is left alone, the lat
ter will develop certain tender, protect
q ing care, the fatherly motherly feeling
. from the doll even though 1t is nothing
but a. stick of wood with cloth wrapped
], round it. The attitude Of the child to hez
S doll reflects the attitude Of the child's
parents to the doll and if they lay stress
t | on doIlie's clothes and furbelows IL the
n doll to blamef