Milford chronicle., 1941-08-22
| M@ ME EDUCATION
"The Chiid's Fir5f School is the
Famiiy"-FRoEBEL
Issued by the National Kindergarten
Association. 8 West 10th 6treet,
New York City
LOOKING BACKWARD ALONG
THE CHILD'S PATHWAY
EDITH BRANDS

EDITH BRANDS
1t was the custom of the young
mothers of Friendship Circle not
only to draw upon each others ex-
periences for help in solving prob
lens with regard to the develop
ment of their little ones, but to
learn all they could from visitors,
also. They were already realizing
how helpful 1t is to listen to any
one who is really able to say, This
is what did and these are the re-
suits"
Mrs. May brought Mrs. Boice to
visit the Circle. This lady had
known most of the mothers in their
girlhood. She had brought up a
family in the neighborhood, and
then, being a widow, had taken up
civic work for children in another
city. Her youngest son had re-
Gently entered college. Most of the
mothers had known him as a little
curly-haired boy. They had heard
he had grown into very fine young
man.
To bring out the helpful ideas
they wanted, they asked Mrs. Boice
this question: What did you do,
for John, the effect Of which you
can see to the present day."
Mrs. Boice said, Il am glad you
asked that. There was a sequence
of events that the rest of US brought
about which, simple as it was, ben
efitted him greatly.
when John started collecting
treasures, and this he did very
early, his father gave him box
with a lock and key into which he
could put the small things he low
ed
"He first gathered brightly col
ored pebbles. Later he had va
riety of things-a twine ball to
which he added from time to time,
some small wooden blocks, some
discarded keys, some nails and
bolts and buckles. He liked to take
them out and play with them and
often did this.
zone day a playmate gave him
card with a life-sized blue jay
on it in natural colors. He had
seen blue jays, and the colorful
card delighted him. That day mark
ed the beginning Of his interest in
bird pictures. He began to collect
them, and soon, one at a time, he
discarded the other treasures from
his box, utilizing the space for pic
/ ture cards.
"On his fourth birthday his IA
ther and gave him little table all
his own, and his brothers and sis
ters put their pennies, nickels and
dimes together and bought him a
chair. Then we selected comfort
able place in good light and plac-
ed them there.
after that, Johns evening habit
was to sit at his table, spread out
his picture cards and arrange and
rearrange them until he was sleepy.
For a brief time only he would
ask, regarding a new bird, What
is its name? holding up the card
. for one of us to tell him. Testing
! him one day, found he knew them
every one.
Identification Of the birds in
the orchard, fields and woods fol-
, lowed naturally. 1t was not long
, Afterwards think he was six and
half-when he began to be in
terested in the trees, and a little
later his attention was extended to
plants of all kinds.
From that small start at home,
he developed so great an interest
in gaining a knowledge of the trees,
the plants and all living creatures,
that throughout his grade school
years he was asked, from time to
time, to take the younger children
OH bird walks and botanical excur-
sions. Such service to others help
ed him to advance in Scout work
and to develop leadership.
Long before this he had out
grown his table and chair, though
not his treasure box. And in his
seventh grade woodworking class,
directed by his teacher, he planned
and built his own desk and chair
He used them through high school,
and he is using them this year when
he studies his college assignments.
Can you imagine how happy /
was when he told me one day that
he was sure that 1t was largely
cue to his treasure box experiences
that he is able to concentrate so
quickly on any given task and to
make routine matters largely sub
conscious? This ability is of great
help to him now.
Perhaps a word of explanation
is needed. Long before John came
to us, his father and had learned
that for satisfactory results
child must choose his own activi-
ties with a minimum of direction.
and no unnecessary interference at
all. The older children understood,
and because they loved their baby
brother, they cooperated with us
Fundamentally from the begin
ming. This was a great help"
/ a