New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-21
Head of Children's House
Describes Success of
MOnteSSOri Idea.
"WILD INDIAN TEMPER
tanned BY KINDNESS
Lad Who Talked of Shooting All
Now Amiable, Says Mrs. A.
Reno Margulies. in Talk.

How wild Indian" was converted
into sweet and loyable member of So
oiety by the anti-spanking methods OF
Mime. Montessori was told yesterday az
ternoon at the Ethical Culture Meeting
House by Mrs A. Reno Margulies. prin-
cipal Of the Chlldren's House on Wash
ington Heights.
There was one little boy in the class.
abe said. who wouldn't do anything that
he was asked 10. All he wanted TO do
was TO PLAY Wild Indian and cowboy. II
he was crossed I'm any way he became
wild with rage and stamped his feet
shouting: I'll shoot you and ell the chill
drcn.' This child was absolutely unman-
ageable at home. His father brought him
to school with but little confidence IN my
al ility 10 control him without the laying
on of hands
Do you actually mean that you will
never touch him. he asked.
Certainly ! said. II YOU promise not
10 punish him al home for one month, so
that you will not spoil the effect OF my
work at the school
so We made the pact that the child
was not to be- spanked for one month.
A, school. when he flew into one of his
fits OF passion and threatened 10 shoot us
all. I Just looked a him I'm surprised
and grieved away. I'm sorry II you feel
that way about US 7 would say, and then
go away from him.
YES. Of course. at first the other chill
dren laughed when he said the 'smarty
things They would stop their work. too.
t. see what Re would do next. But l
never scolded him. Then one day we
were all going upstairs. He refused to 20
too ] left him alone In the room for
a while Then returned and went about
my work. paying no attention to him.
Presently ! looked up. and as l caught
his eye a smile flooded his face. He
looked into my eyes and loved me-
from that moment he has been diff
fcrent child. He had suddenly realized
that we would be friends Grown-ups 10
! him before this had meant creatures who
! opposed everything he wanted 10 do. lie
was developing an attitude OF hostility
/ toward the whole world which threatened
| tn ruin his whole character lie would
never have been happy child II his par
ents had continued TO whip him.
! lie is a brilliant child, with strong
personality. Now he Is the leader in the
games which he would not play before.
He mas developed a remarkable feeling
for music and rhythm and fits about in
! the dances like happy butterfly"
! There were other stories of the remark
able progress of the children in the Mon
! tessor school Little Dorothy insisted on
| learning to tie bowknots. II took her a
whole month and the teacher thought
she would have to give IT up because 1t
was very hard for such tiny fingers, but
she conquered at last. and now she In
sists on tying her fathers shoestrngs
| every morning. One OF the older children
learned in two months 10 do subtraction.
The lecture was under the auspices OF
the Kindergarten Alumns of the Ethical
Culture School Miss Mary Schaeffer, Of
Germantown, Ohio, described a method
of combining the Montessori and the
Froebelin kindergarten methods In the
primary grades