Evening star., 1918-05-18
DAY DREAMING.
BY H. ADDINGToN BRUCE,
Copyright, 1881

The habit OF day dreaming. of
building castles in Spain." is COM
mon among children and is found in
many adults also. It has usually been
regarded as a harmless and pleasing
form Of mental activity.
But criticism of it is now developing
in some quarters. Parents are warned
to check any tendencies to day
dreaming they observe in their children.
DAY dreaming is a species of in
tellectual dissipation" the critics say.
1T weakens the child's hold on real
ity. wastes energy and may cause a
serious mental deterioration.
"The day-dreaming child then be-
comes a pathological subject Unable
to distinguish between his day dreams
and actualities. he falsifes atrociously
and may even blossom into an habit
ual cheat and swindler"
One has only to read some such book
as DR.. William Healys unique work
on Pathological Lying. Accusation
and Swindling" to appreciate that day
dreaming is undoubtedly a conspicu-
Gus feature in the early history Of
| many hysterical and mentally disor-
dered young people.
But a really close study of books
like DR.. Healy's will also leave no
doubt that 1t is hardly fair to blame
the hysteria and mental disorder on
| the day dreaming.
As q rule. 1t appears. the day
dreaming child who becomes hysteri-
| cal is the victim Of an unfavorable
home environment.
He is perhaps emotionally starved
by his parents. who deny him the
4 AI~< L.
due. Or he may be afflicted with par
ents who do not appreciate tho i'm
| portance of providing him with
healthy outlets for nervous energy.
Forced in upon himself. vaguely
conscious that he is missing much
uses his day dreams as a means Of
obtaining that which he has been de-
nied-sympathy. admiration, recogni-
| ton Of his possibilities.
| Dream and reality then, indeed. be-
come hopelessly confused in his mind.
He utters and acts lies. not because
no is wicked, but because he is filled
with an intense longing to assert
himself and impress his personality
on those around him.
This longing Is natural enough, It
10 the heritage of all ardent, imaRi-
native children. Under other circum-
stances 1t would impel the little day-
dreamer to productive mental activity
instead of hysterical falsifcations.
In proof whereof is the important
fact that II hysterical patients have
a history OF exceptional day dreaming
in childhood. 30 have eminent persons
whom tho world delights to honor as
mon and women Of genius.
From which 1t follows that day
dreaming 10 not in itself undesirable.
Quite the opposite. It is a sign OF
i Imaginative power.
Also it IL q sign Of sensitiveness of
temperament. That 10 why the par
lents of q child much addicted to day
dreaming need to be unusually care.
full in his upbringing.
It Is not q question Of crushing out
the tendency to day dreaming. That
would only deaden tho Imagination
likewise.
But it Is q question Of guiding and
assisting the day dreamer to thought
and action that will help him to
GROWN his day dreams by useful ac-
Icomplishment.
/ I am. in fact. tempted to assert that
tho hysterical and insane who were
great day dreamers in childhood are
geniuSeS who have gone wrong. and
who have gone wrong chiefly as a re-
suit Of parental mismanagement
Given q decent chance in the first
years Of life. they might well have
become creative thinkers and doers.
not helpless. incompetent, despairina
weaklinga