The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-03-13

cided that work should be done on
them on rainy days only, and that the
children we're. to do all the work If
possible.
At their dictation, mother made q
INST of the things they intended to do:
Paint the outside of the boxes white ;
make a curtain across the front; have
a kitchen, dining room, sitting room
and bedroom; paper the rooms; make
rugs for the floors, and make furniture
for the different rooms. The next thing
to do was to prepare a list of the VA.
rious materials needed: Paint, paper.
scissors, thumb tacks, cardboard boxes,
spools. glue, scalloped-edged tissue.
paper napkins for window curtains,
white oilcloth, jap-a-lac, and so on.
These lists were. not completed ut once,
but added to as the children thought
Of things, or as new things were made
for the kindergarten doll house, which
served as their model.
Training In Memory.
All this was, splendid training in
memory and in concentration, for it
| kept the attention directed toward one
object and ut the same time it was suf-
ficiently varied work not to become
monotonous. 1t also developed skill
in the use of the hands. Mother, who
was just as enthusiastic as the chill
dren, would occasionally suggest some
thing Of which they had not thought,
and sometimes, in their walks, they
would stop at shop windows to play a
new game which this occupation had
suggested, Finding treasures for the
doll house." d..
The children were allowed to ask the
shop clerks for the material, and some
times they paid for it with their own
money. for mother knew that, like
"grown-ups," they would prize things
more if they bought them with money
Of their own than if the things were
given to them. In this way the boy
learned to count, and both realized, to
a slight degree at least, the relation
between value and price; also that
they could buy only what they could
afford.
For example, one day they planned
to buy a paint brush with five pennies
they had saved together. When they
reached the store they noticed first a
large, attractive brush, but found it
vas ten cents. There were smaller
five-cent brushes, but it would take
more than they had to get one for
each. Little daughter. wanted mother
to give them the extra five cents need
ed, and son wished hef to lend it to
them, but both these suggestions were
finally ruled out, with ~incalculable'
value to both children. There was
quite a long debate and a hard strug-
gle in each little head before the final
decision vas reached-to buy n five
cent brush and each take turns us
ing it..
Materials We're kept in a covered box
On top of the dolls house. The chill
dren returned everything to this box
when they were ready to stop play for
the day, including their aprons which
mother had made large enough to
cover them completely, and sheets of
newspaper which were used 70 spread
on the floor t. protect the rug from
stains. i.
Finishing the House.
1t took a number of days to paint
the outside Of the house, as little chill
dren cannot remain at II occupation
long, and many articles were made for
the rooms during this time. The wall
paper was cut from samplebook
given by a neighboring wallpaper firm,
blue and white tiled paper for the
kitchen, lowered paper for the other
rooms. Rugs were cut from mail-order
catalogues and pasted Oh stiff card
board. Tables, chairs and bed were
made Of paper boxes. with spool legs.
The kitchen sink was made of a small
TIN box fastened to the wall, with two
square brass hooks, inverted, to repre-
sent hot and cold wafer faucets.
This house vas kept for several
years, but the interior was constantly
changed as the children became more
efficient in hand-work. There was no
whining, "What shall we do?" They
would play for long periods at this ia
vorite occupation, while mother sat by
and mended and made their clothes.
She, for her part, never became irri-
table when they interrupted for legiti.
mate assistance, for she. realized the
wonderful lessons they were constant.
ly learning.