The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-08-18
BY JANETTE STEVENSON
MURRAY

I1ALAT - SIX years Olu ana at
tends the university elementary
school mile and a half from his
home. He goes on the streetcar,
transferring at the downtown sta
ton.
1t was during the first cold snap in
November that he arrived at school
one morning and found the door
locked. 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 60 back
on the streetcar. See, have my
Nickel" said Philip.
''But haven't any nickel" re-
piled Bobbie. "Mama always comes
for me-"
"Oh, maybe we can phone her."
suggested Philip. "My mother won't
be home for she takes Brother to
the kindergarten and goes to her
classes. Let's 60 in the schoolhouse.
There's a phone in the office, I
know
"But the doors locked" said Bob
bic, tears gathering in his eyes.
eyes, it's locked" said Philip as
he turned from fumbling with the
handle. "Oo-ool It's coldl" The boy,
with only a light overcoat for pro-
lection, shivered in his socks and
short trousers. "Bobbie," he said,
II don't know the way home, do
yours n
mo, never went home alone"
and Robbie 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 60 home, leaving Bobbie
alone. 4
"Oh, stop crying" said Philip, on
the verge Of tears himself. ~ don't
know what to debut we have to
do something, Kid, or well freeze.
Sayl why can't we follow the street.
car track? The car that always
takes me has to 60 on that track.
] know where your house is when
I'm on the car.''
He grabbed Bobbie's hand and
they began their long trudge back
on the sidewalk beside 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 hindered their progress.
Teach Self-Reliance.
"Oh, what are the boys doing
here?" exclaimed Boobies mother
as the boys appeared.
'The door was locked. There
wasn't any school," cried Bobbie.
''But how did you ever find your
way homer"
s'Why, we just followed the tracks
cause that's the way the cars CO."
said Philip in q matter-of-fact tone.
Our Mothers club has been much
interested in Philip-his independ-
ence, grit, self-assurance, frankness
and mature reasoning.
''Have you educated Philip with
the idea Of making him self-reli-
anti" we asked his mother.
''No, I think that was done in kin
dergarten," she answered, smiling,
"but his teacher felt that his father
and / 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 in
stance, diverting him from his dis
comfort We often sent him into
dark rooms to get things, assuming
as a matter of course he'd 60. He
has never feared the dark. As q
fodder, I let him walk alone out
of-doors as far as it was safe. When
we went on the street gave him
the idea Of protecting me from the
automobiles. Although very solicit
tous about my safety, he had no
fear" q 'ess'@'~''-r ~ = SO -
"Tell us how you deal with him
when. naughty" we asked, for. our
club has feeling that it takes great
wisdom to retain a 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. ''Lec-
turing or demanding accomplishes
nothing. I'm not always wise, but
he trusts me and doesn't deceive
me. When his father or I appeal to
his reason and treat him with the
courtesy accorded grown person,
he almost always responds in
stantly."
National Kipdercartan Associa&ioy