Evening star., 1937-04-07
Cast Sales Resistance the Winds When Marketing
Child to
Be Useful
High I. @. Not Always
Indicative of Real
Efficiency.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

IN OUR school We have opportu-
mites for learning many things
outside the books. We have many
shops, many activities in which chill
dren experiment, feel themselves out
One Of these activities is the Office
work of the school, Children are as
signed in pairs to the different Offices
to learn the routine of the work done
there.
Two little girls of the highest
]. Q's was assigned to my Office one
day. They serve 40 minutes daily for
some weeks. They take care of peo-
pie who come to the Office, escort visi-
tors, attend to little details that keep
things moving smoothly. l noticed
that the little girls we're very polite,
very studious, anxious to do the right
thing and afraid of making a mistake.
There was duster in case in
the cabinet, but they never touched
1t, though the dust lay thick on their
table. Somebody had to show them
the duster and the dust. They sat
In their chairs and studied, but they
made no effort to do anything else
Of their own initiative.
One morning boy left package
"What shall we do with this package,
Mr.. Patri?"
What is it?"
1--WE don't know"
Better open 1t and see"
Silence for moment while they
studied the package, neatly wrapped
and securely tied. 1t was clearly
labeled with publishers name and
carried large red label that shouted
Books.
We'll have to have a pair of scis-
sors."
Silence.
Mr.. Patrl do you know where we
could get pair of scissors?"
Where would you think you might
find them?"
A long pause.
Maybe up on the top floor In the
millinery room"
Not nearer?"
An embarrassed silence.
Suppose you pull out the drawer
OF your table"
"Oh, we didn't know there was
drawer. Oh, here they are. And lots
Of things we need, too"
These were bright children. They
wanted to be useful. One said she
thought she wanted to be a private
secretary to business executive, and
the other thought she was going to be
q librarian. But neither of them had
ever been trained to do the simple
ordinary things of every day like
opening package of books.
We trained them to be useful in
the Office. They learned to receive
visitors, escort them to the room they
wanted to visit and leave them there.
They learned to take telephone calls
and send them out. They began to
take responsibility for what went on
within their range Of duties.
I knew they had Travelled far when
one afternoon a boy came into the
office with a couple of letters for me
to read and sign. One of the little
g. 10 Ooor VIC lSgoClS, lIJhCu C1lCIl,
and then, with great severity. said to
the waiting boy: Where are the
stamped and addressed envelopes for
these? You forgot them? My boy,
let your head save your heels here
after, Go and get them before we
offer these to the principal" That
was different child from the one
who said, 1--WE need scissors"
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leaflet |
entitled "A Parents Prayer" which
Is an inspiring example for parents |
TO follow in bringing up children. 1t
is suitable for framing. Send for it.
addressing your request to Mr.. An
gelo Patri, Child Psychology Depart
ment of this paper. 1nclose a self
addressed, stamped (3-cenD envelope.
tCopyright, 1879