Milford chronicle., 1930-05-23
HOME EDUCATION
"PM SORRY"
Mary Starck Kerr

Junior does a good many things
he ought not to do" said his aunt
"but he is always very sorry after
wards. One evening not long ago
/ for instance, he wanted me to play
a game with him. 1 told him Auntie
was too tired, but he teased, and l
finally yielded, but with the strict
understanding that I would play it
just twice, and he must not ask for
more.
"He kept his word not to ask for
any more, and 1 left the room. He
seemed to have been thinking ser
iously, for in few minutes he fol-
lowed me, and said, I'm sorry
asked you to play when you were
so tired"
"That didn't do much good" said
a second aunt, "since the harm to
you was already done. 1t is better to
not do things, than to do them and
then say, I'm sorryi'"
"Of course" said a grandaunt,
''yet, in learning to say, Pm sorry
Junior is learning one of the most
valuable lessons in the world. The
fact that he thinks of what he has
done, and judges whether it was
right or wrong, shows that he is
considering others as we'll as him
self. And apologizing when neees-
sary is going to help him to do bet
ter another time.
"We ought to be very glad that
Junior has begun to practice this
habit, because it will help him all
through his life. See how much un-
happiness and friction in families
might be smoothed away, if each
learned to say, I'm sorry as Junior
does. They 1ce two small words, but
we all know that sometimes they
are the hardest words in the world
to say. But don't you think those
who learn to say them in childhood
find it easier to say them when they
are older? Every one makes mis-
takes, but don't you notice that
those who have learned to acknowl-
edge their mistakes overcome them
more easily than those who try to
justify themselves ?"
at does help" said the second
aunt, "and l think you are right
about its. making Junior more con-
siderate."
"Do you know" said his grand
aunt, with twinkle, 81 shouldn't |
wonder if he has learned this good |
habit from some of the older per-
sons around him. Both aunties may
have had something to do with his
learning that lesson, and perhaps |
Grandpa and Grandma and Mother
and Daddy have had hand in it,
too. His grandaunt can't be suspect
ed, since she has not been near
enough for habit-contagion, but it
certainly is true that if the children
see the older members of the fam
lily acknowledging their faults, and
hear them apologizing for incOnsid
crate acts, they will soon be doing
the same. l am quite sure that AN
ounce of example is worth pound
Of precept.'"
81 am most heartily in sympathy
with the movement now on foot to
provide kindergarten instruction for
Ill of the children of our nation. A
more worthy cause can not be
'ound. Neither can our educational
system function properly without
some provision for the needs of this
ranch of education. Our educators
lave too long neglected this field of
,ndeavor. III. Litherland, Dean of
5reenville College, Illinois.
If the little ones of your neigh
,orhood are not enjoying the advan-
ages of kindergarten, the Nation
i kindergarten Association, West
'ortieth Street, New York, will
gladly cooperate with you. Write
or leaflets and information.