The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-24
M a k e. Analysis Of Child
 Early
By L. S. BRADY

HiO TRAIN the child that his fair
 est dreams will come true--wht
 does not, wish that for the littl, one in whom we hope to have realized all the hopes and aspirations that W, have failed to bring about in our owT lives!
 Before the pressure of necessity, thel. forces these little ones into habits that arc. perhaps repugnant and 4distastefu to them they are free to play" as VI say--to climb trees, to take dolly. out for walk, to build fairy castles ir Spain.
 In and of itself, play is simply the di rection which the energy of the chilt takes under the influence of the par ticular physical and social environment around it. The higher in the scale Ol development the race, the more fertile will that environment be in providing stimuli for the growing boys and girls who are thrust into this world as httii undles of helplessness-more helples. than any other Eof the animals-ant who may leave it as sodden wrecks oi as gods.
 What makes the difference? Train ing! And you can't begin too early!s
 Every normal, healthy child, placed in contact with a rich and varied en vironment, exhibits an unsuitable curl osity and an amending love of emotion He will taste a piece of coal just as readily as piece of candy, burn his own fingers instead of that same coal and break vase in preference to kindling wood. He likes to throw things, to push them, to handle them, tC hear them make noise and see them go.
 Later, he takes pride in controlling his own movements-he wants to see bow far he can throw a ball, how quickly he can run down the block. how surely he can catch a moving ob- iect-he wishes to earn our approval oi his prowess by developing and display ing all manner of co-ordinated move 'AsSeS; Now, then, instead of leaving the child's play life to mere blind chance and trust to luck that he will pick up few motor skills and form as few undesirable habits along with them as possible-why not see to it that when the youngster says, "I want to play, but T don't know what to do," you will be ready to suggest something which will develop him along the lines which he needs? T For instance: your boy is afraid of the water and unable to swim. You can entice him into games with other little boys, of sailing boats, of playing tag in the water, of seeing who can learn to swim the farthest and so on. In passing, let me remark that no child is afraid of water or anything else unless something disagreeable has hap pencd in connection withit
 Or if your little girl isn't very strong physically, don't encourage her to sit around the house, much as you enjoy her company--get her into a troop of Girl Scouts; get her interested Tn tpe outdoors and see the healthy enthu- siasms and healthy appetite which re- suit.
 Children love to do things; we take advantage of that fact and there are signs that soon we shall teach young children to use a typewriter with as much ease as they use pencil They love to acquire new words and new languages-and we are already teach ing them far more than was few short years ago deemed possible.
 All this, remember, is not work to the child; it is done as most in- tensely interesting game, in which he is keen to go on, and do more. The old attitude of pedagogy that rules had to be learned and routing drill mastered, has been chucked over board for the more scientific way of actually doing a thing, first, then the principle of it will gradually become clear of itself. -
 Further, in the play of life of the child, we find our most valuable op- portunity of showing him that secret of success in life-how to get along we'll with other children. Here is the golden chance, ready made for us, to develop Che habits of fair play, of un- selfighness, of leadership, of cooper ation and social habits in general The shy. timid, abnormal, fair, unattrac- tive morbid seclusive child is not left to work out his destiny unaided; he is encouraged to mingle with other chil- dren, is shown how to make the most ,/of his good qualities without exag- gerating his bad ones and in general is encouraged to make a fitting adjust ment.
 What does this mean? It means that parents must arrange to give more time and thought to the play-life of their children, instead of letting them run wild or of boxing them up like Ifal4 uOIHOuSoi pAduVS thSy "AA 0uP wise their youngsters just as carefully while at play as at any other time.
 This, of course, does not imply that meddlesome interference which some well-meaning but totally misguided parents mistake for supervision; the clever mother and father know that sug- gestion properly done, will secure far better results than direct orders or ac- tuaI regulation. Some day l should like. to give a course for parents on '.how to make your children do what you want them to do, while making them think that they are doing what they want to do"
 This sort of suggestion, carried out with regard to the play-life of the young, will not only keep them out of nischief and prevent the formation of undesirable habits, but will result in ..c.,,inr,ina nf tha child with the sensa