Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-25
IN BABYLAND.
How to Furnish the Nursery FOL
Health and Comfort Of Toddlers.

! From the New York Tribune.
nursery wall, frescoed for the recep-
| ton of a gilded babe of a Millionaire was
| one of the pictures shown by Dr. Theodosia
Fowler Schoney at her recent lecture De-
| fore the department of domestic science at
! the BROOKLYN Institute. The walls were in
| Delft blue panels, divided with narrow
holdings of white enamel. In each panel
| was frescoed a gay little Kate Greenaway
| figure in delicate hues. The broad frieze
| surrounding the top of the walls was COM
| posed OF all the figures combined in pc
| lures of play or work
| DR.. Fowler Schoney had delightful col
| lection of things to illustrate model
nursery For those not sufficiently pluto
cratic to fresco their nursery walls there
| are quaint papers-one with focks of bright
| another with peaceful fields, with cows
! feeding another with little peasant chill
dren playing Nevertheless. said the lee
turer, it Is thought best by some to have
plain walls, painted white or pale green,
in nursery, with pictures only in the
decorative frieZe
In these days of commercial poisoning 1t
was pleasant to hear that one commodity
bought for the household has grown bet
ter instead of worse. There used to be
| much talk of the arsenic used in coloring
wall papers, and it's injurious effect upon
occupants of the room. The government.
said the lecturer, has recently examined
eco specimens of wall paper. In only four
did it find arsenic. and then not in quanu-
ties sufficient to injure any one An old
fashioned high chair, with no foot rest.
leaving the helpless little legs to dangle
unsupported. was contrasted with a set of
delightful small furniture-chairs. table,
bureau, sofa-all just big enough for tod
dlers.
you cannot imagine" said the lecturer.
"the comfort to child OF living among
furniture adapted to its size. Think how
uncomfortable 1t would be If we had to I've
all the time among furniture made for the
use OF people eighteen feet tall"
A tiny model of a white iron bed. on
which the lecturer showed the proper
method of nursery bed-making, was very
interesting to mothers. Instead of mat
tress. the spring was covered with an army
blanket folded double This should al
ways be used with young child" said
the speaker. for it can be aired every
day and washed when necessary"
The lower sheet was fastened to 1t, and
the whole to the bed. In an ingenious man
ner long, narrow strip OF white mus
lin was pinned to she sheet and blanket at
the foot with safety pin. Then the strip
was passed up the bed, turned over the
top OF the spring and brought down under
it to the foot again and again pinned with
a safety pin. This repeated on both sides
will hold the sheet and blanket firm under
the most furious little wrigglers. To hold
the covering firm, there are long strips of
elastic webbing, which. attached to the
Jour COTHeTS Ol lie CoScIS diiu uiittt W LILO
bedposts will hold the bedclothes against
the kicks of the most obstreperous young
ster while, being elastic, they give and do
not tear the covers. 1t is better for any
baby, declared the lecturer, to sleep with
out a pillow, and many children who have
never been given pillow sleep for years
without 1t. Neither child nor adult, said
She should ever use a high pillow. A sta
tionary swing so COW that a child falling
1t cannot be injured seriously, is a most
useful adjunct to nursery, and can be
set in a yard in summer. A great variety
of model clothing shown. all of soft,
yielding knit fabrics, made as much as
possible in one piece. and with strings TO
tie and buttons to button There should
be only one pin In a babys Clothes" de-
clared the doctor.
zone Of the most frequent causes OF cry
ing in babies Is discomfort in their clothes.
"Imagne our misery If something in our
clothes was hurting us. and we could
neither reach 1t ourselves nor tell any one
else OF 1t. II the baby's clothes are tight
they not only hurt, but injure him. II they
are too loose, they bunch up around his
neck and make him uncomfortable And
don't mothers, ! beg OF you follow fash
ion by putting sacks on the toddlers, and
leaving their legs exposed to every change
In the atmosphere. The child's body should
be entirely covered except in July and
August, when 1t may go barefoot to its
hearts content in the country. Silk I'M
derwear does not absorb moisture, and II
the child sweats from exercise, the silk lies
cold against his skin. Wool Is the under
wear par excellence for children"