The Washington herald., 1912-03-03

When the education OF children mas
really become science and an art, par
ents win watch anxiously the way in
which little girls play with their dolls
for this will give them q deep insight
into the womanhood slunberlng in those
young hearts"
So writes Ellen Key, the Norwegian
philosopher, in her latest book, Words
and Souls" which reached these shores
about ten days ago.
The book is a collection OF essays on
subjects for the most part far removed
from the humble interests of the nursery,
but wsdged in between reflections on
Maeteriinck and Rodin is this chapter
on dolls. A comforting chapter it is, too,
20 those who may have feared that with
the triumph Of the suffrage the doll
would vanish from the life of the female
child. Ellen Key Is a suffragette, II less
fierce than some OF that sisterhood. She
is also recognized as an authority on the
child. and Ellen Key says. in this, her
latest utteTance. that little girls VIII
always play with dolls.
Toys and games come" says the essay,
toys and games go; but little boys will
forever delight in playing war; and OF
all playthings dolls will always be the
favo-ites With little girls"
Instead OF losing prestige, in fact. the
coll Is 70 gain It. The doll OF the future,
We are told, will be taken seriously, and
In the light OF the child's attitude toward
IL viii parents and educators steer their
course. The essay proceeds:
When little girl shows scant interest
in ready ufbe ana well dressed dolls, and
especially displays an absolute indiffer-
enCe TO the ladylile, groHn-up-lke ones,
whereas she lavishes her tenderness on
some unsightly rag doll, her parents may
feel some anxiety as to her future hap
piness. She will belong 10 that class OF
women for whom love and motherhood.
or both. take the character Of a passion
and assume n tragic importance. The
future holds much suffering in store for
her.
When, on the other hAnd. a girl raves
wildly over every new doll she receives,
whether il is a rag baby or grand lady,
and forsakes completely the old ones In
favor OF the new. the need is felt of
restraining, steadying influence for this
butterfiy-Iike little soul. She would other
wise stir up much activity, but also much
trouble, N years TO come.
Evidence of SuperficiRIIty.
When a girl finds an inexhaustibIe
source of enjoyment in the continuous
dressing up of dolls in different costumes
she may thus evince u certain talent for
dressmaking. but she may also betray a
regrettable supcrficiality.
1t may also happen that a little girl
has passion for playing school with her
dolls When the dolls are continuously
sent to the corner or spanked or gen
orally abused. the parents may infer that
their daughter is endowed with a certain
pedagogical ability. more or less mis-
u0lied: she may $3.50, however, have
su unpleasant disposition and harsh
nature.
III. on the contrary. the dolls spend
most Of their time in bed and are well
cared for during their various illnesses,
IL the binding of their broken limbs, an
exploration of their insides. or the OBJ
servation of the mechanism that makes
them move or speak seems the most
fascinating pastime for the little girl, II
may be that she is cOnstitutionally pre-
disposed to become a physician. 1t may
be also mat she is trying her hand at
the game of cat and mouse, the game
which she will enjoy later on, playing
cruelty with the hearts Of men.
When a mother sees her little girl fire.
1uently worried over the feelings of her
dolls, fearing lest her lack Of kindness
may hurt them, talking to them in a
subdued voice when they are sick or old:
when the child kisses the discOlOred and
hairless dolls more tenderly than those
that are fresh and beautiful. to save the
less favored ones the humiliation of
neglect-then the mother may well pray
for the wisdom that will enable her 60
protect the little one from the many
sharp weapons which will stab her bleed
ing heart. That sensitive little being will
grow to he a woman for whom the suf-
ferings of others will constitute the solid
web of life.
"A girl brought up in the country with
many sisters and brothers or surround
ed by many domestic animals Jway not
NJ
ence does not necessarily reveal a lack
Of mOtherly feeling. but rather a keen
sense OF the real. When there are so
many living creatures TO be loved, why
sGuander her affections on lifeless repre-
sentations of life
shows ChIId'S Disposition.
We may observe now and then q
dreamy child, constantly engrossed in the
reading Of her books and then acting
with her dCI's-paper dolls mostly-every
incident Of the story she mas read. ANY