Evening star., 1938-06-12


Somehow, there seems to be so ma
than construction, that 1t is appalling
work cannot build constructive think
ing. in the minds of our young people;
they cannot be blamed for thought
patterns which have had their founda-
ton in the games of their childhood.
No intelligent person can deny the
proper place for firearms in a boys life.
Somehow boy and gun are almost
synonomols, at a certain period, but
why aren't we teaching them the
proper use of guns?. Why aren't we
teaching them to shoot at targets, and
by SO doing attain skill in co-ordina-
ton of thought and action and steady
nerves? l
Opposed Toy Guns.
Several years ago, the D. C. Con-
gress Of Parents and Teachers went
on record as disappearing the sale of
toy pistols and guns, believing that
by their misuse they were much more
Of detriment to children than help.
We have heard many times Of boys and
girls who have been injured by stray
shots from BIB guns; by harmless"
cap pistols and Of course, by real guns
that weren't loaded" We cannot
Danish firearms from the lives of our
boys and girls, but we can teach them
the proper usage. We can teach them
to play with cap pistols, if they must
have them, using them to shoot at
imaginary targets; the new Omen"
toy guns the same way, and then as
the boys grow older, they can be taught
how properly to handle a gun; how to
carry one when walking in the field;
how to care for 1t when not in use;
how to take pride in the ownership
OF a good gun and to learn that it is
an instrument of amusement and for
acquiring skill, just as baseball bat,
or tennis racquet or golf clubs are.
We can impress on them the danger
of ever pointing gun-toy or real,
loaded or unloaded-at any one, no
matter how much fun it may be.
Little Time Required.
Good habits are Just as easily ac-
quired as bad ones. Improper usage Of
firearms is just bad habit, learned,
unfortunately, while boy is still al
most baby; and proper usage can be
taught just as easily, provided We take
the time to do it.
Mrs. Walter B. Fry. president of
the District Of Columbia Congress OF
Parents and Teachers, has returned to
the city after attending the convention
Of the National Congress Of Parents
and Teachers in Salt Lake City, Utah.
She extended her trip to Denver,
Colo. and st. Louis, Mo-, before re-
turning to the city. .s- ,s,,... +.
Mrs. Alma Hudson, State summer
roundup chairman, announces q
meeting for all local summer roundup
chairmen and local presidents at 10
am. tomorrow in the N. E. A. Build
ing.
Mrs. Fry has called b meeting of
the Executive Committee for 1890
am. Tuesday in the State office.
With the issue of June 10, the
Parent Teacher Activities Column will
be discontinued for the season, to be
resumed again in the fall. g.
Whittier.
A meeting will be held tomorrow
at pm. Mrs. Kenneth Foote, vice
president. will preside at the installa-
tion Of officers and farewell reception.
Taft Junior High.
The newly-elected officers will meet
tomorrow at / 80 pm. to select chair
men.
Kingsman-Pierce.
The association will hold its last
meeting of the year in the Kingsman
School tomorrow at 8 pm. Mrs. E. J.
Downing, fourth vice president of the
District of Columbia Congress. will
install the following officers: Mrs. H.
Shettle, president; Mrs. e. Dye, first
vice president; Mrs. w. Winebrenner,
second vice president; Mrs. A. M.
Shugrue, third vice president: Mrs.
B. Jacobs, secretary; Mrs s. Updike,
treasurer, and Mrs. r. Hall. historian.
Congress Heights.
The annual picnic will be held at
Fort Dupont Thursday at IL o'clock.
The association will entertain the
teachers at a luncheon on June 80.
Mrs. Walter B. Fry. president. Dis
trict Of Columbia Congress Of Parents
and Teachers, installed the officers on
June 9.
H. d. Cooke.
Mrs. L. Raywid, president, will meet
with members of the Executive Com
mittee Tuesday at pm. in the teach
ers' room.
Bowen Greenleaf.
Officers will be installed at the final
meeting of the year Tuesday at -2:45
pm. at the Bowen School, The class
rooms will be open for inspection by
parents during the entire afternoon.
Langley Junior High.
The card party arranged for June
3 at the home of Mrs. Harry Harris,
first vice president, was postponed
until Friday at 8 pm. at the school
to provide entertainment for parents
Of the members of the graduating
class and friends of students attend
ing the class dance on that evening.
Mrs. Charles Kendall, president,
attended the Junior High School
division luncheon, also Mrs. S. Elliott,
chairman Of the group. Mrs. Elliott
was elected Junior High representa-
tive to the State board for the coming
school year.
Buchanan. u
The final executive meeting Of the
season was held in the teachers room
used to illustrate the statistics, the