The Ordway new era., 1919-03-14

white oiIcioth. 1ap-n-inc. nno so on.
These lists were not completed mt once,
but added to as the children thought
of things. or as new things were made
for the kindergarten doll house. which
served us their model.
Training In Memory.
All this was splendid training In
memory and In concentration. for 1t
kept the attention directed toward one
object and ut the same time 1t was sur
ficiently varied work not to become
mOnotonous. 1t also developed skill
in the use Of the hands. Mother. who
was just MS 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
new game which this occupation had
suggested. finding treasures for the
doll house"
The children were allowed to ask the
shop clerks for the material, and some
times they paid for 1t 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 II the things were
given to them. In this way the boy
learned to count, and both realized, to
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 paint brush with five pennies
they had saved together. When they
reached the store they noticed first .
large, attractive brush, but found 1t
was ten cents. There were smaller
five-cent brushes. but 1t would take
more than they had to get one for
each. Little daughter wanted mother
to give them the extra Ave cents need
ed. and son wished her to lend 1t to
them, but both these suggestions were
finally ruled out, with incalculable
value to both children. There was
quite long debate and hard strug-
gle In each little head before the final
decision was reached-to buy one five
cent brush and ench take turns us
ing 1t.
Materials were kept in 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 mnde large enough to
cover them completely, and sheets of
newspaper which were used to spread
on the floor to protect the rug from
stains.
Finishing the House.
1t took a number of days to paint
the outside of the house, as little chill
dren cannot remain at one occupation
long. and many articles were made for
the rooms during this time. The wall
paper was cut from Il samplebook
given by n neighboring wallpaper firm.
blue and white tiled paper for the
kitchen, fiowered paper for the other
rooms. Rugs were cut from mail-order
catalogues and pasted on stiff card
board. Tables, chairs and bed were
made of paper boxes. with spool legs.
The kitchen sink was made of small
tin box fastened to the wall, with two
square brass hooks, Inverted. to repre-
sent hot and cold wnter faucets.
This house was kept for several
years, but the Interior was constantly
changed as the children became more
efficient in handwork. There was no
whining, "What shall we dof" 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.