The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1943-01-28
FIRST LESSONS IN
TRAFFIC SAFETY
BY LUCIA MALLORY

II BY LUCIA MALLORY
What should one do with a little
boy who runs away asked Mrs. Holt
of her neighbOr, Mrs. Dare. Mine
| climbs out Of his pen, walks out at the
back gate, down the alley to the street
and find him fascinated with the
cars whizZing by. He's too young to
be reasoned with. don't want t.
punish him, but he mustn't run into
the street, either. How did you meet
| that problem?
"The first thing you have to do it to
| impress on his baby mind that he must
stay where you put him." said Mrs
Dare, and she briefly detailed the
method.
The next morning after Mrs. Holt
had washed and dressed her active
runabout, and he had eaten his break
fast. she assembled Il few of his play
things. took him to the sunny back
yard and put him and his playthings
i'm the pen, saying, This is kim's play
pace. i HIS - lhe piaSG do StdS anu
play
He repeated it after her, but she
could not be sure he understood, and
she realized he would not be able to
remember very long.
She kept watch as she went about
her work. Presently he was looking at
the trees and flowers and sky, next he
threw down his sand shovel, climbed
out of the pen.and ran out at the back
gate.
She brought him back, handed him
another toy and left him playing
again. Shall l shut and bar the gate?"
she considered. "No,' she decided +;
sooner or later he must learn to stay
in his pen"
Ten minutes later he climbed out
again. This went on during all of
Holt did not scold or punish the little
fellow. 1t was not Il contest of wills.
1t was a lesson he must learn.
The next day, however, he began to
think of it as a game. She would see
his bright eyes watching for her; he
would drop his toy, climb out and run
as fast as he could 1t was fun. Mrs.
Holt did not lose patience, but neither
did she show any inclination to accept
his challenge to play. She persisted
without any show of feeling and not
once all that day did he get outside
the gate.
The third day, she saw him throw
down his shovel look for her. and
start to climb over the side of the pen.
Then he turned back, and sat down
and began playing hgain. After that,
remaining in the pen became easier.
Mrs. Holt found. too, that if she en-
couraged her child to exercise vigOr-
ously - perhaps merely carrying his
playthings from room to roOm-before
she took him to his pen, he had less
desire to climb out.
When the little boy was well-estab-
liShed in the new habit his daddy tool;
over the next and most constructive
step in fitting him into world full of
high-power machinery. Every morning
ne took Kim's hand and led him out
through the back gateway, down the
alley to the street Together they
watched the speeding cars. Daddy
talked TO Kim about them. They then
Went back home and Kim was given
over to his mothers care. In the eve
ming, Daddy and his little son had an
other walk.
Before long they were going around
all four sides of the block, and Kim
was getting enough attention, enough
adventure, enough exercise to satisfy
the urges that caused the original run
ming away.
Soon Kim was walking sturdily
Singing to his fathers finger, or let
ting 90 to venture small excursions
ahead. His father gave him all the
freedom possible, while guiding him to
stay on the walk.
BY the time Kim was four, he could
be trusted not to venture into a busy
street without Mother, Father or some
| other grown person, for increasing
confidence in adults had kept pace
with his understanding of traffic
hazards He had been learning to take
care without being afraid.
can secure the necessary protection
We have made sacrifices in our wage
rates to conform with the President
request. We have abolished all calendar
days SO that continuous production cal
be carried on.
I'VE have maintained most cordia
and cooperative relations with EN-
> ployers, but even though the nation il
at war we cannot, and will not, si1