New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-25
Both BOYS and Girls
Will Learn Much from
the Dressing of Dolls.
BY Martha MoCuIloch Williams.

by mdTtnd WCIuiIoCn "hlIdUlo'
very wise man pronounced dirt mere
ly matter out Of place" In like manner
a large part OF what we Grass elders mis-
take for childish mischief is neither more
nor less than energy out of place. GROWING
UP is a mighty serious business If we ola
but let ourselves think so. The one reai
educator is the child itself. What II ge's
from outside in the way Of Impressions
exhortations and raw facts are nut ma
terials for the structure OF Its own rearlns'
Good in 80 far as they help the dawnins
Intelligence 10 help itself, bad II they 90
no more than lumber up its CONSCIOUSNESS
Which is merely a roundabout ana rh'hei
stupid way Of saying a child Is It's own
one real teacher. Instructors may give
twist 10 native bent. moreover ihrsc
moietv Of younglngs must be shown rather
than told things But after the telling, the
showing, the younglngs themselves must
apply. else what has gone before is worse
than vain.
Since clothes are essential 70 civilization
indeed basilar. they should he exalted IN
This curriculum Of action The best way
, 70 do # is through doll clothes Let the
voungster dress dolls. boys no less than
girls Paper dolls, rag dolls, wax headed
beauties. grotesaue Japanese babies china
dbus. black, yellow, Indian red, rubber
dolls. in spite of the clothes which make
mart of them-every manner Of doll indeed
which II hath entered into the mind of
man or woman to create and the heart OF
childhood 10 adore
Dressing dolls after pictures IS famous
fun show the children some book either
Of costume or pictures possessing the aC-
cent OF savaEery. history or romance. Lev
them hear very simply, very orlenN' lhe
stories Of the pictures. Then proNoihe
wherewithal they shall work, set them 10
reproducing Insist upon neatness anu
sood h9nd'Craft-of course. only to the o.
gree Of the child's Capacity. II would DE
manifest cruelty to ask fine stitches. &C
curate fittings or good brush work rom
= four-vear-old. But even four-Near-oId
NAV cunningly turn tiny japanese poppet
into an Esouimaux baby-hundlen IN oiu
r,,sb which answers beautifully for FUR
-,ho Iod ~ ten should be well able 10
10 for stIhf-leegcd boy doll SUIT ol
srnor from tea chest lead, or even 'iie
a,,.,~ ,o,er which wraps so many things.
,rr,or clad. with whitfield spear ana
.,.,,r,ad on a toy horse proportionate III
&C. tho stiff-Ieeged doll will he an asset
~ make its owner envied of all MS mates
oIgo "a serve as the basis OF asto"''"i'7
commercial transactions. But he VIII ne
,.ss amusing than his brother trlckeu OUT
,ranncr q bandit or pirate-lllu'eu'
orv VOL settled hero Of boy romance
Topo vour children TO the playhouSes'
,roosint the right houses then encourage
them 10 reproduce the actors and the act-
iny Make believe will have to help out
,ar,,.Iy-,o he. indeed, stage manager
-ror,n+er and scene shlfter in one But
,rs MAY acting will be team work-it may
cou engage a whole class or the chiloreh
n reiQhborhood. With packing ooA
stoga birthday candles, row lot ioo'-
No. nanny admissions, the box ONCE
reoo,rts IN he spent for ice cream later
van will get a return OF pure pleasure out
80 ali rroportion TO the Investment
The secret OF happy children therefore
.ood children, ls keeping them so haPI'E
e. that the business is the best OF play.
Lev, nothing better calculated to achleVe
-. IA ,bst doll dressing. II has, furturf'
.,an erninentlv practical and more emil
r,. valuable. BY help Of II iearhlhs
I =. -, bacomes diversion instead oI
.
s-,sc,orv Again. small fingers acquire
soS,nogs with needle, thimble and sheaIS
/ ,--.a.s,,,,o # use Of those implements j.
aa,,o,od IN maturity. BE very very pa
| ,ton, with your wee folk. Praise whc'eNe'
- &c nossibIe. II work must ne UNI
/ 49, and repeated. he sure 10 make inc
/ 49, understand It is not by way Oh S'ls's
,,,isbnent. but for the purpose oi
/ ,.oktnc the thing in hand as nice as any
( LIE Re especially rcgardtul oil w
-,,,,,.,.-often the clumsiness is roo'eu ~
! -. .,,o-lsr's very eagcrness. There a'o
''e s,sorarces IN manual capacty-sorhe
! Children handle things as though " ~
! .,itiva knowledge, others grip MN
| .t,a,,,,n they we're weapons OF wa, e
ta,h sorts and all the grades interrneuia.e,
IN o,,ontually find a welcome ou'l'' no
! - ordoavors at the point oil the hee '.I'
r,.o,s,np fashion plates is excellent u% ',,s
49,. 90 that may have commercial -.
li'S' o'., - lacking Autographs ana coloI
.rocesses. disseminated s'Sles r,.....t,,,ro,
H,n.p and even from frozen 81 .--,.,ol,,
,,aans Of poppets-dolls' 1a,,o,..
SS.,,tonable. whose small elegance ,,g,
o,,us makers could copy W w -
/ '"u ~. hear there Is d le>i, -.
/ oe''''' -,o,,resoue poppets. Another '''' 80
these s,.rorsl STYLES for smdepos'' o,, ,.
/ with I''' 49,, ,.oars old and upward shou'u
1 dreh iio',- ma 20 adapt and to orlel'".1
Ire "a a case IN point. nv . - -