The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-02-07
TEACHING SOCIAL VIRTUES
BY MRS. RUTH HEPPNER swAlNE.

All kindergartens have one charac-
teristic 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 right relation toward their
fellow-beings. Could anything be more
important2
All children do not live near a kin
dergarten, but all children have play
mates. A wise mother win 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 busy2-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
q 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. IL you
are fortunate enough to live among
your own kind, where all the children
In your neighborhood are reared simi-
larly, you will probably not have any
serious problem. But IL you live In q
cosmopolitan neighborhood and there
is an older child with avowedly wrong
tendencies, the safest step Is to en-
courage him to seek his older play
mates. / would deny him my babies
Of three to six. II the child comes to
your gate who has had less of a
chance than your own little ones, IL Is
surely privilege to take him In, for
he willssoon begin to thrive under the
new influences. II you have much
spare time. take In as many children
as you can. Supervise them closely.
and rather than let willful weeds grow
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 housework
completely rested. A whistle from
mother for q moving train Is such a
surprise. or an unexpected laugh over
the tumbling blocks makes 1t only a
joke where 1t might have been a trag.
edy.
The child feels your interest ever In
back of him then. and IL Is very hu-
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 10 your own home II you wish
to experience . delightful sense Of
peace and lore. No flowers you might
coax to grow there are half so worta
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 Jog Of
others and q feeling for The right are
th< beautiful things Of life that may
be cultivated and that win be joy
forever.
t:amels are ct to work At FIVE yenr