The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-09-10
Homemakers' Column
Edited by Miss Mildred Barton, Home
Demonstration Agent, Oakland

The Child's First School Is the Family
Come, Bobby, say How do you do
to Mrs. Keith" Mrs. Morrow tried to
lift her fve-year old from the floor
where he was playing. "Won't!" NUT
tered her son with a resentful look at
the visitor, at the same time making
himself limp and heavy"
"You must. Get up. Say Good morn
ingH" "No! Won't!". stubbornly re-
peated the child. A very unpleasant
scene was now in progress, embar-
RAISING to both women. 'I'm sorry,
Mrs. Keith" apologized Mrs. Nor
row. 81 can't get Bobby to speak to
visitors. How did you teach little Jean
to be so friendly? When 1 was toiling
up the hill yesterday, she ran out to
me. I'll help you carry those par
cels,' she said pleasantly, and she's
three months younger than Bobby! 1
think some children are born with at
tractive manners and others are not"
A week or two later Bobby entered
kindergarten. When he had been at
tending about three months, Mrs. Nor
row received an invitation to attend
the Mothers Day exercises. Bobby
met his mother at the door and greeted
her with a beaming "Good morning,
Mother; would you like this seat near
the front or that one by the window ?"
"That one" she answered, trying not
to betray her surprise. Like a pro-
gram?" A little blue-eyed girl carry
ing bundle of papers offered one.
"Thank you," nodded Bobby's mother.
But her eyes were more on her son as
he escorted people to seats with smil-
ing grace.
Was that her son?-her sulky little
boy? When the exercises were over she
fastened for a word with the kinder
gartner. "Miss Planta, how did you
do it?-get Bobby to be like that?
He won't speak to visitors at home"
The teacher turned a smiling face
and in a low, pleasant voice said, "Why
I often give Bobby the job of well
coming visitors; he enjoys it so much.
I try to make the children feel pleas
ure in the daily greeting each has
with me. They do enjoy theselittlec our-
tesies, don't they?" Bobby's mother
went home in deep thought. What the
kindergarten had done for Bobby could
have been done just as well, and
better, at home.
The world lays it's best at the feet
of the man or woman possessing this
priceless gift of charm, quality that
can be cultivated. Self-consciousness
can often be lessened if the small boy
or girl is allowed to prepare a gift for
the person to be greeted. The child
should be encouraged to pick a bunch
of flowers for teacher, or wrap up pot
of jelly for neighbor. The best means
for helping child to develop attrac-
tive manners, of course, is example;
the manners of those nearest are read
lily adopted. The pleasant "Thank you"
for sons efforts to please, and praise
for the simple tasks we'll done may in
fuence him to form a lifelong habit
of expressing appreciation.
IT n Schedule
Monday, September IA, office.
Tuesday, Sept. Is, Hoyes Homemak-
ers club meeting, 1:30 p. M, at the
home of Mrs. j. A. Dewitt.
Wednesday, Sept. 16, Deer Park
Homemakers club meeting, 200 p. m.
Thursday, Sept. II, Bittinger Home
makers club meeting, 1880 p. ~, at
the home of Mrs. Silas Beachy.
Friday, Sept. Is, Kempton All club,
400 p. m.
Saturday, Sept. 10, Hoyes All club
meeting, 200 p. m.
-O-