Milford chronicle., 1930-07-04
HOME EDUCATION
CURTSIES AND THANK.YOUS
Helen GOOde Bragg

"And whatever you do" Harriet
said vehemently, don't insist on the
poor infant saying his thank-yous in
public!"
"Why?" Janet questioned, puzzled.
what do you mean?"
The conversation over the teacups
had been in a humorous and derislVe
vein: frank discussion by the three
friends concerning their friends lack
of perspective in training their chill
dren. Harriet, who had given the
advice, had been married longer
than Janet, but had no children, so,
as she drolly observed, she was par
ticularly qualified to give advice.
Janet's year-old son was the in
FAINT" in question.
"Why Harriet, don't you believe
in the social amenities for childrenF
Kathryn Barring demanded in her
best schoOl-teacher attitude, follow
ed by a quick smile and a question
ing wink.
"Of course, l do" Harriet said de-
fensively, "and what's more, l think
it is adorable for a three-year-old
to lisp a thank-yOu if give her
something. But if she doesn't hap
pen to remember to say it, l think
it's awful for the mother to newt
ably demand, What do you say,
darling? and then add, You can't
have it, you know, darling, until you
say thank you'll I'm not contending
that children shouldn't be taught
their thank-yous and if-you-pleases.
They should But they needn't be
eXacted before people, to fret the
child, and embarrass the. donor
frightfully bad taste on the mothers
part, as we'll as an awful bore to the
listener. All it ever means is that
the mother has satisfied her own
ego by demonstrating that she knows
the social graces if her chlld
Doesn't"
But -' Janet is interrupted,
&c child remembers it better
"Oh, yes, l know that argument
too" Harriet agreed, that it i'm
presses the child more to be remind
ed before people. But don't you nom
estly think it is a badly Overworked
theory?"
yes" Kathryn said feelingly, and
she took up the cudgels where Har-
riet had left off. 1--WE thought the
same way about my little girls curt
sizes" Kathryn Barring had the only
private school in town and there was
no denying that her pupils, most OF
them, had delightful manners. Some
of the children l meet on the street
drop their curtsies when they greet
me. in a most natural and cunning
way. But there a few who, either
because of shyness or stubbornness,
fail to do it. Then their mothers
speak up sharply, There! Clarlce!
(or Betty or Patty or Jane) DON'T
YOU see Miss Barring? Why don't
YOU curtsyY Then I'm embarrassed
for the child and provoked with the
mother. That kind of parent must
be an awful trial to a child" hatn-
ryn said with a laugh that was halI
Lets have more tea," Harriet
suggested. "This discussion re-
minds me of what little David, next
door, said one night. His father had
bought him an electric train for ms
fourth birthday, and while the child
was a little young to understand the
intricacies of operating it, his tather
and nv husband enjoyed the train
immensely. They were sitting on the
floor enthralled by it one night, lit
orally shooing David away. Finally
the youngster reached for the whole
train of cars and lifted them bodily
and possessively off the track =,
"Don't do that! my husband said.
Here, let's do it this way E
SO there, what do you say?
"Davids abstract answer was a
mechanically intoned, Thank you
as being the expected rejo1nder TO
What do you say?'
1T was so unexpected and doclie
that the big boys went into shouts
of laughter, and David succeeded IN
playing, uninterruptedly, with MS
train"
"Well, there is a lot to think Of
isn't tbere?" the infants mother
sighed. "No more tea, thanks. l
will have another cookie, though
they're awfully good" Then with
new enthusiasm she asked, "How do
YOU make these, Harriet? BY regu-
lar short-bread foundations"