Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-07
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
SUBJECT DISCUSSED
Mrs. Wilson Talks to Mothers and
Fathers, as Well as, Teachers.
AT CITY HIGH SCHOOL.
Know Your Dan child and Establish
Sympathy With Him.

Probably about fifty people, most
of them women, assembled last
evening in the High School audi.
forum to hear the fret Of a series
OF seven talks on "Child Develop
ment,'' to be given here by Mrs.
Letitis p. Wilson an educator and
kindergarten teacher. These talks
are being given under the auspices
Of the Educational Department Of
the Civic League.
Mrs. Wilson was introduced by
Mrs. J. c. Cresap, president of the
Civic League. The educator is wo-
man Of pleasing personality and
gentle voice She gave her talk"
in an informal, conversational style,
and brought out many important iacts
in method Of child raising and child
development
AZ the offstart she said the Govern
ment had asked for a report of ten
men of leading universities ten men
who were High school principals, and
ten superintendent of secondary
schools When the reports were
given out each group said il could
have done better work bad the group
under il done more efficient work. IL
is not the fault Of the schools, but the
home training that lie to blame often
times. Is the fault in the chicken
who lays the egg, orthe egg, is the
old que ry.
Where there is a Civic league, said
Mrs. Wilson. the mother speaks 10
her neighbor, and they discuss clean
ing up backwards. then the trees are
trimmed, garbage is attended TO prop
erly, scrap baskets are provided and
there is a general awakened con-
science that brings about the unity
Of Home, Church, Civic League, and
all work together hand in band.
Mrs Wilson spoke CT the influence
Frederick Froebel had on the school
teacher Of modern times. She said
there is nothing so important as chill
dren, nothing so interesting. She
said the great un4een forces Ut the
child must be taken into considera-
ton; that to obtain an idea of the
universal child" take a. backward
glance at your own child and that Of
your neighbor.
Illustrating the story OF the beau
tiful tree, when asked how its leaves
became 80 symmetrical, said IL
am giving all my sap to my leaves"
Mrs. Wilson said we shcald give the
best that is in US to our children, for
"out of the heart are the issues of
life" and the heart is the mind. The
senses work through the emotions
which are more important than the
sensations. Teach child what TO
love and what not to love, and we can
do more than Educate him.
Mrs. Wilson deplored telling a
little child always to keep still. She
said activity is indicative Of health
full child but activity can be- trained
into self-cOutrol She said teachers
frequently convert children into OBJ
iects Of still life. She spoke Of a
child's instructive and constructive
life Of its physical hunger first. then
it's intellectual hunger, which is in
dictated by curiosity and the wants
to-know" idea.
Mrs. Wilson said il is much bet
ter TO give a child few toys, and not
so many The child is a creature
both Of destruction and construction.
He sees through bic finger tips, and
that Is why you notice children feel
ing the corners Of tables and chairs
She spoke OF the basketry work Of
the child, and urged parents not TO
criticise a crooked basket made by a
child, but to always sympathize with
the work he has done. Parents
shonld never lie TO a child. This
makes the schemers OF the grown.up
world and men who overreach in bust
ne SO life.
Everything tends to the silent in.
huence in shaping the chid's mind
frop an ignorant nurse girl to q
gentle mother The education Of a
child begins with its mother, uncon-
sciously before its birth, consciously |
after its birth. Mrs. Wilson spoke
Of the eye strain OF children. that
causes them 20 squirt and scowl.
When mothers 60 out in the evening
they should be careful with what
kind Of person they leave their
children. Talk about good things to
a child, net bad. A chld's home life
should be full Of happiness and love.
After the talk there was general
dicussion and an informal meeting,
which was much appreciated.