The Washington herald., 1912-05-18
SONG WILL CURE
TEMPER And TEARS
Song Cure Instituted in Family
With Great Success.
By FRANcEs sHAFFER.


The practice of whistllng to keep up
ones courage is an old story. but did
you ever hear OF the song-cure as q bit
Of needed discipline for small folk when
they grow unruiy, or for grown
ups when they feel cross. or what is
worse, dangerously ready TO cry7
It's the proverbial ounce OF prevent
i've. too, for who could go far astray on
a diet Of song?
It started In a family where there were
i've little mixtures of goodness and bad
ness. Every one OF them sang, and so
did the father and mother; not beauti-
fully, but because they loved II and
made Il a part OF their life.
OF course, those five children had their
ups and downs, their times OF disobedi-
ence and general naughtiness. and the
punishment consisted OF banishment to
their rooms to sing II out And they
were required TO sing; neither pouting
nor fretting, tears nor walls, but song,
from start to finish.
Successful Method.
One OF this strangely disciplined group
was a quick-tempered lad. who was
ready TO fly on at a tangent when
things went wrong in his little world
When the song-cure was Instituted, he
protested with all his tempestuous
might, and It was sorry little song
that issued from a throat that choked
with something quite contrary But
boys have long memories sometimes, and
after a few new experiences in the Sc
clusion Of his room he soon decided
that il was a lot more comfortable 20
keep his temper unrufled than 10 try
10 sing with a mad little choke in the
throat
There are many beautiful characteris-
tics that thrive or die right in the plas-
tic days Of childhood. so many offensive.
hurtful traits that are nourfshed, that
there is need for the song-cure in every
home where there are boys and girls.
And one of the most wonderful things
on earth Is A family where the little
ones are sweet, sunny tempered and
harmonious. A song for a quick temper
is mighty sweetening, but that is not
all. There is the jarring, jangling little
spirit that sometimes robs the relation
ship between brothers and sisters of all
Its tender, enduring sweetness-suppose
they tried song for discourtesy, too. a
song for the little Quarrels that uRcon-
SciouSly leave their mark through to the
later years, when there is something
wrong in the family tie II is not easy
to sing in the midst of a boyish wran-
gle, nor to break out in a trilI when the
small fist is ready for a skirmish. But,
my how II paysi And il is not only for
to-day, but for all time, for 1t does
count in the home-love and the home
memories II brothers and sisters were
true to each other in their days Of play,
loyal and loving. Temperaments are
greatly at variance. and little ones un-
der one roof sometimes seem to have
sittle in common, but perhaps they might
grow nearer IL they sang when they felt
tempted to fight
Can't Sing and Remain Angry.
And II you and I, in spirit or in fact,
would try the efficacy of the song-cure
when things go wrong, when temper
gets on edge or grievances grow very big,
I really believe the melody would pre-
vail. For how could we possibly sing
and remain angry?
Some years ago knew a woman TO
whom nature had given an exquisite
voice, and she put her whole soul in the
music she loved. But there came time
when there was no music in her heart,
and her song was hushed by the relent-
less silencer, unhappiness. Friends beg
ged for a song, but to every entreaty
she said no, she could not bring a song
TO her lips when there was a sigh in the
heart But at last her baby daughter
pleaded so hard for Just one III verse
that the woe was crushed back and the
song trilled forth.
And something more than song was
released. for she confessed that from that
time life grew easier again and that when
she felt the old choking emotion, felt she
simply could not sing because OF a be-
traying catch in the throat, that was
the very time to sing IL down. to sing out
the gloom and let in the light.
Indeed, it is not alone the little folk
TO whom the song-cure might be healing
when tears are very near the surface, |
tears sometimes, again bitter. angry pro-
tests, for there are hours and days when
the best OF US are not so very grown-up
after all.
And those are the times We need the |
beauty and lasting grace Of the song
cure But the lesson Is no easier for |
US than for the boys and girls who, when |
the mood Is on, would far rather wall |
than sing