The Potters Herald

Home Education
"The Child's First School is the Family"-Froebel

Issued by the National Kindergarten Association, 8 West 40th Street, New York City. These articles are appearing weekly in our columns.

IT WAS NOT INHERITED
MRS. D. W. HINDS

Joyce Catherine is a young lady of fifteen. Whether she is at a picnic lunch on a beautiful river bank, or taking a trip to the fascinating desert, or merely working contentedly at home, she finds and delights in the beauty of nature. Healthy in mind and body, she unerringly finds the true and lasting joys of life. She is—well, lovely.

Cathy, as she is called by friends, hasn't the slightest idea why she loves nature. She told her chum, "I don't know why I want to work so much in the garden. I just love it; it was inherited, I suppose."

Her remark recalls pleasant memories of my first visit to Mrs. Shattuck, when Cathy was a three-year-old. We were walking in the garden, and Cathy, who was in her mother's arms much of the time on such occasions, squirmed to be put down, and reached pleadingly toward the flowers.

Her mother placed her within reach of her prize beauties. To my surprise, the child did not pull a single flower but buried her face in them.

"How did she learn not to pull them?" I asked.

Mrs. Shattuck watched the child fondly. "Oh, that wasn't difficult. Children love living things. After we had enjoyed the pansies, one morning, we pulled one and left it where the sun's rays would strike it. Later, we returned to the spot, and I called her attention to the fact that the flower was now withered and had lost its sweetness and I impressed her with its uselessness by throwing it regretfully away. It was necessary to repeat the lesson but twice. She loves to touch the blossoms but is careful."

Although a child's instinct is to handle all that it sees, it has no inherent destructive tendencies. The mutilation which often occurs is due chiefly to lack of muscular coordination. The child merely intends to experiment: he wishes to see if the flower is tangible and how it feels, and wants to know what is inside of it. When he is satisfied regarding these points, he is no longer likely to harm it, unless the parent has caused him to develop a tendency to some unfortunate emotional reaction at the sight of it.

Mrs. Shattuck was helping her child to build up only pleasurable reactions. She carried her from flower to flower encouraging her to breathe deeply of their fragrance and repeating the name of each, distinctly. When Cathy was five, she had, "my own little garden," and knew the names of all flowers and plants not in that, but in her mother's garden, too.

"I want my child to love nature," Mrs. Shattuck had said. "Why should I wait until she reaches the age of reason before teaching her, since successful advertisers appeal almost solely to the senses and emotions in order to secure the attention of the adult?

Surely children can be taught in the same way. Advertisers attract our attention by portraying action; force us to remember, by employing repetition; by use of illustration, make us see, smell and taste the edibles advertised. In my teaching I am being a good advertiser: swaying branches and leaves attract Cathy's attention; beautifully arranged color schemes and pleasant odors create desire. I close the sale by creating confidence—my actions convince her that this beauty is worth while, and she accepts it."

We find Cathy at the age of fifteen believing that her love for out-door life is inherited, because it has grown upon her so naturally, really as a result of wise and careful early guidance.