Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-18
THE NURSERY

American home, which is otherwise so
we'll equipped, little or no attention is
given to the nursery, and it is to this
neglect they trace many of the short
comings of our little ones.
The bother with most nurseries is
that they are not adequate to the chill
dren's needs. The room in which the
children are to live should De the
sunniest and best ventilated in the
house, not dark cubby hole that can
by no possibility be converted to ether
uses.
Besides having light and air the
children's room should be attractive 10
them, thus insensibly cultivating tnelr
sense OF beauty. This does not mean
so fine that Don't touch!" Take
care!" are household commands.
Take a lesson from the modern kim
dergarten and see that while every
thing is for use, and fitted 10 the
childs needs, still great thought is
given to developing the child's love
of the artistic and beautiful.
The wall should be light and cheer
full. A warm, clear yellow is resttul
and bright looking even on dreary
days. The best decoration for a nurs-
cry or play room is glazed or painted
wall which can be washed off.
If you think this does away with
have a plate rail run around the room
at the height of about four feet and
on it stand gay prints and pictures
cut from magazines and framed with
a dark brown passepartout.
If you prefer paper get the glaze1
kind, and have nursery border either
of animals or mother goose pictures.
The wood work should be white en-
ameled to make washing easy.
If possible have low window seats
in the rooom, or build in seats in front
of each window. These can be boxes
with hinged lids that can serve to
hold toys or games Upholster the
tops with reddish brown denim and
make big cushions of the same ma
terial. The children will use them
for pillow fights and for floor mats, but
small harm will be done.
The furniture of the room shoul1 be
strong and simple. Low wooden chairs,
a comfortable rocker or two and a
low table that can be used for paint
ing and games, when not doing duty
for the children's meals.
A small bookcase should also oe
given an honored place in the nursery,
for older children, and nothing but
books of the very best from a liter
ary standpoint, well printed on good
paper and substantially bound, should
find their way to its shelves.
Do not fit up the nursery Win
broken or cast-off articles of turnl-
ture from other parts of the house.
Few mothers realize what deep i'm
preston these early surroundings
make upon the child, and how ner-
vous sensitive children may be made
to endure positive suffering from con-
tact with unsightly objects.
There should not be too many rules
in the nursery. The life should be
more or less one of government
with mother as a judge or nsulting
partner.
Litter is dear to the hearts of child
hoood, so order need only be insisted
upon to the extent that the nursery
must be cleaned up before bedtime
This should always be insisted upon
as orderlness is one of the hardest
virtues to inculcate in the child, and
one of the most valuable throughout
his life.
The kindergarten furniture is strong,
well built and of just the right size
for small children it is built, after
careful study and experiment for the
child's express use.
The kindergarten gift and occupa-
ton material are now obtainable in
any city at reasonable prices, and are
of inestimable value in keeping the
children busy and happy. Insist that
the children keep their belongings in
their own room and then spend much
of your time with them.
It is easier to do your work in the
nursery, dear mother, than it is to be
forever apologizing for the looks of
the house, and far easier to straight
en- up one room at night than six or