The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1919-07-09

sta-rAt.5sf NNrhI.--a. sHL.aets trEE EHE sr- 10, iLa4rtsrSE
BY DR.. William Byron Forbush
"He hasn't got him yeti" was the lit.
tie boys delighted report each day
after looking in his nursery book and
that the crocodile in the
picture had not yet caught up with
the piccaninny whom he was chasing.
why don't they get to church -"
was another youngsters inquiry after
he had turned for several weeks to
Boughton's pilgrims Going to
Church, and wondered why they did
not arrive.
a third child put his hand protect
ingly over the pictured figure Of q kid.
to shield it from an eagle; and anoth-
er child of kindergarten age has been
known to try to feed a pictured ami
NAL.
These incidents suggest the rather
surprising fact that to a small child
pictures are not merely symbols, but
q part Of his living world. At first he
notes the similarity between the house
hold pet and the pictured cast more
than he does the difference, and it is
. long time before he grasps the idea
THAT the latter is only a symbol.
It is perhaps a little disheartening
to us adults, to whom pictures have
opened a world Of beauty, to realize
that it is their usefulness and not their
beauty which appeals to children up
to 81 years of age. To them, pic
lures are simply something to play
with. They prefer to have them little
because they can handle them more
easily. For any practical end they do
not differ distinguishably from thei,
dolls.
Ninety-nine per cent, Of the first
drawings of children are said to in.
clude the human face. Their affec.
lions of readymade pictures are sim
liar; they like living creatures, people
and animals and birds, and they like
them best in action. They like only
story pictures.
1t is somewhat surprising to invest
gators tod iscover that, in their ear
lest interest in pictures, children d.
not seem to have any marked prefer.
later they exhibit a., interest in bright
crude colors.
In general, they are not curious a.
to details. They will nos notice tha'
a figure is armless, and as we know
SO well, their own first drawing ofte,
have two eyes or ears on the same
side Of a face. Yet they do seem t,
single out the eye as an object o.
perculiar interest. Did you ever hav,
your two-year-old try to stick hi.
f~ore-fnger in your eye? Little chill
dren often attempt tie same with /:
pictured eye.
The educational lessons which W,
learn from these primitive tastes ar.
plain, and since, to the small child, I,
picture is "the real thing we shoult
select his pictures, as we do his othe
toys, to help him in his little world o
experience. They should represen
the kind of people and pets whom
he should love, engaged in activitie
which he car understand. Simple in
cidents, playful, jolly and mselfsh
should be our choice, without refer
ence to their esthetic purpose.
/ While We need not strive to selec
great art, we may choose clear
strong color and simple, well-draw,
action. Thus we can lay foundation,
for appreciation Of the beautiful.
Above all, each picture should sug
gest a good story, and we should Civ
the story with the picture.
Help to reach all the parents o
tie country by cutting this out an
passing it on to a friends.