The Washington herald., 1915-05-21

Not long ago went to Sunday school
entertainment in a small town. 1t was
given for the purpose of raising money
for one of the many enterprises of the
church. The hour for beginning was s
o'clock in the evening. The program
consisted of songs. piano pieces, recita-
tions and dialogues, all performed by
tiny children. There wasn't a child over
s years Of age on that platform. And
the entertainment wasn't over until after
10 o'clock.
I asked a lady who sat beside me. do
you think 1t is good for these little tots
to be out so late as this. and doing all
these stunts"
why not?" she countered. 1T doesn't
hurt, once in awhile. and it certainly
makes a lot of money for the church.
Why. everybody turns out when there
is an entertainment given by the chill
dren.''
l went home full of indignation at the
mothers who would allow their precious
babies to be exploited like that. Is it
only in the name of the church that We
connive at the Use of the babies for such
money making schemes? And yet some
of these very mothers are the loudest
in the modern outcry against child labor
and the long hours of work for women
ana yOuN8 SltlS Tic 1)o
YOU think they are consistent?
The whole question of teaching our
little ones to speak pieces is just now
the subject of discussion in many OF the
mothers clubs throughout the country.
Do you thing it wise to tax the immature
mind with much memorizing, especially
with the object in view Of taking part
In public exhibitions of the kind have
spoken of? That Is the question we
t. q ~
Please write and tell me what you think
about II.
From my own experience, I am unal-
terably opposed to anything which SO
sayors Of forcing as that. Hothouse
plants are VERY attractive to look upon
for a time. but, oh. how soon they wither
and fall to pieces when brought into the
cool and healthy environment Of every
day life! 4
suppose the average child comprehends
of the piece" it commits to memory?
The old story Of the baby that sang
loudly in church Of "the concentrated.
cross-eyed bear Is q good illustration
Of what mean. What do you suppose
that child thought the hymn meant,
anyway?
When my own two girls were little Il
had occasion to demonstrate with their
SUNDAY SCnOOi IC8CuCT 1oouI VSoCHiuB
them things they could not understand.
She was a young girl herself, immature
and jealous. and she wanted all those
babies in her infant class to be prod
isies of intelligence. One Of the things
she taught them was verse from q lit
tie song they were accustomed to sing
in the class:
Jeans x.s born IN BethleheD.
And thu Jews cfucihed Him;
And JcserA beued Hi body
And laid Il in The tomb
I say nothing about the sentiment Of
the song itself. but what I chiefly COM
planned Of was that those babies were
going about the house for days singing
II the top d their shriIl. childish voices
Il am telling you this with no irrever-
ence. In no spirit Of levity. ] assure you-I
"Jesus was born In Bethlehem and the |
Jews cruelty fried Him: Joseph baked |
His body" etc.
Was Mortified BY the whole episode.
and voiced my INDIGNATION not only ID the |
teacher. but to the superintendent Of tho |
school. Ny criticism reused ''tegnpsstl
m . teapot" but I am glad to say that |
Dong WAS soon abolished fromkthe reper-
tory Of the school. ! -
Aside from the unwiedom Of letting the
chiIdren set such . misunderstanding q