Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-14

mood with titled dancers and other
VagarieS.
How will she provide for her sons
and how, when they are of the age
of personal responsibility, will they
provide for themselves? They have.
practical people say, not been given
the sort Of education that fits child
for future self-support
Il do not care especially what my
boys learn" their beautiful mother
has often said. beyond the mere
rudiments"
Il will not have their talents
trained 10 the abnormal point Of
genius. | want them to become sim
pie country gentlemen. should
hate to see one of them become, for
instance, Cabinet Minister.
"a very important part of the edu-
cation Of my children is teaching
them love OF beauty. If they love
the beautiful they seek to become
beautiful. We think of what is about
us and we become like what we
think about, so it is most necessary
TO see only beautiful objects. Keep
ing this in mind. ! am most careful
about the selection of my children's
toys. | never allow them to see any
thing that is manned or distorted
went shopping in London to buy
my children toys. To my surprise
and disgust. | found that the six or
seven leading toys were all hidcous
distortions Of human or animal
bodies. You may be sure my chill
dren received none of these toys.
never give them anything like your
Billikens or kewpies or Brownies.
They have never had any dolls with
huge abdomens and little legs and
heads either too large or too small
for their bodies, never in right pro-
portion to them. Your Teddy bears
are not bad. because they look like
bears. Most animal toys are hideous
traveStieS OF the real
Also the Richardson boys are de-
priyed Of the ordinary picture hook
that so stimulate the Imagination OF
the average child.
My children's picture books are
copies OF the sculptures and paint
ana other galleries OF art They have
never been allowed TO see anything
manned SO clear Il picture that
implanted in their minds of the
human body that when my oldest
son, Rory, saw IA picture of Venus de
Milo, he said, 4 don't like it, The
arms were missing. and he thought
her imperfect lie gave the same
criticism OF the Winged Victory.
Il let them look at picture books
only after I have gone carefully
through them and scissored every
picture that shows the human figure
other than as perfect Also cut
out every picture that shows killing,
My boys have never seen the picture
OF Jack the Giant Killer. nor of tho
witch astrile a broomstick nor such
an absurdity as the COW jumping over
the moon"
Nor have the Richardson boys had
their imagination stimulated by fairy
stories. Alice III Wonderland is Il
forbidden delight 10 them.
Il read or tell them only such
stories as deal with beautiful themes.
go back 10 mythology for them
said Lady Constance in unfolding
her educational theory and practice
FOR instance, | tell them the story
OF Theseus and Andromache"
Every morning of Every day for
nine months Il year Lady Constance
has sent her children naked into the
garden TO play.
Il make my boys take exercise
every morning for fifteen minutes il
a perfectly nude state" she explains
In that way the air and sunshin,
directly reaches their vital organs
Generally send them straight from
thclr beds TO the gardens. In thu
inid-Wintcr they take their mornin,
exercise nude indoors, and after III,
bath. Ordinarily fifteen minutes o
play in the nude is enough. A child!
instinct for play is an uncrring guide
They do not loiter at their play. In