The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-03-30
BURBANK TALKS
CHILD TRAINING
Tells Correspondent That
Child Needs Same Care
as Plant.
WANTS BAREFOOT BOY

The same care and treatment neces-
sary to bring plant life to its greatest
development, is necessary to child life,
if the human race is to be brought to
its highest development.
That is the opinion of Luther Bur-
bank, "plant wizard" who made his
views known in an interview with q
United Press correspondent for the
Kenosha Evening News.
"AlI animal life is sensitive to en-
vironment, but of all living things the
child is the most sensitive. In the
course of my many years of investi-
cation into the plant life Of the world.
creating new forms, this thought in
relation to children has always been
uppermost in my mind.
Surroundings act upon child as
the outside world acts on the plate of
camera. Every possible influence
will leave its impression upon the
child, even overcoming heredity.
"A child literally absorbs environ
ment. It is the most susceptible thing
in the world to influence. The life of
a child can be practically moulded by
the influences with which it comes in
contact.
Bring Back the Barefoot Boy
II make plea for the revival of the
barefoot boy the boy who knows and
loves nature. Unjust enter most
earnest protest against beginning edu-
cation at the kindergarten age.
"No boy or girl should be permitted
to see the inside of schoolhouse I'M
til he is at least ten years of age.
am speaking now of the boy or girl
who has the privilege of being reared
in the only place that is truly fit to
bring up boy or plant the coun-
try, the small town-the nearer ma
ture the better.
I'm the case of children born in the
city and compelled to live there, the
temptations are so great, the life so
artificial, the atmosphere so like that
of dollhouse, that such child should
be placed in school earlier as a mat
ter of safeguard.
"Not only would I have a child rear
ed for the first ten years of it's life
in the open, in close touch with ma
ture-a barefoot boy with all the ply
steal stamina that implies-but also
would have him reared in love.
Lack of Proper Training,
II believe that the wave of public
dishonesty which seems to be sweep
ing over the country is chiefly due to
the lack of proper training breeding,
If you please-in the formative years
of life. Be honest with the child.
Countenance dishonesty in word, look
or deed, and you have started graft
er. Nor can you be dishonest with
your child in thought The child
reads your motives as no other human
being reads them. Keep the child out
of doors. He will learn valuable les
sons from nature, and natures God
Shun early education in the academic
sense as you would shun plague.
Pick out any trait which you may de-
sire in normal child, honesty, fair
ness, purity, loveableness, industry
thrift, by surrounding the child with
sunshine from the open sky and from
your heart, giving it free communion
with nature, and we'll balanced nutri-
tious food, and you can endow it for
all its life with these traits.
"There may be a struggle at first.
for heredity will make itself felt. AS
in the plant, there will be strong tend
encies to reversion to former ancestral
traits But by patience, persistence
and wise guidance through these form
alive years, you may fully attain the
desired object. And if you have en-
dowed one generation with this char
acter half the battle will be won.p