Milford chronicle., 1924-09-12
A GAME TO TEACH ORDERLINESS
Mrs. A. r. Harmon

IhOmaS nurrledly turned out the
contents of my sewing basket.
Son, please don't muss my bas-
ket," l said.
Il had to, Mother, because my
fishing tackle was in it. Button
Brown and 1 are going down the
railroad to fish in the hole"
But" 1 said, why don't you keep
your fishing tackle in the box 1 gave
you for it?"
"Oh," in an injured tone. Sue took
that for her doll trunk"
l sat down weakly. Crash! went a
toy horse under my rocker.
you've broken my horse, Mother.
Never mind, 1 don't care so much
anyway"
"He shouldn't have been on the
floor Tom"
Il forgot to put him up. Well, so
| long, Mother" and he went cheerful
ly off to the fishing hole.
1 looked around the disOrdered
room, the dear old room where we
spend so many happy hours of sweet
cOmpaniOnship-m boy and girl and
l. Il must find some way to teach
them to be orderly" 1 told myself.
Il spend so much time putting away
their toys and clothes that 1 could
devote to helping them in more i'm
portant ways. Yet just will not nag
them about anything. I'd rather pick
up after them, and even let them be
untidy, than to spoil their joy in our
home and their feeling of comrade-
ship with me-" I felt sure there was
some way, and l found it; this story
tells the tale.
When we were settled after our
evening meal, we held a Family
COunCiII," as we call it. my dear
audience" l began, IN the make-be-
lieve way that we play so often, 81
notice that this family, including my
self, has fallen into bad habits"
Il am not smoking" began Tom.
81 haven't missed my spelling but |
twice this week." volunteered Sue.
mo, and 1 have not stolen a pig, |
nor dyed my hair green" 1 denied. |
"Still 1 insist that we as a family |
have a bad habit-one that wastes |
our time and makes our home look |
untidy."
"Oh come, Mother, can't think
what it is" and Sue looked puzzled.
"I knowi" Tom suddenly cried, |
Mother means that we don't put our
things in the right places after we
use them. Sue, you go right straight
and empty your doll rags out of my
box"
"I guess I won't, Mister, till you
give up my doll grip. Mother. he
carried worms in it."
CT"
Listen, Children" I broke in,
Lets make a game of it. First, we
will each put things in their proper
places. Let's play that every thing
has a home and make it stay there,
except when it is in use. After every
thing is home, the game will begin.
If either of us leaves any thing out,
away from its proper place, the one
who first sees it may claim a pin as
a forfeit, and the one who forgot
must Immediately put the article in
its home"
How everybody flew around put
ting things away In no time the
lOOLu lOOh6u dS neat dS phi. Al
first, no one got a forfeit, but the
next morning, as Tom became very
much interested in a book, Sue an
joyfully, "I claim a forfeit;
your shoes are under the edge of the
1ed."
"Ill get you. Miss" grumbled Tom,
Is he gave her pin, and he did
"Pay me a forfeit for not emptying
he BOWL" I heard him roar. little
ater. {
So it went on. I paid as many for
eits as the others, but I no longer .
pent half of my time putting things
way nor looking for lost articles.
Lyman Abbott once declared.
What God is doing in this world 4
is making men and women, and
He puts a child in the cradle, He
says. You may help me- "
The kindergarten is helping Visit
one and see for yourself. If your
child is being denied such an advan-
tage write to the National Kinder
garten Association, West 40th
Street, New York, for information .
and advice. d.
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