The Washburn leader., 1916-01-28
EFFECTS Of
Fear
On Children

Most of us are familiar with stories
Of the bogey nurse Of long ago, but few
realize that her type survives even in
these enlightened days. 1t seems prob
able that from very earliest times
there have been people whose only
idea of ruling children was to employ
discipline Of fear.
One hundred years ago Napoleon was
the favorite bogey, especially among
English speaking people, and terrifying
were the tales which nurses and prob
ably many foolish parents invented Of
the horrors he perpetrated on small
children who cried in the night, soiled
their Sunday frocks, or were guilty of
any of the hundred and one small
naughtinesses children unthinkingly
commit
A word that "Boney is coming" would
send many small girls and boys cover
ing beneath the bedclothes, there to
spend hours Of shivering terror, while
the real bogey who had SO scared them
employed the time cheerily gossiping
But that was all very long ago. Now
adays We study hygiene, eugenics and
what not and take the bringing up Of
our children very seriously. There is
one fact, however, we often overlook.
A 1915 incarnation Of the bogy nurse
is still among us. Today for weapons
Of terror she uses the policeman. Now.
this is very wrong, for the child who
lives in the city should be taught that
the policeman on the corner, In the
park or anywhere one finds his brass
buttons and gold braid is person to be
welcomed as friend and protector of
the kiddies, not an enemy or bogy to
be feared. If this idea Of the law Is in
stilled into the youngsters head he will
not forget it should he become lost
from his mother or nurse. Instead of
wandering along the streets or park
helpless and bewildered he will run
confidently to the nearest policeman,
explain his troubles as best he can and
stay content with the big man deco
rated with many brass buttons until
aid arrives.
The child who is taught to fear the
policeman, on the other hand, shuns
him in time of trouble, with effects
which are sometimes disastrous both
to the little fellow and his parents.
A stroll through the park any pleas
ant day will bring you in contact with
the foolish nurse who holds up the po-
liceman as a terrible bogey.
"Come along, Master Bobby! she
will say. 1.-THE policeman will come
and catch you If you hang behind like
that" The little fellow gives scared
glance over his shoulder before he
hastens on. frantically pulling at her
hand.
Two little girls were playing in the
park the other day. In the game one
slipped and fell, covering her diminu-
tive skirt with green grass stains.
"Now. whatever shall do with you,
Agatha.' cried the nurse. 1.-THE police
man will get you and no mistake. They
always look out for dirty little girls"
So wee Agatha's play was spoiled by
the fear of another tumble and the
dread consequences that would surely
ensue.
Many nurses are not ignorant.
thoughtless women, but there are
few who by these means do irreparable
harm to sensitive and timid children.
Nor are nurses by any means the only
offenders. Mothers have been known to
trifle with the nerves of their children
that delicate mechanism governing
both the body and the mind.
While children may beg for exciting
stories and display tremendous inter-
est in the war, it is far from wise to
tell them too much and to excite their
Imagination by descriptions of CORY en-
counters. 1t is natural for little boys
who want to hear the details of the
conflict from their fathers to beg daddy
for "a story of the war;" for certain
love Of the military is ingrained into
the masculine character from the mo-
ment the little lad begins to play with
tin soldiers. However, If one cares to
preserve the tiny fellows nerves the
story telling will be restricted to deeds
Of yA1Or