Evening star., 1926-08-14


ly. published at Des Moines,
Iowa. enrolled, in mid-June of 1919,
Tor a two-week special course in the
University Of Iowa. Housewives,
teachers and college students attend
ed the lectures on dietetics, interior
decorating and dressmaking. Of
course, took Elizabeth with me, and
1t was her own choice that she should
attend all lectures with me.
From the Iowa City public library
she found books enough to keep her
contented, If the lectures did not in
terest her, but soon / realized that she
was listening far more than she was
reading. In the class on textiles, she
worked out her own color chart, learn
Ing the reasons why certain shades
were suitable for her and why others
were not-a bit Of information which
she put to practical use when we were
selecting materials for her school
dresses in September
But it was the course in dietetics
which secured her GREATNESS atten-
tion. While listening, fascinated, to
q lecture on vitamineS, illustrated
with guinea pigs in varying stages
of malnutrition, she began to make
notes on the margin of the lecture
schedules. She listed the four classes
of food-carhOhydrat minerals, pro-
TENS and fatS-and beneath each
main classification she listed the
principal foods for supplying each.
Interested in Vitamines.
Before our eyes we saw guinea
pigs. too weak to stagger about their
cage, miraculously revived with food
rich in yitamines. She was so inn
pressed that she forgot my strict
orders that she be perfectly quiet.
Raising her hand eXcitedly. she at
tracted the attention of the lecturer,
who had requested the audience to
ask questions freely.
Yes, YOU may go OUT the lectur-
er looked surprised, and a little in
dignant.
But | don't want to go out"
Elizabeth rose from her seat in her
excitement, Il just wanted to know
what would happen to me if I didn't
eat lots of lettuce and spinach. I
don't like lettuce. Am 1 going to get
sick and die like those guinea pigs?
Could You tell me some more foods
that have vitamines?"
The lecturer looked startled, then
answered the question with entire
gravity, explaining as carefully as if
she were talking TO q groWn-up. I
shall always remember her gratefully.
while lettuce is an important ar
tcle OF diet, it is not absolutely neces-
Sary, If you eat plenty of celery, to-
matoes, spinach, beet tops and other
green vegetables. But if were you.
! should try to learn to like lettuce.
/ don't believe you are in any i'm
mediate danger, my dear"
The audience laughed, for the rosy
CheeKed, fat dumping of a 5-year-old
looked like an animated illustration
of How to feed your child"
Watches Anne's Diet.
I had no more trouble in getting
Elizabeth to eat lettuce, for she pre-
scribed it for herself. In fact, all my
problems connected with her diet We're
automatically solved She conscicn-
ttously checked her own meals to see
that they contained the correct pro-
portions of carbohydrates, minerals.
Nitamines. fats and proteins.
She watched my plates as jealous
ly as her own, and | soon found my
self forced To eat scientifically. if |
did not want to listen to a daily lee.
ture on dietetics. | may add that |
gained a number of much-needed
POUNDS under her stern supervision,
and that her own health continued to
be perfect.
one day. when the lecturer a man,
proved to be deadly dull-to Elizabeth.
ut leaSt-0n the subject of household
nuggets, l saw IfldL Sfe was Wf1Ilng
away husilE on scent tablet she
had asked me to buy for her. At the
end of the lecture she rather Shyly
gave me her story to read. 1t was an
almost verbatim reproduction of the
fairytale "Cinderela." The lecturer,
who had been attracted to the busy
little Scribbler, asked TO see what she
had written. He was astonished at
the legibility of the writing. the cor
rectneSs of the spelling and punctua.
ton and the unchildlike diction.
But she's just a baby he protested
to me. Indeed, she looked even
younger than her ; years and 8
months. although she was fat and
sturdy. Her face had the cherubic
rOundneSs Of an infant-a roundness
and habyishness which still character
ICES it. although she is now 12
Suggests Mental Tests.
shes Just been promoted to the
fourth grade" | told him proudly.
The fourth grade. I can't believe
1t, DR.. SeaShore would be immensely
interested in that child. Have you
ever had her mentality tested?"
OF course not" | answered. I had
never heard If the Binet- Simon tests
Of intelligence.
The lecturer. whose name l have
forgotten, made an appointment for