New-York tribune., 1908-08-23
CHILDREN A PUZZLE
Il Study in Infant Psychology by a
Fresh dir Worker.

There seems to be such a differences between
different groups of children" wrote worker for
the Tribune Fresh Air Fund from Haprytand. tne
home at Tenafy. ". j.. after several weeks OF e1-
perience there. 1t first year with the fuha'
and she Is only about seventeen years old Ihe
ones that were here last week TOOK things as
matter of course. and harder 20 please fhan
those here II may be that we earssasers are
getting more used TO the work Blu, they are stii!
a never ending surprise 10
t"The other day of the girls and we're
playing a wishing game. and amazed at the
wishes many of them made I supposed that most
of them would want 10 be rich have good
time. Only child wished for riches one said
she wished she could be kinder; another. That the
country air would make her strongi several wished
be kept nice and clean always as they are here
most of them wished they might live IA the eeun-
try forever and ever"
The parties sent TO Happyiand number as ruie'
fifty girls II surprised the attendant that 90 many
children could be together constantly and nave 50
few'real quarFels. "of course there were disputes
she said 'but the children all seem to play To-
gether happily Not ITO rub child the wrong
way was a problem that confronted her again
and again. and incident as astonishing as any
thing that occurred in the home is teld Of
II had little girl last week" she writes, VINO
very afectionate. but who would net mind
when spoken to; didn't seem 10 know now
She laughed when spoken to gently and snikeo
when spoken to firmly One day, when We were
taking walk she sulky. and so let heI
entirely alone. Another child lost her temper De-
cause one of the girls had slapped her, and threw
herself Oh the ground. kicking and screaming ara
refusing TO get up We in the village. ana
So of course had a good many loekers-on' wnich
made the child worse. When I was almost AT my
wits end, who should come 10 the rescue out my
little sulker. She got down on the ground anu
gave the child in the tantrums bunch OF mowers
kiss and piece of candy, which just touched
rf1a had tTOll
the children during the walk
And for the remainder of the vacation the little
sulker was made feel that she could De OF heie'
and did not sulk again. Rainy days, something IKE
yesterday. are looked upon hindraHee 70
pleasure at the homes Every provision is mace
for indoor entertainment At the Shepherd Knapp
Home, in Litehfeld Conn, rainy day causes
shout of Augusta Hall :" and grand rush for the
place follows There boxing gloves in the lower
boys room basketball may be played there ana
several musical instruments are used by the boys
who have learned to play them On the heoF ABOVE
the girls are provided with dolls doll houses jacks
and other games There is often regret Wnen the
rain ceases, for the children are compelled to re-
main out Of when the weather permits
party of 125 children, nearly all boys, started
on the Putnam last evening for Ardsiey- fhe ram
had ceased. but many OF the children were pre-
pared for rough weather with the Tarest assart-
ment of umbrellas
Amy river where were goin' ." asked one or the
boys He was told there
'.Ain't any bigger dan de gutter on eur street,
he said with air daring contradiction Nearly
went ober de curb. An de sewer was stopped an
big pond de an we fellows wanted
to wade but gee we had to to de mission
OATS where missed 1t sure: but say, is de river
where we's goin' de leveI2'
Among the children returning from fenahy last
week were three sisters whose stay had been cut
short by news of their fathers death They were
not told until they almost at their home, and
then by of their friends among the neighboF-
hood children The information given sort
of triumph being the first to tell The mother
looked her children absently when they arrived
She seemed dazed. When the little girls kissed her
she broke down and wept bitterly She realized
fully what the death of her husband meant for the
children and for herself their sole pFevtdeF-
These tragedies come very near 10 the Settlement
workers, adding &c their CheeFfully undertaken
tasks.