Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-11
TREATMENT OF BOYS.
Let Them Alone, Advises a New
Jersey Father.
HIS HAVE SEPARATE HOUSE.

To Have Peace Mutually Agree Not
70 "Butt In William Jeffrey Tells
Harlem Liberal AlIiance-How the
"Independent Five" Like the Life.
William Jeffrey of Berkeley Heights,
N. j., addressed the Harlem Liberal
alliance the other night at 100 West
One Hundred and Sixteenth street,
New York, on How to Live In Peace
With Children" says the New York
Times. The meeting room was filed
to the outermost door, The essence of
Mr.. Jeffery's teaching is:
Don't butt in on the children if
they will agree not to butt in on you"
Jeffrey is the man who built small
bungalow out in his back yard last year
for four of his sons and a nephew The
independent five" have been running
their own affairs. Mr.. Jeffrey made
sort of report of progress. He said
that it was bowling success, al
though, thank heaven, he and his wife
didn't hear the bowls. And he was 60
ing to add his other sons to the indie
pendent back yard group as fast as they
got old enough to endure the wear and
tear of the life in that climate.
Il used to live in Manhattan" went
on the speaker. But had to move.
The landlords got after me too hard
went to Plainfeld, n. j., and that
week the rents were raised there One
of my boys was ill. / decided to live
out in the open, and that's how got
to Berkeley Heights.
1--WE liked the land, and 1 decided to
replace the tent with a house. So l
built one as 1 want it, its framework
being Of hewed oaken beamA We COM
pleted it last summer
Then one day my wife raised an
unusually loud protest about the boys
coming into the house, tracking up the
carpet and breaking the furniture. You
see, have six boys and one girl, with
nephew from Brooklyn. He is nine
teen years old. My boys run down
from fifteen. Four of them are above
eight years.
These last named young persons
were the chief offenders, SO decided
that there would have to be another
bungalow. The question arose as to
who was to occupy it. The boys said
that they would take it, agreeing not
to butt in on my wife and me if we
would agree not to butt in on them.
And we did that.
"And so we put up 10 by "a foot
bungalow in the back yard. The four
older boys and the nephew took charge
of it. OF course they eat with us, but |
they take care of their own house. If /
they don't, it gets no care. It's up to !
them. They may turn the stove upside
down; they may stick their heads out /
Of the window. It's their own funeral,
and they know IT. gss.t4 .agf- }
AT first l thought that I would in
spect their bungalow once day to see
that they kept it clean. | gave that up.
There is no more reason why l should
inspect them than that they should in
spect me and my wife.
This arrangement has been kept up.
i like it, Ny wife likes it, The boys
like it. We call it the PIeiades bunga-
low out there in the back yard"
Mr.. Jeffery then read some testimo-
mails of the five Independents. The
Brooklyn nephew, who had asthma,
testified that he had been cured of it.
Willie, aged fifteen, bore witness in
writing that he had farmed two acres
Of land and raised pigeons last year
he had furnished vegetables TO the
family and had n bank account Of
500.
Charlie, aged thirteen, testified that
he had no trouble waking up in the
because If he was inclined to
sleep somebody was sure to throw a
piece of coal or a water bucket at him.
As for worldly goods. he had begun his
new life with a hen and rooster.
Now he has thirty-four chickens. feed
In stock for them and money-a little
In his pocket.
Fred, aged eleven. who is described
by his father as zone averse to work."
bore witness that he liked the life in
The Pleiades bungalow, its freedom be
ing very congenial TO him. He told no
stories Of wealth accumulated. His
parents VIII give him a course in for
,stry.
Richard, aged nine. testified as TO his
Enjoyment OF the Sunday night con-
'erences with his parents. He declared
hat at such times the back yard colony
lsked their father questions. Some
lines he couldn't answer. Then he
went of and asked somebody else and
next time.
Protecting the Elder Duck.
At present there is but one breeding
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