Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-07-18
Problems
With the Children
Issued By the National kinderEar-
ten Association. 8 West +oth ST.
New York City
Settling Their
Own Difficulties
BY HILDA RICHMOND

what N the WOrIG Is all the eS-
element about?" asked young Mrs.
Gale. pausing to look over the hedge
and talk TO her neighbor. rs it
convention, or a riot, or celebration
or what? Ny John may be in the
miXup for all I know
They are holding court" said Mrs.
Porter with a laugh. Come in and be
4 witness or an onlooker, If you like
Wondering, the young matron en-
tered and took a seat on the porch
bench in the shade. Her own John was
on his feet telling that he saw Betty
push Billy and make him lose the
race. Betty then had a chance to tell
that her foot slipped, and it was not
her fault that she pushed Billy. Others
told what they knew about the whole
difficulty. and presently the children
were playing happily with no one
guilty or requiring punishment.
And are all the difficulties settled
as easily and happily as this dispute
about the race?" inquired Mrs. Gale,
as the two ladies retired to the house.
BY no meansl Yesterday it took
two Officers TO escort my Jimmy to
the house where he was obliged to
remain for 90 minutes. They have an
and they enforce law and order in
their own way. Jimmy said they were
unfair and that he was innocent, but
he didn't appeal his case-they seldom
do-So I kept still. Jimmy said that
never again would he play with the
bad children but when his punish
ment was finished, he ran out to take
a hand in a wild game Of Black Man.
~
other, they have all been punished at
some time, but a spirit Of fair play
seems to prevail"
And do you never interfere?" asked
Mrs. Gale.
There is a list of punishments that
are permissible Beyond this the chill
dren's court may not go. And the cul-
prit may always appeal to a higher
court. In that case one or more par
ents make up the court, but punish
ments melted out by this court are
apt to be more severe"
Listen! I believe something else has
come up" said the visitor, so they
fastened back to the porch.
My mother didn't tell me that I
couldn't climb tree" said John Gale,
red-faced and angry. What's wrong
With climbing this tree, I'd like to
how!"
"A robin has her nest up there and
you might shake the birds out Of the
nest" cried the other children. I'VE
won't let you climb this tree"
Pooh! Who ever heard Of shaking
q nest off a limb? I'm going right up,
and you can't stop me-" said the de-
faint little boy. My father says it
makes strong muscles to learn to
climb"
Mrs. Gale half rose from her seat
to take a hand in the discussion and
say that John must stay on the ground
but she dropped back and watched
what went on. The chief of police"
for the day. with big badge on his
chest, came up and promptly arrested
John, and once more court was in
session.
IT think it is safe to go on and do
my errands,' laughed Mrs. Gale. But
hope they release my son in time
for lunch. I am glad he did not resist
the officer and get heavier sentence.
But how did they ever come to play
together like this? Where did they
learn about court?"
I'll tell you" answered the hos
tess. once there was a case in court
with regard to an accident that oc-
cured on this street, and most of the
neighbors were witnesses. Having no
one with whom to leave our children,
we had to take them with us to the
courtroom, and they were fascinated
with the proceedings. At once they
started TO play court and have kept
it up ever since. 1t keeps them occu-