The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-06-02
Cynthia Grey
LETTERS

"a few days ago there appear
ed a letter In your department from
one who signed herself ~ Mother"
giving some advice on the training
Of children, 20 which ! wish 20 take
exception. This advice was TO the
effect that Ne munt never say
Don't" or ."Mlnd" 20 a child under
any circumstances; that whenever
child commits a wrong act, we
must, for some obscure reason,
carefully avoid the use Of these OBJ
lectlonable words, and divert HE
attention 10 more Innocent pleao-
ures, leaving him, presumably, 10
return 20 his mischief whenever
tired Of diversion.
The fact ls, Mlss Grey, that
don't" 10 about the only word the
English language affords as com
mand 20 cease doing thing.
Don't" ls simply . short, modern
form Of "Thou shalt not" and dc
we hear any complaint as 20 the
vorbiage Of the ten oommandmenis7
Nkt AgfH NNk ' Nk1NNA nv
old. hammer In hand, lndustrlously
smashing the gldss In my neighbours
hotbed, and yelling with glee at tho
accompanying crash. Do you think
wasted any time seeking an coun-
ter attraction 20 divert his atten-
tlon7 Would "A Mother" have
rushed into the house and trotted
out the family album, saying:
Come here, HughIe, and Gee the
pretty ancestors; It's lots more fun
than breaking glass"7 am sure !
did not. and the child has since a
healthy respect for windows.
The mistake lies not In the use
OF words 20 children, but In the
failure Of parents 20 enforce them.
when the child learns that refusal
10 obey the Don't" or the MIND"
means swift but Just punishment,
the necessity for using them will
be far less frequent The only 9TH
or alternative 10 10 Invent iew
synonyms and give these over"ork-
ed words a rest. Very truly,
a FATHER OF THREE.
o.-"hnsious Mother" asked for
your opinion regarding the whip
ping OF children. I'm going 10 give
mine and wish you would print II.
Every mothers child comes 70
her with mind and heart that 10 In
noecnt and pure. What the child
becomes with the years depends
largely on environment and train
Ing. When the natural qualities OF
the child, curiosity and energy
without which His intelligence could
not ekpand-manifest themselves,
they should be directed with the ut
most tact and understanding.
Impulses, wonderful and beautl-
fui. lie in the character Of every
child, and are as responsive to the
Influence Of love and faith as flow.
ere 10 the sunshine and rain.
Goethe declared that In every
fault Of the child lies hidden virtue.
And Edward Llsson said: DE
aiructlVenoss and n1eddlinp mature
with proper training into eonstrue-
tivenets and Industry. and even
pugnseity and obstinacy are the
trade forms Of vlrlle and dynamic
character"
Results can be accomplished by
reasoning and explaining 20 the
child In kind and loving spirit;
but by inflletlng palm 70 the tender
little body. neverl Whipping only
serves 10 bruisc the heart and crush
the Will.
What a mistake 20 "erush the
Will" OF a ehlldl That will Is the
spirit Of Independence which in lat.
er years will carry that child
through struggles, uneowed and un-
browbeaten.
RUTH {. JOHNSON.
A.-Amen. We all know that the
trainers OF animals who make the
most marked success do no by love
not brutality. Are not children
as well worth the pains? There is
no more reasonable animal-look.
ing at II from that point-than the
child. How much more wonderful
is tho divine child. only hidden at
times by it's faults. which, as the
writer's you quote say, can be so
Z destroyed as to bring out the real
virtues that are already there walt
ing the recognition OF the parent.
Z OIL an, constant reader Of all
/ your letters, and I think you give
very good advice. Hope you will an.
swer this. VIII you kindly give me
a mixture for resllverinu a looking
/ glass, as ours is In very bad eondl-
|, tlon7 BOY OF IL.
Al will give you the recipe for
the solution used in "silyering' mir
rors, but l cannot vouch for your
success. You would better try Il
on a piece OF plain glass first.
BE very careful, as silver nitrate
viii burn the skin should II touch
IT. Here Is tho recipe:
Dissolve 90 gr. of silver nitrate In
2 oz. OF distilled water. and add am.
monia until the precipitate is near
~ dissolved: filter and make up TO
"a II. Dir. with distilled water. Now
make separate solution OF "a gr.
of Rochelle salts in OF. OF distlll-
ed water; boil this. and. while boil