Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-16
rhn wan mn Re wal.

There is no doubt that the will
exercises a wonderful influence over
our bodily sensations. All human
| beings are a conglomeration of
prejudices that have been woven into
our age by our surroundings from in
fancy up. Impressions gained dur
ing the growing period are the
strongest and the most lasting,
whence it follows that we are for
-mnate or unfortunate in the kind OF
homes we had in childhood and the
kind of Parents who presided there
We expand as we get older through
wider association with people and
through multitudes Of experiences
outside of the home, but the basic
character is formed in childhooh,
and forever after whatever we think
or do is tinged more or less by this.
The strongest influence on the
child is the mother, at least during
the most plastic period, and 1t is in
this respect chiefly that the adult in
the making is fortunate or the re-
verse. From the day of birth OF q
child parents should never lose sight
of the fact that they have in their
charge the making Of personality,
hampered or favored by heredity and
that il behooves them to exercise the
greatest care in matters outside the
mere giving of appropriate food and
furnishing adequate clothing. These
are essential, of course, and a vigor-
Gus body goes far towards estab-
fishing a better foundation to build
upon. But what is too often over
looked is that the physical carries
us only so far as it is in demand in
this matter Of fact world Of ours, and
that is not very far, except in UNI
usual times and then it goes farthest
provided that 1t is correlated with
greater or less intelligence and
ability to get on with people.
Getting on with people! Here is
a thought to conjure with. Posses
sion or absence of this qualification
means success or failure. Getting on
with people means that you are
socially adaptable. that you have the
will and inclination to be pleasing,
II means that you have restraint and
resolution. Successes are few, fail
ures are on every side. A failure
cannot succeed by adopting or imi-
tating the methods of successful per
sonalities. He will not ring true.
He was unfortunate in his home
and early training. He was unfortu-
mate in the respect that the will to
do we'll was not properly instilled
during the plastic period OF his life.
Social classes, in our country at least
are largely a matter of environment;
the Individual accepting his place as
a matter of course. But where we
find in the home a parent whose
ambition scars above his particular
level, who by precept and example
irnbresses on the child the tremend-
Gus advantages Of the will for better
things, there we are most likely to
find one or more children who out
class their class
The will to be well springs from
the same inspiring examples and pre-
cepts as the will to do well. 1t is
for that reason that 1 spoke of the
latter first It is probably better
also. Given a mother
who exercises judgement in respect
to the minor ailments of her chill |
dren, who gives them loving care and |
sympathy but not maudlin coddling, |
whose precept and conduct is direct
ed to the end to promote restraint |
in respect to minor pains and sick !
ness, who eXacts obedience and in |
SiStS Oh IeaOAutAOLA' anu SVA WA AAHU
children who reflect these most ex-
cellent qualities Contrari-wise: |
where we meet these characteristics
In a child or adult, the exceptions
are few that the mother does not
possess these admirable qualities /
herself. A mother forever complain
ing Of sickness (provided 1t is not
organic) is selfcentered. vascillating, /
irritable, and lacking in restraint is
an unfortunate mother land there
fore, environment) for the man or
woman in embryo.
The will to be well, as the will TO
DO we'll, should be regarded as a
highly necessary part Of every child's
and doubt If anyone will
gainsay that one does not promote
he strengthening Of the other.