Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-31
YOUNG WOMAN
AS CH|LDRENS
ENTERTAINER

81 had heard Of girls who earned
money by entertaining children. be-
gan this young woman. in her simple.
direct way, but l had never met one,
so l blaIed a trail for myself. II fol-
lows naturally that mother who
wishes to leave her little folk for an
hour or two during the afternoon
should turn to me. So this branch Of
! my work has developed.
''Chfldren's parties / classify into
two kinds-those that approach the
dignity OF a social function. and the
simple gathering in Of a few small
friends. The first of these requires q
succession of what are known to chill
dren as party games, interpreted
by stories which rest them.
often the mothers oversee the
parties except for an hour when /
come in to tell stories. The other
class OF party follows more closely
the natural play of q group OF chill
dren except that some new motif is
intfodfced which lends a fresh zest
TO the. AFFAIR.
&'T talked with the caterers and the
girls at the counters where place
cards and souvenirs are sold, and they
were considerate enough TO let me
know when q ehild's party was being
planned This brought from me q lit
tie note written in the third person,
containing no reference to the forth
coming function, but merely announc-
ing my business as children's enter.
tainer. ~ -, - :
Il also had neat cards printed and
mailed them to people Of means In
the city who might need such services
as mine. = -
Entertaining children r. requires
highly perfected methods and 4 wide
range of material in. stories and
games. Each game must be worked
out in detail at home. Each pattern
for table and chair of the paper dolls
house must be tested, for the child
has such absolute faith in you that
he cannot understand your falling IN
what you attempt i
There is no one so up-todate as
the boy of 10 or IL, so Tar as his
knowledge goes" she explained
you are telling him story Of ship
life, he won't stand for q sailing Ees1
sell. II must be the most improved
steam propeller. ~ 80
These are my games" she e1
pIained, opening a series OF drawers
Many of them are Of my own Dr.
vising.H - -. u ,sss.s ~
F.. When l saw her = expression OF
amusement and at the same time Ter
respect for children. ] understood hpW
they could play, with her quite simply
and unabashed. : s.~e&
@'That?" she said. lifting from one
OF the drawers q printing frame hat
i indicakeds You use thai, with blue
print paper to make q herbariun Of
different kinds Of leaves and plants
A boy lays these on blueprint taper
spreading them carefully with { long
pin. Then he puts. them in the frame
and prints II In the sun, washing the
paper on later in water, Just 81 you
would do with the blue print OF .
/, mega i've. With ferns and delicate
plants one gets really beautiful pic
lures. ~ -.
/ ! ~In regard to telling storiest TO chill
dren," Continued the girl, there are
. many books from which jon can
CLEAN ideas, and there are instTuc-
tors in kindergarten methodS who can
teach you how, but you can perfect
yourself in the art only through much
practise. K" ~. IL q
First of all, you must have respect
for the story you are elling. and
your voice must evince Tat respect.
When once you have caught the true
feeling for these stories it viii be-
come more and more dear TO you
that a ehild's story that Is worth the
telling Is almost epic its direct.
ness. -
But the point that requires the
most study Of all in telling these
stories is a sympatheuc understand
ing of a child's sense q humor. There
is nothing more gfnuine than a
child's chuckle Of AMUSEMENT But In
the presence of his elders he Is tim
10 about trusting his tldgInent In the
matter.
You must be really entertained
yourself; there can De- no affectation
Of amusement Ghiltren are quick to
discern character. You must be
child in feeling, and really play; but
at the same time YOU must remain a
woman who is we'll poised and firm.