Milford chronicle., 1927-06-17
Home Education
A CHILD'S MORAL DEVELOP
MENT THROUGH NATURE
Elsie f. Kartack

One of our we'll known educators
has said, IF a child lives close
enongh to nature for the first four
teen years of his life, he will never
go astray." 1t is a broad statement
and worthy of consideration.
Not every child who lives in the
country lives 'close to nature" nor
is this living impossible to the city
child. All children should have their
attention called to the naturel won
ders that are always within reach in
some form or other. In the winter
there are frost, snow, ice, the leaf
less tree and the evergreen. These
will give rise to many questions, the
answers to which will furnish valu-
able insight into the workings of ma
ture. Let the child coax to his door
with bits of suet and bread the few
jolly little birds which dare to stay
with us through the cold season;
he will feel that he is helping to
maintain life and he will be MAX
ing worth while friends that will
thank him with sincerity.
Of course, a little country boy or
one who lives in small town has
special opportunities. Winter offers
him continuous inspiration and he
can always find place to enjoy
himself freely and safely to his
hearts content, giving happy and
orderly outlet to his superf1uous ac-
tivity. Nevertheless, in most cases,
he will need to be taught to see ma
rA 10 rrnfans 611f If
will be easy teaching. Then the great
eXpanses of white purity before him
will give him an awed sense of the
infinite wonders. The curious tracks
in the snow may tempt him to follow
rabbit or a squirrel to its home
and thereby learn of its mode of Iiv-
ing in winter. The squirrel may be
trained to make daily visits TO his
door, for nuts, if but coaxed the least
bit with a sample nut. He may be-
come even more interested in the
birds in winter than in summer be-
cause of his close relation to them in
feeding and caring for them. And
perhaps the beautiful, bad blue jay
will change his screech of thief,
thief" to a song of the snow and sing
knee deep" The cocoon swaying on
the leafless tree can tell the little
country boy story of Transforming
life going on in the perfect silken
cradle. Within doors, if he is ever
forced to stay in, there is still some
thing for him to study-icicles on
the caves, ice formations on the win
dow pane, frost on cobwebs in a
sheltered corner of the window. At
night he may be lulled to slumber by
the song of the wind in the chimney
and happy and healthy, his activity
directed into wholesome, construc-
tive channels, he may sleep the sleep
of contentment. Is he not laying a
while in life?
And the little city boy, since ma
ture does not come to him as abun-
dainty as she does to his country
friend, must go in search of new
wonders, and the wise mother will
see that he does. Tramps in the
park through the snow or in the
country at the end of a car line to
look for winter birds, moments
pause in a snowstorm to see the for
nation of the snowfiakes on coat or
mittens, the care of plants or bulbs
or a canary in the apartment will
help to develop in him the love OF
nature. The acquaintance of the
nearest farmer is greatly to be de-
sired, and Saturday spent on his
farm at regular intervals through
the winter will mean more to the
child than all the moving picture
chous in fha world