The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-18
gPYOUR
 CHILDREN
By Olive Roberts Bsrson
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The problems encountered i'm teaching . child "npprecl-
 ation" are touched upon by
 Olive Roberts Barton in fhis
 article i'm her Child Training
 series. +
 In the last article we were talk. ing of taking the family into the school, by more direct interest OH the parents part, also the harm done by complete detachment from the child's school life.
 There is the other side too, al- most as important-for the school itself is relinquishing its burrow- ing habits and seeking the air. So much progress has been made along this line that this comment Is in no way a criticism, but a cheer. If the parent is not, contracting the school, the school itself is contracting the outside world. In this way:
 This last winter was in an art gallery when a teacher filed in with her flock. The boys looked l bored. They slouched and Tapped their caps on their knees and ] knew they were saying to them- | older boys. There were few girls in the class. Teaching Appreciation" Even I, who favor the outside" teaching, remarked to my compan- ion, This is a waste of time. Look at those boys. They're sons of workmen and probably will have no more use for a knowledge of art or artists than have this min- ute for a fishing rod"
 l Not that don't think that "ap- preciation" of all sorts should he taught but didn't think 1t could be taught just that way. Besides, if you had seen the class you would understand what mean. They roamed around Tapping caps and jeering derisively at some of the pictures. As far as that goes, I didn't blame them much. The gloom lifted event. ually, and grins began to appear. 1t had turned into darn good comedy, after all, one could tell by their faces. They were having a good time.
 Then suddenly sweet-faced woman, an assistant curator whom I knew, got up on a bench.
 "Oh, dear" I thought. T hope she's careful of what she says, or they will hurt her feelings" Catching Interest But she started right in, her voice clear, low and sympathetic. Instantly she caught her audience. She pointed to picture of mills and smoke and many bridges half hidden in a mist.
 Boys, the man who painted that picture was once a heater boy. His father, a workman in mill just like this, died. and he had to support his mother and sis ters. His hands got hard and rough. He did not know then that one day they would be sofe. but still strong, and hold paint brush that would make him fa- nous, if not actually rich. comfortable. I'll give you his name"
 She chose other pictures. each with it's story of human interest in the artist-stories of struggle and starvation. And she would add, "But it seems that hard work and struggle could not kill their love of beautiful things. Instead of only added to it."
 I myself was spell-bound. The boys were intensely interested. They began to look behind the oil and to view beauty itself with new eyes. never saw appreciation more wholesomely taught. It was not emotional, just human, uncov- ering hidden things.
 Benefits Derived had been mistaken. I had Jumped to wrong conclusion. That class got more that day than they would out of a geometry book.
 These interludes are good things for both youngster and other chill dren. Young children are now taken on country jaunts to look at natures own book. Older chil- dren are taken into the industrials and artistic world. When they live certain experiences, a deeper in- terest in learning more about them takes hold. We can't expect all boys who will some day be in the trades. or in business, to find pictures highly useful. But knew that at least some of them would look on furnace or a converter some day with a little more liking, because one workman had remem- bered it's grandeur and put it on canvas. ,I I like the tent idea where chill dren can study outdoors. Some day wonder just what part the building will play in educatino.
 These trips are never a waste of , time. Learning does not consist ] of books alone. They merely SUD- plement reality.