The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-02-07
kindergarten
Helps for Parents
Articles I5sGsd b. the DeeGfA1e
ofshs Interior. Bureau Of Education
and the
National X hsderga
REALITY FOR RUTH 9
BY MRS. MARGARET STEEL HARE


One morning a few months ago
was passing the playrOom, my small
daughters domain, and stopped to
glance in, but finding her absent l did
not linger. However, an impression Of
the room did Hnger, and 1t finally'grew
to sufficient proportions to demand my
conscious thought.
What was there about the charming,
sunny room with it's Mother Goose
frieze and carefully chosen toys that
vaguely troubled me? 1t was too Or
DERBY. That, was It, orderly III the
sense Of being unused. 'r 49,
I paused. and reflected how little
time Ruth really spent In the play
room she was always somewhere else.
Where was she, in fact, at that partic-
ular moment! Brief search discov-
cred her vigorously sweeping the back
porch where some drifting leaves had
collected. q, a.f..'. So
"Why Is it?". / said to myself as !
poured the boiling water. into the dish
pan and swashed the soap-shaker up
and down absent-mindedly. why is
1t that she prefers sweeping the back
porch TO playing with her dolls house?
Why does she hang about the kitchen
watching me cook instead Of using that
fascinating dolls stove of hers?"
Children Anxious to Help.
ut Is because she Graves the actual
and real experience, I suspect"
Before / knew 1t had brought my
small cutting table, low enough for
Ruth to reach, placed 1t beside the
sink, covered 1t with a heavy towel
and put the drain basket thereupon.
Then calling to her I pointed to the
dishtowels hanging in a crisply folded
row and said: would you like to wipe
the dishes for me after this"
Perhaps you do not think six-year-
old help very competent, but I assure
you that mine has broken but one
saucer in over half a year, and that
the glasses and silver are not only
wiped until they shine as brightly as
the crystal and silver Of the proven
bal fairy palace, but that by the time
I have hung my towels to dry, the last
dish has been put safely away, by
little girl who must use the kitchen
stool, deftly Unanswered, as a means
to reach high shelves. Nor has the
task ever become irksome. Indeed
there has been only a demand for fur
ther duties, so that busting, putting
away laundry, making her crib, and
greatest OF all delights. cooking the
cereal and apple sauce for her own
and little brothers supper, have been
added to the list.
Value Of connradeship.
And so the little duties grow and
best of all so grows Ruth. She is find-
ing her dIminutive place in society and
feeling herself potent member of the
family group. Through actual partic-
ipation In the responsibilities of her
home she is gaining the power 10 adj
Just herself 10 life as she finds II,
which Is the secret OF comfort for a
child as we'll as for 'grOwn-ups."
This does not begin to cover the
countless avenues for explanation and
discussion opened up through the COM
radeship engendered by doing these
tasks together nor the numerous small
problems of conduct which they solve.
But try 1t yourself. II Is not at all
new. In truth l suppose It to be one
Of the answers to the old question:
How could grest-grandmother bring
up a family OF fourteen children with
70 little nerVe-strainr