The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-03-15
TEACHING SOCIAL VIRTUES
BY MRS. RUTH HEPPNER sWAINE.

BY MRS. RUTH HEPPNER SWAINE,
All kindergartenS have one charac'
terfstic in commOn-the respect which
the children show for the individual
! rights of others. Where many little
! children are gathered together, there
must be governing laws and obedience
to these laws.
In the ideal kindergarten these laws
are more feelings than facts. The
| children grow to respect and obey
them spontaneously, almost uncon-
sciously. Thus, even when they are
four and five years old, they can be
led to a right relation toward their
felloW-beings. Could anything be more
important?
All children do not live near kin
dergarten, but all children have play
mates. a wise mother will quickly
establish the law of right relationships
among the children who play in her
home. Even busy mother-and are
not all real mothers very busy?-can
with word now and then impart a
feeling for the rights of others, and
this, once gained, is never lost through
life.
The kindergarten is the most demo-
cratic of institutions. The children
feel no class distinctions-in fact,
there are none in the world of the
three-year-old. My Philip plays as
jOyfully with the little fellow in the
servant quarters next door as he does
with the son Of my best friend. The
public school kindergarten is particu-
larry interesting, because all classes
mix freely and are entirely free from
self-cOnsciouSness. Each little indi-
vidual contributes his personal traits
toward the making of the whole A
fault may serve as great purpose as
a virtue, and both may serve as mir
rors wherein the child sees himself.
Under the guidance of the kindergart-
ner he will see wisely.
Absorb Ruling Spirit.
Moreover the children soon learn to
love the calm Of the kindergarten
room, and come readily under the in
fiuence Of the ruling spirit-the de-
NAL of self for the good of the whole.
In your own back yard there cannot
be the close supervision that there Is
in the kindergarten, and elimination
sometimes becomes a necessity. If you
are fortunate enough to live among
your own kind, where all the children
in your neighborhoOd are reared SINH
larry, you will probably not have any
serious problem. But if you live in a
cosmopolitan neighbOrhood and there
tendencies, the safest step is to en-
courage him to seek Lis older play
mates. l would deny Linn my babies
of three to six. If the chile comes to
your gate who has had less of a
chance than your own ! tile CUES, it IS
surely privilege to take him In, for
he will soon begin to thrive under the
new influences. If you have much
spare time, take in as many children
as you can. Supervise them closely.
among your flowers, eliminate.
Join in Their Play.
Be one of the playmates yourself
as often as possible. Join the little
group for few glorious minutes, and
you will come back to your Homework
completely rested. A whistle from
mother for a moving train is such q
surprise, or an unexpected laugh over
the tumbling blocks makes it only a
joke where it might have been a trag-
edy.
The child feels your interest ever in
back of him then, and it is very hui
man to desire the interest of those
we love. Toss the ball around the cir
Gle, push the swing, make believe par
take of the sand cakes and observe
the new values the old plays take on.
Draw the children of the neighbor-
hood to your own home If you wish
to experience delightful sense Of
peace and love. No flowers you might
coax to grow there are half so worth
while. With your guidance and their
daily association, they will learn many
lovely things. and carry them through
life. Friendship. care for the weaker
ones, unselfishness, Joy in the joy of
others and feeling for the right are
thu beautiful things of life that may
be cultivated and that will be Joy
forever.
camelS are fit to work at five years
cid, but their strength begins to ce-