Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-21
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
AND CHILD TRAINING
The Right and the Wrong KIND
Of Punishment
MISCHIEF CORRECTLY DEFINED
Obsdisnee Il Principles. Bat Not
Necessarily 10 Persons, is The
Keystone u Character


Necessarily 10 Persons, ir The
Keystone IL Character
Last night at the High School As
sembly Room Mrs. Letitie r. Wilson
gave her third talk in the series upon
Child Development. The special
topic was Punishment the Right
and Wrong Kind"
Beginning with the story Of Adam
and Eve, Mrs.. Wilson related the Sec
oud and third chapters OF Genesis 10
a simple and clear style suited TO the
young childPs mind, and directing il
20 the punishment Consequent upon
dis bedience. 1t is noteworthy that
God cursed the earth but did not curse
man. Man is taught by the Bible the
wholesomeness of punishment and so
children should know that punishment
is intended for their good.
Macy children have the same idea
az expressed by the little boy who.
when his father ask ID him. "John,
why am | about to punish your" re
piled Because you are bigger than
L." This idea that Knight is right"
lie false training that Injuries the
character. mischief" il simply 3
child's finding, it's own employment
This was illustrated by several APP
propriate stories. such as that of the
little boy attending a kindergarten
who was always the burden of the
young teachers.
On one occasion the whole kinder.
garten was invited to a party, but
the younger teachers suggested lesv-
ing the torment" ct home. mo,
all are invited" said Mrs. Wilson,
"so we must take Sammy, too" At
the party, Sammy sat near Mrs. Will
son and watched the other children
contribute their several parts TO the
entertainment. Then he was asked
what he could do. 81 can turn sum
mersaults, he answered, and i'm
mediately did so 10 the great amuse.
ment of all and TO his own extreme
satisfaction. This was simply his de-
sire for recogniticn-an instinct
atrong in the child,
The keyst0ns to character is obedi-
ence. not necessarily to persons put
to principles. There are two kinds.
The arst Is blind, unreasoning obedi-
ence which is forced. The parent
who tries to "hreak the will" of q
child, does il great injustice.
Whipping should be the very last re-
sort, IL used at all. Imperscnal pun
ishment is the best, wserein a child
recognizes his own fault and correets
himself TIE true obedience is that
which leads 10 right habits. Let the
child have his own way. when inno-
cent and guide him in his self-de-
velopment. The parent-will should
control the child-wil TO about the
age OF three and a-half years, after
which the child-will should be allowed
10 exercise itself reasonably.
There is trait In children which
is enormously interpreted as cruelty
to animals, but is nothing but lust
for power. This lie manifested in
catching flies, teasing cats and tieing
appendages 10 dogs tails. All his
may be overcome by systematic ma
ture study. Let the child have q pet
animal, and teach him to care for it.
This will develop in him symps-
thetic interest in the lower animals
IL viii teach him to reverence that
which is beneath him. The new
dark-closet" punishment is commend
able for certain wrong-doing, and does
not brighten the child. II consists OF
putting dark stockings upon the
hands that have done wrong, snd Is
generally a very effectual punish
ment.
Children should be trained in habits
Of punctuslity, industry and truthful
ness. THE little foxes that spoil the
vines" are the lies into which neglect
ed children drift. -Four kinds Of lie
ing were considt red, viz: Exaggera-
tion, which IL simply child's love Of
the wonderful, and can easily be
toned down to the truth. the lie of
fear, prompted by harsh punishment;
the egotistical lie, which Is always
Boosting Of self or ancestry, and can
be cured by associations with non-ra-
lated companions or by mild ridi-
eule, and worst of all, the malicious
lie, which needs firm measures.
Mrs. Wilson concluded her delightful
talk by emphasizing the imperative
need of confidence and CO operation
between mosher and child in charsc-
ter growth. An informal discussion
followed, which further calculated
the excellent points Of the address.