The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13

we must leave the important work of di-
gestion and assimilation.
Froebel tells us that what the child imi-
tates, he is trying to understand" And it
Is Wordsworth who hints that the childs
vocation is endless imitation
Often, while watching a child who has
lived In an atmosphere Of gentleness, re-
finement and love, we are shocked by an
outburst of playful imagination which
proves that the serpent mas stolen a march
upon our garden of Eden Our little girl
whips her dolly until sawdust flies and
| limb is torn from limb. And there is no
softening OF sympathy in the eyes of this
mother as she turns from that poor dumb
sinner, to some other play. The little man
comes Keeling in. defying police and patrol
wagons in language which pierces his
mothers heart. Why do the innocents
seize upon such startling and revolving
things to initiate. when we have tried so
hard in the cause of the good and lovely?
1 cannot guess, unless it Is because these
too are things they are trying to under
stand. They have not faculty to dis
criminate between the moral and the inn
moral. They take the evil with the good,
as they find it in the world--even as they
fruit.
Children not naturally perverse. If
the true and beautiful blossoms in their
path they will assimilate it, have joy Of
it, and grow by it. In proportion they
| receive 1t the evil and unworthy will go
| unperceived and unknown. There is not
| much safety in keeping watch and ward
We cannot think a child's thoughts for
| him and we would not have him ind and
deaf and dumb But we can see and hear
with him and make the effort to under
stand as he does-imitate in order that we
may understand. We can follow and i'm
perceptibly lend guidance to his thought
We can enter into his play and direct it
| into channels that lead to understanding Of
| the truth. What Froebel meant when he
| said: "Come, let us live with our children"
| was, Come let us play with our children"
| Is it not true that poets never weary of
| telling us all life is just a stage where
| each must play his partial his life an
| imitation and striving to understand?
| We have been considering the child and
| his play in the abstract-his play as it
| strikes inward. 1t is important also to
| look at play as it develops outwardly.
Solitary play, which means play within
| the bounds of the childs own being, is
much less than he needs. He requires
playthings. so that he can project his own
| life into them, and view 1t from afar off.
| AS one might say, doll is endowed with
the life of it's little mother. stick. stone.
| a ball, shares the life of its master. A
child can derive great happiness and sat
isfaction from such play. But, after all.
| lie nnl fa u-b no
himself externalizes. At best. he is a
| solitary little despot of kingdom which
| crumbles away when he is tired, and there
is no comfort for him, except in his moth
| er's arms.
When a child has playmates he feels
| currents blowing upon him from other
worlds than his own. He perceives that
other individuals have as conscious self
| hood as he. He realizes his scparateness
and eventually, it is hoped, discovers his
relation.
| This Is discovery of inestimable value
| The feeling that he is in relation stirs pre-
monition of the manhood or womanhood
before rim. 1t is actual life In terms of
others, the child learns TO know of him.
self. RE can measure himself against
| thcm-he can grow by contact with them.
and by diffusion Of himself 1t is in his re-
| latedness that he becomes great
| 1t is not only playmate the child Graves.
| but playmate who Is his equal. His moth
| er. the nurse. the kindcrgartener. may be
| ever so sympathetic and enter into his
| play with untring zcst and understand
| ing. But the child will still vaguely feel
| the superiority of years and strength and
| stature. Whereas the playmate no taller.
no older. no wiser than himself. stands on
a level with him because he cannot help IL.
| Their common limitations are a powerful
bond of sympathy. Their common rights,
| also. often become the subject of dispute
| and contention. But when the higher rea-
| soa--probabiy in the shape of mother or
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to the aid Of the
f, young disputants a more generous love and
| The basis of truer fellowship have oppor-
tunity 10 establish themselves as habit, as
| character.
| And so. out OF his play. the child rises
| naturally into the higher. into the supreme
business of his life. May heaven prosper
| his play, CORNELIA BELL.