Milford chronicle., 1941-06-27
I H0mE EDWGATI@N N
"The Cbild's First School is fhe
Famiiy"-FRoEBEL
Issued BY the National Kindersartsn
Association, 9 west 40th Street.
New York City
TASKS WITHIN REASON
Frances Duggar

Fedu tulS poem TO me
Mrs. Smith laid down her disl
towel at the plaintive voice of tn
small boy standing in her kitchei
doorway.
why, Billy" SHE said, "I'll b.
glad to. Are your mother and ia
ther away from homer"
mo-" replied the small boy. mo
theirs reading and Dads working il
the garden. They are always tor
busy to read to me. and I've got t
learn this poem by heart"
Billy advanced and laid the oper
book in Mrs. Smiths hand. This
one, please" he said. about Hor-
atius and the Bridge"
BILLY, you wouldn't understand
that one very WE'LL" said Mrs
Smith. "And you could never learn
it by heart. There are pages and
pages of it,"
I've got to learn it all the same
persisted the little boy. dad is go
ing to give me fifty cents for learn
ing it,"
Billy sat very still on the kitchen
stool, the dishwater grew cold. the
clocks licked the minutes away.
while Mrs. Smith read on and on.
At the very end. Billy slipped
from the stool with long sigh, say
ing. Il wish l could read it for my
self. 1t will take lots of reading
times to learn it by heart"
Mrs. Smith nodded. would you
like to pick some pansieg for me
now?" she asked. My front border
is thick with them"
Billy's face glowed. He dropped
the book on a chair and ran out.
Mrs. Smith picked up the book.
walked deliberately through her
back yard and into her neighbor's
garden.
Mr.. Green looked up in surprise
al the grim face his neighbor bore.
1--WE been reading 'Horatius' to
Billy" she began.
"I'm sorry he bothered you" Mr.
Green began to laugh. "I'm having
a lot of fun with that little chap.
I've offered him fifty cents to learn
that poem by heart"
, "He can't learn it, Mr.. Green. It's
too hard and too long. Why, he's
only six years old and in the primer
class at school"
Mr.. Green laughed louder than
ever.
"Of course he can't But there'll
be no harm done. The little chap
actually thinks that he can do it.
It's so funny to see how seriously
he takes the task"
Don't be too sure about the
harm, Mr.. Green. 1 think / know
of two ways in which very great
harm will be DONE"
what? How?7 asked Mr.. Green
in genuine surprise.
"Well. in the first place Billy is
going to learn lesson in failure.
You have set him an impossible
task. Another time he will not be
so sure of himself"
Shouldn't one learn to fail
sometimes, Mrs. Smith,"
"Yes, If one fails through his own
lack of exertion, he has learned
valuable lesson. But every task at
tempted should be a possible one"
81 get your point, Mrs. Smith. {
What's the other harm?"
BILLY may lose confidence in his !
own father" answered Mrs. Smith. '
Next time you set him task, he
will not be so willing to attempt it.
A little child expects no trickery.
Billy will work and work, but when !
ne grows hopeless, it may gradually
lawn on him that you were making I
,un of him. That would weaken his
rust and wound his love for you"
81 never thought of that. Mrs.
smith," cried the father in evident t
lIarm. SIS there anything can c
10, or is it too late?'
81 don't think it's too late,' 1
miled Mrs. Smith. Call Billy over +
nd tell him you've decided to n
hange the poem. Choose one suit C
BILE to his age and understanding. j
Iere's Robert of Lincoln. Billy a
vould like that, and it's long ii
nough to give him plenty of work d
Or his money. a
MIR. Green held out his hand.
Thank you, Mrs. Smith" I
Billy came bounding over the low s
snce, both hands full of long-stem- E
led pansies. "Here they are. Mrs.
mith," he cried, pressing them in ri
, her hands. Then his face sober "
i. Would you mind reading me A
Ioratius' again tomOrrow" he
sked shyly. el
"I'll read anything you like S
niled his friend. "But think your M
ther has chosen a shorter poem s.
II you to learn" "
Eyes, and Mrs, Smith won't have
read 1t to you, Billy. I'm going F.
teach it to you myself" D
"Oh, Dad, how nice!" cried the
tile boy, and his face shone with al
lppiness, ds