The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-04-13
THE PIONEERING OF
THE CHILD
EDITH BRANDS

Little Justine Williams brought the
picture she had just clipped from a
magazine to her mother. I've spoiled
it, Mother" she said and began to cry.
"No, darling, MOI" and Mrs. Will
liams tried to show the child how toI
reshape the edge so that it might still
be attractive, but Justine refused to|
be comforted.
For months Mrs. Williams had been|
taking few moments every day to|
teach the child the use of crayolas,|
scissors, kindergarten needles and|
other small tools. Recently Justine|
was beginning to have crying spells|
when her willing little fingers blum
dered and she felt that her work was|
spoiled. Mrs. Williams was much dis
tressed; she didn't know what was|
wrong nor what to do about it.
Later in the week she took, Justine
and went down the road to the home
Of Mrs. Sayers
Mrs. Sayers listened to the story,
while her two children and their little
caller played in the back yard, then
she remarked, 81 had the same diff
Guilty with my first child. Then l con-
suited friend who knew great deal
about the development of little chill
dren. ! followed her advice and as a
result my boy outgrew the trouble,
though it took him some time.
"She told me that throughout early
childhood certain changes are going on
in the child's nervous system; this, she
said, is an orderly process, which can
not be hurried, no matter how much
we might wish. The things a child
does that are outstanding enough so
that we note them are really the eli
max of long series of developments,
both Of the muscles and the nervous
system. Every mother knows how
abruptly the process of standing alone
comes to some children. One day the
child cannot stand, the next day he
has pulled himself up by chair, and
perhaps within week he's going all
over his small world under his own
steam. 1t seems sudden, but in reality
he's been getting ready for this act
since the day he was born.
"She told me I'd been trying to
force process in my child's develop
nent which should have left for time
TO bring about, and said that his nerv-
BUSINESS could probably be traced to
my attempt to urge him to use tools
before his muscles were ready.
"Is it too late to correct my mis-
take?' l asked her. Is there any way
l can undo the wrong I've spent so
much time doing?'
cts not too late, and there's a
way to undo most if not all of it, she
answered.
"Then she explained to me that
every normal child may be expected
to develop his own interests and abili-
ties if he is exposed to the normal
activities Of the home and guided as
he indicates his readiness for new ex-
periences. | was now to take all men
tai pressure from my child, | was to
keep the tools I'd been trying to teach
him to handle lying about and he was
to see them used, but he was to be let
strictly alone.
Il did as she advised.
Il had my reward after a rather
long period of waiting and watching
when Robert brought me flower one
day and said, Mother, its so pretty,
love it. I'll make its picture He
took crayolas and sheet of paper and
did sketch which we pinned to the
bulletin board. Here was a complete
activity, begun in his childish mind
when he was alone in the garden, cul-
minating in related act of express
sion. 1t was beautiful example of
'fowering.' He'd done it himself.
with freedom Robert completely
outgrew his nervousness. You may
believe l didn't put mental or verbal
pressure on my other children as they
came along"