The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-04
By WALTER D. HICKMAN

by w WALTER ID. HICKMAN 10
I'm THE STAGE TODAY one
often hears an energetic flap
per with advanced ideas de-
clare that she is having trouble in
making her parents behave" like
1928 models instead Of the 1900 type.
In real life, many mothers have
learned the bitter lesson that they
have no control over their children.
Young mothers realize that they have
never been trained for the great task
of being a mother and a leader of
children.
There is a way for mothers to be-
come the leading factor in the lives
Of their children. The way is
poinetd out in a new Macmillan Com.
pany publication, "Bookless Lessons
for the Teacher Mother" by Ella
Frances Lynch.
The author is the founder of the
National League of Teacher-Mothers
and founder of the School of Indi-
vidual Instruction.
1 found this book a sensible ana
common sense discussion cf problems
affecting the home as fell as society.
Her deductions are not based merely
upon theory, but upon knowledge OBJ
tanned from actual contact Of the child
in the process Of being educated.
While discussing education and he
redity, the author makes this asser-
ton: Criminals are not born, but
made, and neither morals nor man.
ners are hereditary. What appears
like evil inheritance is usually ac-
quired through bad example or pa
rental negligence at so early an age
that 1t has all the outward signs Of
congenital depravity. We are never
too young to learn. A mother apollo
gizes for her 7-year-old's tobacco
chewing by saying that the inherited
the taste. When that child was 2
years old he would say: See. Dad
in imitation Of his fathers quid, then
trot to the door and vigorously ex-
pectorate.''
Continuing. she writes: Parents
cannot escape responsibility by blam-
ing a child's naughtiness on some an
cestor, unless that ancestor has lived
recently enough to corrupt the child
by living example. Right and wrong
are not matters of instinct, but have
to be learned. Righteousness does
not come by nature any more than
reading or writing"
Blames Failure in Life
Upon the DOmstic System
The author, 1t seems, is not too firm
in her stand of placing the blame for
failure in life upon the home.
Let the author tell 1t in her own
words: THE causes of failure in life
are nearly all more or less the out
come of a domestic system that failed
/ the child during the early and most
impressionable years before schooling
should begin. These causes are idle
ness, carelessness, in1pulsiveness, men,
tai confusion and inability to sustain
attention, to prolong effort to profit
by mistakes of self or others. These
causes of failure are the result of
habits formed and set before the age
of T."
Then the author gives us these two
great facts:
Each orderly, well disciplined home
is a bulwark against civic disorder.
IF you train your children care
iVlly until they are years old. so
that quickly they carry out your be-
hests, instantly refrain from doing
the forbidden thing, make no attempt
to rebel, to question your authority,
demand your reasons for command;
not whine, sulk, have tantruns,
e helpful, respectful, loving and
thoughtful, you will not need to worry
5out the future Your children are
lready three-quarters educated. and
pu need only continue as you have
begun"