Evening star., 1935-04-26

First Place
In Interest
Great Influence for
Good Is Impressed
If Properly Used.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

NAMES are influential forces In
everyday life. You pass a man on
the street with scant notice. He Is
Just another man. When your friend
says, That was Gen. Pershing that
went by" you are fired by a new in
terest and turn to watch Gen. PERISH
ing turn the corner. You know him
no better than you did before. You
never saw him before and are likely
never to see him again. But his name
gave him meaning. All names give
US meanings and those meanings are
important IN many ways.
Call dog thief and he will STEAL"
runs the old proverb. There is mean
ing in that name that affects the life
behavior of the person upon whom it
has been pinned. Once public opinion
has named man or child. it is go.
ing to be difficult for him to live by
any other pattern or meaning. Call
ing child out Of his name is an Of
tense that no understanding person
would commit.
Nicknames are full of meaning.
Children are quick to fasten upon each
others prominent characteristics and
name the child accordingly. Skinny,
Freckles, Piggy, Fat, Slippery. are all
names that indicate some character
istic that has made itself very clear.
A nickname is either compliment or
an affront and ought to be interpreted
by those who stand by and watch the
give and take of the playground. A
complimentary name inspires child.
A derogatory term defeats him.
Family relatives are fond Of short
ening the children's names, sometimes
substituting one Of their own choosing.
Baby" is favorite family pet name.
It is all very well when the baby is
the baby but when he is full-back on
the high school team 1t scarcely serves,
especially when fondly lisped by an
adoring relative. Sonny. Sweetie. Pet
tie, Lover, have their time and place
but if the child's happiness is to be
considered both the time and the
place should be f1eeting and fitting.
Call child by his right name and
teach him to live up to it.
Names ought to have the dignity
that long association gives them,
preferably the honorable associations
conveyed by the lives of fine men and
women. John, Henry, George, VIII
liam, David. Andrew, Mary, Jane.
Elizabeth. Margaret and Anne. They
have fine taste on the tongue, fine
meaning in memory, strong character
in history. They have been dignifed
by time and events and bring power
to the fortunate children who bear
them. Not only these few names, but
many more like them lend their
meaning to the strength Of their
owners lives.
I would not shorten them by one
syllable, if I could. I would not SUBJ
stitute the childish Baby. Sweetie, for
one single sound in them. I would
give the child the full benefit of the
name conferred upon him and teach
him to admire it and live to it.
I would not deprive the little ones
Of the affectionate endearments of
the pet name. 1t has its place, though
yield it grudgingly. I would call the
child by his name most of the time.
John, when was on good terms with
him. John Henry Augustus Bonny.
thorn, when I wished to call his at
tent1on to a relapse from the high
dignity of his baptismal name. Names
have tremendous influence for good
If one uses them understandingly.
fCopyripht 1o2sl