The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-05-26
PHILIP MEETS A NEW
SITUATION
JANETTE S. MURRAY

the university elementary school a
mile and half from his home. He
goes on the street car, transferring
at the downtown station.
1t was during the first cold snap
in November that he arrived at school
one morning and found the door lock-
ed. Bobbie, whose mother had just
let him out of her auto at the corner
and driven home, was in the same
plight. A neighbor had promised to
phone the mothers of these two boys
that there would be no school but had
forgotten to do SO.
"Say, Bobbie, we can just go back
on the street car. See, l have my
Nickel" said Philip.
'But l haven't any Nickel" replied
Bobbe. "Mama always comes for me-"
"Oh, maybe we can phone her." sug
gested Philip. "My mother won't be
home for she takes Brother to the kim
dergarten and goes to her classes.
Let's go in the schoolhouse. There's
phone in the office, | know"
"But the doors locked" said Bobbie,
tears gathering in his eyes.
eyes, it's locked" said Philip as he
turned from fumbling with the handle.
"Oo-oo! It's cold!" The boy, with only
light overcoat for protection, shiv-
cred in his socks and short trousers.
"Bobbie," he said, 81 don't know the
way home, do you?"
"No, never went home alone" and
Bobbie began to cry.
Although Philip knew Bobbie only
as he had seen him in class, it never
occurred to him to use his own nickel
and go home, leaving Bobbie alone.
ooh, stop crying" said Philip, on
the verge of tears himself. 81 don't
know what to do-but we have to do
something, Kid, or We'll freeze. Say!
why can't we follow the street car
track? The car that always takes me
has to go on that track. know where
your house is when Pm on the car"
He grabbed Bobbie's hand and they
began their long trudge back on the
sidewalk besides the rails, down
through the town where Philip always
transferred and then along by the
other car line. They were very cold
and the biting northwest wind hind
cred their progress.
ooh, what are you doing here ?"
exclaimed Bobbie's mother as the boys
appeared.
"The door was locked There wasn't
any school," cried Bobbie.
"But how did you ever find your
way home?"
"Why, we just followed the tracks
cause that's the way the cars co.
said Philip in matter-of- tone.
Our Mothers Club has been much
interested in Philip-his independence,
grit, self-assurance, frankness and
mature reasoning.
'Have you educated Philip with the
idea Of making him self-reliant ?" we
asked his mother.
"No, | think that was done in kim
dergarten," she answered, smiling,
"but his teacher felt that his father
and l had helped him by avoiding the
development of fear. When learning
to walk, he sometimes fell. Then we
would speak casually Of the cause, the
rumpled rug, for instance, diverting
him from his discomfort. We often
sent him into dark rooms to get
things, assuming as matter of
course he'd go. He has never feared
the dark AS toddler, l let him walk
alone out-of-doors as far as it was
safe. When we went on the street l
gave him the idea Of protecting me
from the automobiles. Although very
solicitious about my safety, he had no
fear"
'Tell us how you deal with him
when naughty" we asked, for our club
has a feeling that it takes great wis
dom to retain proper authority over
the bright child and still allow him
enough freedom to insure self-reliance.
81 deprive him of privileges occa-
sionally, if the connection is clearly
evident" his mother replied. "Lectur-
ing or demanding accomplishes moth
ing. Pm not always wise, but he
trusts me and doesn't deceive me. When
his father or | appeal to his reason
and treat him with the courtesy ac-
corded a grown person, he almost al
| WaVS raSpOndS inStantlV"