The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1923-05-10
leaves and buds?

her ever recurring joys and sur
prises. i'm the field and meadow,
garden and window box! An ever
recurring wonder which opens up Il
splendid opportunity to develop
practical health lessons for child
and adult groups i'll community
Parents, health teachers, public
health nurses may we'll utilize the
early spring months in preparing
young minds for the joys ana
wonders of out of doors ana eS-
pecially the resources of the gar
den. During coldest winter little
children as well aS grown-ups may
have found the Rules of the Health
Game full of drudgery. Open win
dowS and bath more than once
n week have worried and fretted
many child and parent. And
many child likewise has been
unable 10 obtain fruit or green
vegetables daily. In happy spring
time the Rules of the Game are
vital and real To these youngsters.
1t is easy and pleasant to breathe
ten or twenty deep breaths of sweet
spring air. To hop out of bed
and dress by an open WINDOW
makes the thought of breakfast
cereal joy Even brushing the
teeth is easier TO remember now.
The walk to school becomes a de-
light with robins to report, blue
birds to spy out or new bird
call to initiate A flock of ducks
flying fast to the North will be
recorded in bird book and
faE f0
teacher. Exercise in a school or
home garden means much more
than gymnastics in the school
room. Children are eager to spade
and hoe and are glad to REMIND
mother and teacher that a moe
in the hand is worth two IN the
she'd" Isn't deep breathing and
hoeing happy combination ex-
ercise for young or old alike? Many
uncomfortable nerves in office.
home and school will relax and
grow strong in the open air iHe
with this pleasurable and profitable
work. Gardening may become an
excellent substitute for golf, and
surely richer in rewards III tne
harvest" season.
and rest in the open. The rural
school may now have the cot Tor
the Z per cent below average child
out of doors. Can any sleep or
rest be more delicious than OUT
doors sleep? Porches, closed all
winter. alas! with windows, become
real porches with screens. Eating,
sleeping, and working out OF doors
become family habit. The active
child who used to find his nap
very irksome, may now fall asleep
watching the clouds or listening TO
the signing of birds. Rest he must
have. and if the busy mother takes
the time TO tell him of the sleeping
seeds in the nearby window box,
he, too, will be more Wiling 10
sleep while and grow. All
winter these tiny seeds have waited
for the warm, brown earth, the
sun and rain, and now must stili
wait quietly in the dark many days
for the tiny life inside them to
grow to perfect flower and fruit.
Little children sleep and eat, ex-
ercise and grow, many years before
their bodies are strong and perfect.
Just as the tiny seeds need the
soil cleared of all weeds and stones,
i'm order to grow to perfection, so
little children need every physical
defect removed that hinders the
growth of straight strong bodies
and normal minds. Just as the seed
must have soil containing the food
elements which will cause the
straight, strong stalk, root and
flower to grow, SO the children's s
bodies need wholesome, simple food
from the garden, vegetables and
fruits with their mineral stalks,
milk with its important calcium
cereals with their carbohydrates and
phosphorOus, TO build straight, flrm
bones, perfect teeth, supple muscles,
clear skin and useful brain.
The beauty and perfection OF
fruit and flower depends, too, OF
the amount of moisture, sun an6
fresh air the plant receives; thu
face and form of the child vii
develop beauty and strength al
healthful living Is begun early, ever
early in the life of the unborn
child and continued increasingly
through youth. Loving and wise
parents, themselves living whole
! some, healthy lives will surrount
the child always with proper food
sunshine and air.
The uses of vegetables and fruits
n the body need contrast explain
Ation and reiterati0n SO that M
roman caring for little children ant
&rely no mother of young children
red be unenlightened on this i'm
rtant fact.
Too long has woman yielded T.
kn's desire and supplied him will
EAT, potatoes, bread, pies ant
fee. Let health teachers every
ere set up food standards, which
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