South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-08
Furnishing a
Boy Room

When nursery days are over and
the little white tables and chairs.
the crib. and the rocking horse are
put away, "a boys room can become
a place of great importance. lie
should, 10y an means. help 10 furnish
and decorate it. for i'm this way he
can learn 10 express himself. develop
his taste, and acquire "a love
for the beautiful To make the mis-
take of arranging "a boys room en-
urely according TO groWn-up TASTE
is 10 cut him Of from q great deal
of JOY. as wei as from valuable
training. Then. il is doubtful wheth-
er h room viii be "a compIete1su
cess without "a boys own jaunty
touch; and il must be remembered
that the success is i'm the appeal 70
the boy and his friends. rather than
10 the grown-ups. This does not
can that a boy viii not need 10 be
wisely guided past small mistakes i'm
choice. ON the contrary. it offers
the best of opportunities for helping
TO form his judgment IN matters OF
taste.
One boy went with his mother on
all her shopping tours. was &C INSULT
ed about the wah paper. the color
OF ~hangings. the furniture and the
pictures. with the result that. when
his room was done. he was as proud
and happy a boy as was ever seen.
First of all. they decided that the
room should be i'm tan. because that
would be more of a boys color than
blue or pink or the daintier shades.
They talked il all over at home. and
then one happy day was spent in
choosing "A soft brown wall paper
and lovely golden brown stun for
hangings. which mother was TO make
herself. Next came the choosing of
the furniture. They talked a lot
about this, before starting TO shop.
as II was important TO have some
idea what they wanted. They de
cided that it would not be wise to
get anything cheap or poorly made.
as only good. substantial pieces
would stand the test of boy usage
and length OF time. OF course. TO
buy many pieces al once would be
rather expensive. SO they decided to
get them one at a time. and use old
furniture while they were waiting.
1t was really fun TO furnish the room
slowly The bed was the most i'm
portant and they had such a good
time choosing it. a simple boys bed
Of duh brass which they thought
handsomer than the white enamel.
and no more easily married by boot
scratches when visitors perched on
the foot rail.
The pictures were 20 be bought
n at q time, also. and there was
much discussion as to the first
choice. Here was a chance for real
expression OF taste. and mother was
anxious for the first picture TO rep
resent something or some one truly
dear TO the heart of her small boy.
Remember, she advised. YOU will
see it every morning when YOU wake
up, and every night when you go TO
bed. besides often during the day. II
must be something that makes You
think. ~ not just something you
viii quickly tire Of looking at" She
was rewarded by the happy choice
of q portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
Later. she was pleased when some
Liberty loan posters were put mp on
the wall. and she did not mind the
mysterious boy-club insignia. which
gave an air of j~auntiness TO the
room.
A little patience With boyish ideals
viii prove their great worthwhile
ness. and he viii cherish its memory
through school and college and after
years, and sOmetimes-0ften. no
doubt-he viii say with Eugene
Field.
I'D like 10 sleep where Z used to
sleep.
When 7 was "a boy-a little boa"
~z