South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-30

ANLlF tllto dh der especially Is InlS
true i'm small towns. from the petty
aIlall-talk that emanates from the
porches and the front stoops and
passes along the sidewalks from
house TO house and from child 20
child
To is well for YOU TO decide upon
your destination before YOU call the
children with Let's 20 10 the pond
today" or, This is a grea. day for
the woods.' A playmate or two
taken along occasionally (and freq
emily if you have but one chlld).
VIII lend additional zest 70 the
walks, and will enlarge your OPP
portunities OF getting better ac-
Gudlnted. not only with the play
mates, but with your children in
relation 10 their playmates.
Short Distances For Young.
IN the case OF very young chill
dren, places very near home VIII
serve as well as the more distant
goals which are usually more at
tractive TO the older children. The
pond or the stream under the
/ fridge. or the waterfront, the
, beach. or the rocky boUlders that
can be scaled, or the woods-seeR
I them out In your vinCinity Try
every rcac and see where il leads
/ 10. The adjoining town, if il be
within two or three miles. makes Il
children. and "A trolley-ride VIII
bring you back should time or IA
tigue make II necessary.
Try TO forget all your grown-up
D dignity on these walks especially
I If il be a country road and have
as much fun and laughter as the
children are ready for. Wear only
stout shoes and "roughins'' clothes
Sometimes permit the children to
I take skates, or "A bicycle, or a vel
Ocipede a wagon, or jaunting cart,
\ o. a sled. a hoop, or horse reins
I All these will provide additional at
fractions when the children seem
I loath TO leave their reet-play.
DcN elOp Child Physically.
These walks Will dev elop your
/ children physically fully as much
as any systematic exercises, and the
variety OF stunts that viii be
initiated along the road viii as
y
may join. others will teach YOU to
/ have control of your nerves. while
/ the children develop strength and
\ independence thereby. So far as
! the physical activities are concern
I ed YOU need suggest very little,
/ the children will initiate as much
as there is time and energy for.
There viii be walking forwards and
I backwards. sometimes with eyes
! shut, sometimes on stone walls and
/ IN dltCues; there Will be running.
/ skippine hopping. jumping from
/ different hcishts, whistling and
/ singing games of follow master
racing, stoue-throwing and stick
| throwing into ponds and trees, and
tree-climbing.
/ Great Mental stimulus
That the Walks and Talks" are
"a great mental stimulus is readily
Iapparent when one reflects for a
\ moment upon the opportunities for
asking and answering questions
that seldom arise in the school
room, the opportunities to observe
public work that is going on away
from ones immediate neighbor
hood, the rOadbuilding. the digging
of trenches and laying of mains
the setting and taking dow of tel
esraph poles. the operation of the
I switch towers near the railroad
bridge. the regulation of trait the
construction of buildings. There IS
| a deepening of sense impressions;
there is training i'm the correst use
of good English in conversations
and story-telling by the way-side;
there is reading and dramatizatior
in the woods and i'm the shady
hooks and on the rocky heights
that aid so much in creating
cOnsenidi atmosphere for the PLAY
OF the imagination. and last but
not least-perhaps the most valua-
bic fe3ture-there is a tremendous
field for developing a knowledge OF
natures workshop.
sense Training.
/ Perhaps some concrete illustra
tons viii serve TO good purpose.
stand still few moments witt
eyes shat listen intently. then tel
what YOU heard.
Look intently in all directions
close eyes. and tell what was seen
Name OBJECTS tseeds. flowers
tUIgs. etc) 10y touch alone witt
ewes shut
Point 10 every birds nest oh
served on the walk
Find all the maple trees alon.
one road BY taking one tree a
q time YOU will soon be surprise,
TO discover how many trees YOU an.
the children can name
Aid Spiritual Growth
These walks viii also contribute
90 spiritual growth in no small
measure. They will anord "a basil
of companionship that with IN,
! cider years is not readily oUt
srcwu. and many fond memorie
will cluster around these little trips
Perhaps the same walks. thougl
less frequent IN the adolescen
years. May afford opportunity 10
the condolences. the ideals and am
billions, mat are 80 often poure,
into some one else's ears beCaus
The mother seems so busy in tn
home Al any rate. YOU will no
stop the walks and talks when n
II,iudere age has passed. YO'
will keen il I'D from year 10 year