The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-10-05
Training In Observation
GRACE ARCHBOLD

"You have no idea, Joan," said Mrs.
Miller, show thankful you will be If
you train your children to be observ-
ant"
What made you arrive at that con-
clusion?" enquired Joan, always glad
to hear about her older friends ex-
periences as mother of four happy
children.
"Partly an incident in my own child
hood and partly because l know what
an effective means it is of gaining
information of cultivating accuracy
and securing inexpensive entertain
ment and lasting pleasure"
"First, tell me the incident" begged
Joan.
"My mother had taken US for a
days outing in the woods some dis
tance away from our home. This
wooded section covered an area OF
many square miles. Towards the end
of the afternoon we begged for last
game of hide and SEEK Mother
agreed, warning us not to penetrate
too far, for fear of losing our bear
ings. We left her at the north end
near the road. In the excitement OF
the game my brother Jack and l for
got and wandered so far that we lost
the trail Jack at once began to look
out for trees with moss growing on
them. Presently he gave a shout OF
triumph. I've noticed he said, that
moss always grows on the north side
of tree
"With this in mind, we soon found
the trail again. But never could
forget the experience, though it was
much later that l realized how for
tunate it was that Jack had observed
this fact in his walks through the
woods"
"It certainly was fortunate" agreed
Joan. "There is a great difference
between my two children" she added
thoughtfully. "Rose is naturally OBJ
servant and takes in all sorts Of de-
tails at glance. Claude, on the other
hand, apparently goes about with his
eyes shut. He is more of dreamer"
"Ah! you must help him and make
his dreaming productive and creative.
His is a nature that can easily be
trained to the observation of beauty.
Draw his attention for instance, to the
fascination of birds on the wing, their
different methods of flight and their
grace of movement. Comment in his
presence on sky effects, and don't fail
to have him notice the beauties Of a
grey day; the glorious colors of sun
set and of the foliage in the fall sea-
son will be sure to delight him. He
will gradually develop a general OBJ
servation habit In time it will be-
come second nature to note details,
even those that are Of more prac-
tical nature. That well-remembered
experience of my childhood illustrates
that one never knows Of what impor-
tance bit Of knowledge gained from
careful attention to details may prove
In any case the habit of observation
will give more desirable balance and
train for better citizenship. Dreaming
without observation will lead no.
where"
"How do you manage to give your
children lessons in observation ?" ask
ed Joan.
81 do not consider it a matter OF
lessons" laughed Mrs. Miller. "We
just notice things. l have always been
attentive when one Of them has shown
me something new, puzzling, or inter
esting. We have examined it together
if not at the moment, later on.
Before reading an illustrated story
we always examine each picture in ad-
vance of the description of the Incl
dent portrayed. This not only helps
to develop observation, but it makes
the anticipation of the story a keenel
joy 1t is astonishing how quick the
children are to detect any discrepancy
between the story and the picture, sc
that accuracy is another quality EN-,
phasized.
"When Amy began her piano studies
we applied this habit of observation
Systematically and have kept it up
We note the title Of new piece, the
key, the marks of expression, the time
and the various changes. When she
comes to play it she is generally &C
curate. Unconsciously she now ap
plies this method to her other work.
with all the children, find that a.
their powers of observation increase
they attack their problems more in
telligently, and SO their lives grow