Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-17
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
BY Laura A. kirkmnn.
THOSE HARMFUL CHRIS MAS
GIFTS YOUR CHILD RECEIVES

Each year | see parents allowing their
children to receive Christmas gifts from
friends or relatives which they never
would have chosen for their children and
do not really WI sh To have them accept.
Little Robert, aged 8, Is given toy
boat by well-meaning Uncl lc Henry, and
promptly proceeds to sail IL in the bath
tub and contract cold from playi ng with
water and getting himself all wet.
Harry and Billy, aged md TO- are
given trick TOYS by friend whose sole
aim was TO give them something they
surely wouldn't have" The consequences
is that the boys, child-like, lose their heads
in their excitement and "spring" their
practical joke on old and young alike.
This may be all right with their own
family, but when mother isn't watching
they arc apt to give mortal otrense TO
some elderly neighbor by 'fooli ng" him
with tho trick-toy, their very daring inn
plying n lack of respect for age.
Cousin Sue, who never had n child of
her own and knows nothing about them
gives Elsie. aged II, dainty powder
puff in n French box which "she knows
will delight her" She fails 10 grasp the
fact that mothers aim is to keep Elsie a
child as long as she can-not 20 put ideas
of vanity INTO her young head and start
her peering into mirror, taking note Of
her charms, and secretly applying powder
to her rosy checks.
But perhaps the most harm in Thought
less giving 30 children appears IN the
form of books
"Harol got ten books this Christmas.
n proud mother told me last year. You
know, he's trying 10 build UP a library for
his room. His father made him corner
bookcase and stained II in mission
it's almost half FULL Every year he asks
his relatives to give him only hooks. IL
isn't many boys his age (l2) who arc 50
fond Of books.
"Do vou read your sons books7" ]
asked this mother.
"Whv no. she replied. 81 novcr thought
of doing IL Why DO YOU think there
NAV be books in his bookcase that aren't
good for him? II doesn't seem possible for
they were all given To him by relatives
A few weeks later ! met this mother
again do you know, sho said. sir &c
YOU spoke about reading my sons books
I've been doirg H. And more than ono
book has been thrown into tho furnace
His father, too, has started book ipvestI-
CATION, and | Just wish every parent ~
this country realized the Importance of
looking into the boys book question
Some Of the most innocert-lookirg <, plain
" bouud books contained sceres OF the
underworld.
Even some Of the books about school
life told of thu doir gs Of bad boys which
were decidedly not the kind Of literature
I wish my boy To read Next Christmas
I'm goirg to ask my relatives 10 read their
book gifts before glvlrg them to my boy
I'm sure they couldn't have read those
stories Of crime and near-crime they gave
him years past.
The hest test Of a ohilds book is this
Before buying 1t. take the name Of tho
book and its author TO the librarian Of the
,Uverile Section Of your nearest library
and ask her whether or not the library
keeps IT, No library will keep q book
which is harmful 10 the young If the
library doesn't happen 10 have that par
ticular book. find ont whether this ornis-
sion is due 20 any prejudice against the
book
One cant be too careful in the gifts orc
gives child. Ard or G car I bctoo firm in
rot allowI G his child 70 keep gift which
is in any way harmful TO him Better 10
iniure the feelings Of the girer than 70
plant harmful seed in the young life
entrusted TO your care.
Tomorrow Christmas Party for
Grown-U Ups That Cost s..
France has built UP extensive industry
OF making artificial ivory, tortoise shell and
celluloid from cascin extracted from milk.