The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-06

Mumps and bumps. ills and epochs
await him. The former is only one Of
many diseases disputing his path or
dogging his unsuspecting footsteps.
Millions OF microbes infest the air and
the water and certain squads of them
have been detailed to concentrate their
whole attention on him. They will
not notice a grown man and seldom
care to look at O little giri-mumps,
and measles. and chicken pox, and
whooping cough. and stomach ache. an
and sweethearts, and the rest of them.
They are on his trail and he receives
them all with Juvenile hospitality. or
he escapes only through the vigilance
OF sleepless guarians, and through no
fault of hts own. Beginning with collie
and Group, he loves to range the whole
gamut of pathological possibilities till
he can bangle his feet from the sum-
nit OF an immunity which they no
longer dare Invade.
But his epochs are experiences
which no vigilance or parents or ply
siciaus or teachers can protect him
against. Every psychologist In our
country and in foreign countries has
said so. And so II IL. They have
prepared these entertainments for him
along the way and their invitation Is
bumps. as Major Powell had to pass
over the rapids OF the Colorado river.
in exploring the Grand canyon. II ii
were not for these epochs, December
would be as pleasant as May, and
both would be jejune. They are the
times when new powers awake in him
or develop signally aid come into spe-
cial action. He Is never the same
afterwards. Over the falls, his life
i
then other falls; others still. till. at
last, he Is out on the broad sea, where
the currents of life are in their great
oceanic movements.
He does not know when they come,
nor what they signify; he only knows
that he wants to do or to have certain
things. We know. for we have been
along that way. and we have watched
others take the trip. and we read. In
every look and tons of his, the way
the journey is going with him. He
does not know that we know. does not
know that there Is anything to be
known. In his desires and expecta-
tions we see the signs OF his progress.
He looks forward TO the time when he
can wear trousers, and play tho fiddle
and drive a horse or an auto and have
gun and shave and wear whiskers
and sing bass or tenor. and even mar
ny. III ne knew everything that Is to
happen in him, he might drop out OF
the game before he has a chance to
win.
Now let us try to get a line on each
of those epochs and see just what 1t
means, at the same time barking back
to our own early days for verification.
Three general periods are clearly dis
nguishabla--infan cy from birth 10
six: childhood. from six to twelve:
adolescence, frcm twelve to twenty
two. or maturity. Then there are lit
tie turning points within these per-
/ iods. SO that we can say there are at
least seven stages OF his road to man
hood. The bounds are fixed only in a
general way, for we know that one boy
may be seven or eight eyars In reach
ing the six years stage. Notice more
in detail:
/. Babyhood proper. from birth To
three years. Several clear marks are
seen. Every action is automatic at
first. Senses connect up with the out
side world; sights and sounds and
odors are identified. Imitation Is the
regrant law. He smiles and laughs
and frowns in answer to your smiles
and laughter and frowns. He Is i'm
patient or loving as your are. He does