The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-30
TpYOUR CHILDREN
. R Oess Robsvts eestoa .
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When we were little we were | fortunate. Most of the children in the public school we went to were in much the same circum- stances as ourselves. Stockings were frankly darned at the knees. and shoes were half-soled or patched as needed. Yes, the patch was good old standby. We didn't enjoy them, but they were ac- cepted as part of life, like hash or the second table.
 We wore the same dresses to school day after day-lucky if we had one to change with - but our good" dresses, one apiece, hung in the wardrobe of our mothers room for Sunday. Or perhaps a birthday or party. Also our good shoes were set apart for special wear. The same with hats and coats, gloves and scarves. Need
 less to say that when some of these articles were seasoned enough to be used every day they were too small to bc of use. Many a time saw beloved pair of best ] shoes, or priZed coat that had | encased me only on Sundays, hand l ed over to small cousin. Natur- | ally, being younger than my sister,
 I inherited many of her outgrown
 clothes.
 Why Not Wear Them Out??
 Why, oh why, I used to wonder,
 could I not have put on my best
 bib and tucker and worn it to
 school to knock them" dead?
 There was a beautiful gray cash
 mere trimmed in wine-colored vel ] vet that the kids in school never
 had chance to gasp over. Not
 once had they seen it, yet it went in a box to my cousin. The same
 with a tan coat, red lined, trim , med in beaver fur. There I was
 traipsing through the park day af- , ter day in my old blue, or Mary's , old blue reefer, and I wanted to yell i've got a swell coat at home
 you never saw. have lots or things at home you never saw" , It never occurred to me that the
 other children also had their un- g touchables at home, too. It was T the custom of the day to keep cer- :. tain things for certain occasions 2 and to clothe the weekly body in V Sunday raiment was not to be n thought of.
 There were also the best Sun n day tablecloth and the Sunday
 dishes. We used to keep linen 0 strips on the stairs to save the
 carpet from wear and grime. There l, were two of these strips. On Sat
 urday the soiled one was removed d and the newly laundered strip g fastened to place. The pavement o was scrubbed and sometimes red h dened - brick you know on e Saturday. The brass hinges on the d front door were shined.
 Training in Conservation There was great fixing up all Il around. Bodies and heads were g glorified with special care. Extra g marketing was done and the feast g prepared. And on Sunday we went f to church and Sunday school and I ate to our hearts content but I otherwise were scarcely allowed to
 move. We chafed, but it was good r. for us. Our souls and bodies if needed refreshment, but they also s needed regimentation.
 l, Today's children? wonder tt how much will they know of con-
 servation? Families have learned '- to put a neat foot foremost and il d is good and right and proper, too l. Children miss something that is very good for them -. restraint
 That idea of an ace in the hole y even 6 shabby ace as it was some g. times, contributed its own com
 posture to our lives. Something d to be respected and saved anc
 thought about. The great ward 'e robe that could have made us into 'e poppycocks but wisely withheld
 its treasures. We loved 1t ant le hated it. Wise old wardrobe. IS Copyright, 1885, NEA Service. Inc