Evening star., 1937-02-19
Education
Must Start
Very Early
Important to Equip
Youngsters With De-
fensive knowledge.
BY ANGELO PATRI.


MO, YOU don't want to go out to
play with those rough children.
They would hurt you. Mother will
play with you.
you'd better not try to cut that
yourself. Bring it to me. 1t would
be dreadful if my little boy cut him.
self.
'I'll take you to school every day, so
you need not be afraid. The boys
might fight you, or your might get
run over. And you never know what
kind of people are on the street. Re-
member, sonny, don't ever answer a
stranger if he speaks to you. Run
right home"
Such and many more are the daily
utterances of mothers who have one
only child and are afraid that life will
| hurt him. Their fear makes them
bind the child with fetters that will
hold him all MS days, make him
frightened runaway instead Of q
valiant fighter.
Life will hurt child. 1t always
does. The price of wisdom Is pain,
but a pain that is endurable, scarcely
felt, in the triumph Of mastery. 1t
is not possible to shield child from
the shocks and bruises Of the world.
They are certain to come. The child
who has been shielded and protected
from them in the safety of his home
must go out among his fellows some
day. What is he to do when they
gather around him to see what sort
of person he is? If he cannot stand
up and look them in the eyes and say
"Hullo, yourself" he is going to be
pushed against the nearest wall,
cuffed and showed until he is rescued
and isolated once more. He will have
to suffer daily until he learns to ad-
Just himself to the other children. to
their ways and their wills. Better to
have helped him to make those ad-
justments while he was beginner.
Six years is long span of life, and
much has gone on in the making OF
child during that time, much that
will stay with him a long, long time.
No man can live alone. That goes
against nature, and nature Is not
gainsaid As soon as a child asks to
play with another child let him go
to it. If he is pushed down hard on
his seat-and he Is likely to be
don't rush to him in an agony Of
distress and pick him up to comfort
him. Smile at him and let him
struggle up himself. The sooner he
gets that idea the better for him.
Children push each other about a
lot. They are rough in their play and
exchange blows on occasions. Sep
arate them firmly, and when they cool
of forget it and let them start again.
Their fighting must be discouraged,
but as long as they do not strike
each other with weapons don't for
bid them to play together. Sometimes
we have to separate them for longer
time, maybe half day, or whole
day, to teach them what loneliness
is, but complete isolation Is not the
answer unless one Of them is mentally
defective. The healthy child will
learn to adjust himself to other chill
dren, play well with them, without
coming to harm.
Education is a process that teaches
men to live peaceably with each other,
to work harmoniously, cooperate
cheerfully. That education begins with
the 2-year-olds and continues down
to old age. The beginning is highly
important.
Mr.. Patri will give personal atten-
ton to inquiries from parents and
| school teachers on the care and de-
velopment of children. Write him in
care of this paper, inclosing q Scent,
stamped, self-addressed envelope for
reply.
tcesgzishs. 1es7A -.