Milford chronicle., 1942-12-11
A0 0M E ED WGATl0 N
"The Chiid's First School is The
Family5FR0EBRL
Issued by the National Kinderrarten
Association, West 4Oth Street,
New York City
Janette stevenson Murray
A CASE OF POP

Cndrlle, MS mOLnef ana DdDy SlS-
ter had just taken the train after a
weeks visit at Grandmother's.
While clearing a table, Grandma
ther found a sheet of paper with
CHARLIE printed in large letters
across the top and, underneath, the
list: pop, ice, straws.
Grandmother remembered that
Charlie had watched Jimmy's pop
stand up the street and could talk
of nothing else. He was going to
have one as soon as he reached
home. No boy had attempted one in
his neighborhood. Charlie had
shown this sheet to Grandpa and
told about playing store last year
in kindergarten, mailing orange
crates together, two standing up
and one placed lengthwise between,
making a counter with cupboards
underneath. They had discussed
counters. Charlie had two crates in
the basement at home then, and his
mother had promised to ask their
groceryman for another.
Several days after Charities de-
parture, Grandmother and neigh
Dor were darning stockings on the
porch. The postman brought let
/ ter.
"Oh, it's from Clara. Will you ex-
cuse me?" Grandmother glanced
through it, then read aloud the fol-
lowing:
Charlie has just finished selling
the case of pop. He started in with
his stand yesterday noon and did
very we'll, both in managing his
stand and also managing the boys
and girls who hung around. He
took pride in the decorations-red
and white crepe paper tackled
around. With the bright colored
pop bottles set out on top, it look
ed quite gay. wasn't sure he would
carry his project through, being so
shy, but he did, and it has given
him a lot of assurance.
"'He figured everything out.
"They must give me their money
first before they get the pop!" he
exclaimed when we were icing the
first bottles. He printed in small
book the items and their cost. The
big boys helped him keep track of
sales. Of course, had to add and
subtract but he understood it all in
a general way and was pleased
with the small profit which he is
Investing in war stamps
well, Clara deserves credit for
ordering that case of pop" said the
neighbor, reaching for her darning
cotton. "In the hurry of getting
home and looking the baby, she
might easily have delayed getting
it,"
"That would have been too bad
because all Charles fresh enthus-
iasm and initiative would have
counted for nothing" Grandmother
spoke with conviction.
I'VE had a fine illustration of
that in John Dexter" said the
neigihbor. "He used to live in the
house beside us, you remember. AS
q little boy, he was always plan
ming some undertaking. Once he
wanted to buy seeds and grow veg
etables; another time he planned
to raise chickens and sell eggs;
then he had a chance to carry pa
pers and later to work on a farm
during the summer. But as each
venture was proposed his parents
told him he would not make a sue {
cess of it. Seemingly, they found
it too much trouble to help him
with the arrangements or to ad-
vance the necessary funds"
"And when he grew up we all
thought him so lacking in gump-
tion!' interrupted Grandmother.
What's he doing now?"
HE finally drifted into some real
estate work. He told me that he'll J
never make a good salesman, be-
cause he just isn't the type, but he
doesn't know what his line is, for
he never had change to try any !
hing out when growing up"
WELL" the neighbor rose brisk Z
", "little Charlie has had real
business venture and he must have
gained a lot of satisfaction and as
surance from the fact that he made q
yood.'" 4