The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-06-13
IT WAS NOT
INHERITED
MRS. d. w. KINDS

Joyce Catherine is young lady of
fifteen. Whether she is at a picnic
lunch on beautiful river bank, or TAX
ing a trip to the fascinating desert,
or merely working contentedly at
home, she finds and delights in the
beauty of nature. Healthy in mind and
body, she unerringly finds the true
and lasting joys of life. She is-well,
lovely.
Cathy, as she is called by friends,
hasn't the slightest idea why she loves
nature. She told her chum, 81 don't
know why want to work so much in
the garden. l just love it; it was in
herited, suppose"
Her remark recalls pleasant men,
ories of my first visit to Mrs. Shat
tuck, when Cathy was a three-year-
old. We were walking in the garden,
and Cathy, who was in her mothers
arms much Of the time on such oc-
casions, squirmed to be put down, and
reached pleadingly toward the flowers.
Her mother placed her within reach Of
her prize beauties. To my surprise, the
child did not pull single flower but
buried her face in them.
"How did she learn not to pull
them?" l asked.
Mrs. Shattuck watched the child
fondly. ooh, that wasn't difficult;
children love living things. After we
had enjoyed the pansies, one morning,
we pulled one and left it where the
suns rays would strike it. Later, we
returned to the spot, and called her
attention to the fact that the flower
was now withered and had lost it's
sweetness and l impressed her with
it's uselessness by throwing it regret
fully away. 1t was necessary to re-
peat the lesson but twice. She loves to
touch the blossoms but is careful"
Although a child's instinct is to
handle all that it sees, it has no inher-
ent destructive tendencies. The mutila-
tion which often occurs is due chiefly
to lack of muscular coordination. The
child merely intends to experiment; he
wishes to see if the flower is tangible
and how it feels, and wants to know
what is inside of it. When he is salts
fed regarding these points, he is no
longer likely to harm it, unless the
parent has caused him to, develop a
tendency to some unfortunite emo
tional reaction at the sight of it.
Mrs. Shattuck was helping her child
to build up only pleasurable reactions.
She carried her from flower to flower
encouraging her to breathe deeply of
their fragrance and repeating the
name of each, distinctly When Cathy
was five, she had, "my own little gar
den," and knew the names of all
flowers and plants not in that, but in
her mothers garden, too.
81 want my child to love nature
Mrs. Shattuck had said. "Why should
wait until she reaches the age of rea-
son before teaching her, since success
full advertisers appeal almost solely to
to the senses and emotions in order to
secure the attention of the adult :?
Surely children can be taught in the
same way. Advertisers attract our at
tention by portraying action; force us
to remember, by employing repetition;
by use of illustration, make us see,
smell and taste the edibles advertised.
In my teaching l am being good ad
vertiser: swaying branches and leaves
attract Cathy's attention; beautifully
arranged color schemes and pleasant
odors create desire. | close the sale by
creating confdence-my actions con-
vince her that this beauty is worth
while, and she accepts it,"
We find Cathy at the age of fifteen
believing that her love for outdoor
life is Inherited. because it has grown
upon her so naturally, really as re-
suit of wise and careful early guild
ance