Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-02-16
w. C. T. u COLUMN
OUR CHILDREN'S COMPANIONS
AND ADJUSTMENTS.

The following paper was given at the
February meeting of the Barton W.
c. T. u:
Companions for our children is
subject which vitality concerns every
person in every community.
In these days of social progress and
of the different organizations that
have special department for social
service, the air is full of theories(?)
shall we say. and of ideas till one
feels like waiting for one FUSED,
marked and found practical Our
children are in the list of those for
whom special plans are being made
for the place they are TO fill in the
world. We may we'll spend time and
thought y considering the matter.
| Meanwhile time does not wait. but
once IN every seven days Saturday
comes around and the schoolgirl or
boy has two days, three evenings free
from the routine of school duties.
With whom will these hours be spent?
Happy the child who can pleasantly
spend some of it in being her moth
er's helper in the home. The wise
mother will make work pleasure
to the child, even as she can give her
the same pleasures in the playmates
he or she may have from time to time.
! Healthy activity should be the con-
slant companion of children when not
resting. Work and pastimes are a
sure preventative of morbidness, of
that unhealthy way of choosing
friends and games that minister to a
depraved taste. Work Sunday too.
Yes the work that provides Tor all
our daily need. work Of getting all she
can from all the services she can on
the Sabbath day. This is pleasure
able work too for are not her mates
doing the same things? Oftentimes
we older children notice the rivalry
that exists in their Sunday doings
much the same as on week days. All
these have their influence on child
life.
Girls and boys are not as like
one another as peas in a pod" nor
have they even in the same family
anything that resembles the uniform
ity of articles turned out by machin-
cry. each child is from babyhood an
individual, and the mother in a sue
cessful choice of companions for the
child must understand and respect
boy who is born with a taste for the
sea, and must go if he has to run
away from his fathers house: anoth-
er boy longs for travel: another
will be lawyer; another an astron-
omer: another a painter. architect
or engineer. Some one has said,
every person has a bias which he
must obey" zenophon says
"By fate, not option, frugal Nature
One scent to hyson and to wall-hower,
One sound to pine groves and to wa
terfalls,
| One aspect to the desert and the lake.
1t was her stern necessity"
For the sake of argument let Us
concede all that, but our present
century is marked by the influences
which studlous natures have wrought
in overcoming the natural bent of
some things. This is very marked in
the floral kingdom, as we find in
knowing of Luther Burbank and his
work.
Farmers realize this. and are quick
to see how these things improved
upon will enhance their interest in
money value. Sometimes it seems to
me that so much is made of these
things that children and their inter.
ests are forgotten. We forget that
child born in unfortunate circum-
stances. is made in the image of
our Heavenly Father, and in our zeal
for the welfare of our own children
allow the other to pursue her natural
way or if we think of them at all,
don'twe usually conclude that the hest
can do is to look out for my own" In
these days heredity has to give place
to environment in many WAYS. Can
we not decrease the probable number
Of unfit companions in a community by
our attitude, by working attitude
daily.
Just here mistake, may I say, is
made by many women who are consci.
entious and devoted mothers.
Margaret Sangster savsthat r
her opinion it is great pity a mis-
, fortune for a child not to grow ur
with brothers and sisters. or cousins,
; or neighbor boys and girls, with
whom they are on familiar terms as
: playmates and schoolmates.
| am glad that we have co-educatior
in our public schools and in many pri-
vate preparatory schools. because
where there is no prohibition against
intercourse where boys and girls
meet daily, recite together, have com.
mon aims and ambitions and are com
/ panions. the thought of silly firta-
tion seldom comes to any of them.
, 1t is to be hoped also that child
, may be safeguarded by having idst(?)
parents or guardians, not ogres. who
fail to see any need of or anv sense
in childish pleasures and amusements,
; but rather children grown up. who
having been on the road themselves.
; can effectually point the landmark s
and being covetous for the child's
good, steer clear of the perilous places
for them and give better speed
towards the heights. Such being the
case. think you the child will rebel.
when mother says NO. | don't
; think it is best, wait and will ask