The Washington herald., 1915-05-19

self his letters. and he knew. A. o.
y. and S at sight. / made an A ant
said. Lucy. that Is an A. Then I mad,
another A and asked. Lucy. what /!
that? 4 don't know Miss Lucy replied
nonchalantly. Why don't you know
/ asked.
Il forgot" said she.
Don't think she didn't want to learn
She was inordinately proud OF taking 4
lesson and I was not compelling hel
against her will. She boosted Of 1t after
ward to her brother and to her father
And | didn't keep her busy more thar
ten minutes. But 1t is discouraging.
| II made eight or ten AS and got Luc,
to tell me after each one what ha6
made. Then l made one I and told hel
what 1t was; then another and when
| asked her what it was she promptly
said A ..0
Il have decided there is no need of heI
knowing her letters for two or three
years to come since she Is probably toe
young to take in that concept-though
Harry certainly was not at her age-bu'
I will try to teach her Concentration In
some other way. Bless her pretty little
heart. she can do anything in the way OF
fetching and carrying for me or wash:
| ing her teeth well. She likes to be kept
busy. That was the reason I tried the
| dominoes and the letters. But II Is char
| acteristic of her whole attitude. She will
| not pay attention. What would you ad-
vise?'
l was interested enough by this appeal
to go to the library and read some of the
authorities on child psychology. I find
that their united advice. boiled down, Is
to try to find the special Interest of each
particular child and lead him through
that to concentration: first to establish
the habit Of attention by means of some
thing which the child will do with all his
| will.
Each child is separate study and the
business of motherhood is to make a
thorough study of each child. Some chill
dren are more interested in what they
see, others In what they hear, but all can
be interested in one way or another.
The story is told of a small boy who,
did you study in school today?' replied:
We had two films of history and one
reel of geography. dad"
That may not be a joke. some day, IL
we can SO censor the movies that their
real use may be appreciated. Children
are always interested in pictures. and
even geography and history might be
very agreeably taught by means Of
them.
word they have once seen In print,
while others have to be drilled In oral
spelling to become at all proficient In
the art. So it 1t with other things be-
sides spelling-with everything which
has to do. 1 suspect with our poor hui
man proficiency. We must find out what
we like, then how we like it. and then
we will concentrate upon it and do 1t.
Answers to Correspondents.
Mrs. C. T. writes: MY little girl has
frequent attacks Of nosebleed which l
can scarcely check. And when she cuts
her finger or her hand 1t will bleed for
long time. Is there anything to do
for this?"
She Is probably known as a ''bleeder''-
a person whose blood does not coagulate
in contact with the air. 1t would be
best to have a physician make a blood
test and give her treatment IL neces-
sary."
Mrs. J. Il. asks: How many hours
ought A child of three be allowed to
sleep at night"
Children should sleep as muca as they
will. would put my baby to bed at
shutdown. anyway. and let 1t sleep until
1t wakens of itself. II it needs four
teen hours. we'll and good. Nature will
take care of that il We do not interfere.