The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 1017, June 24, 1899Various
General
The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 1017, June 24, 1899
Various
Children's literature -- Periodicals
When once Lucy’s work began at the Institute her days were very full.
She rose early, gave her simple household orders, and prepared Hugh
for the Kindergarten, where she left him while she held her classes.
Hugh took his lunch with him, for he stayed at the Kindergarten rather
longer than the other children, so as to wait till his mother fetched
him. Lucy had explained her peculiar position to the Kindergarten
governess, a Miss Foster, and that lady had readily entered into this
arrangement.
It was a great relief to Lucy to find that Hugh was soon quite happy
among his new surroundings, returning home with plenty of wonders to
tell, and being always eager for next day’s start. Miss Foster often
came to the door to see Lucy and to deliver over her pupil. She was
loud in praise of the little boy, confiding to Lucy that his state
of mental development was so different from that of too many of her
pupils. They had generally been left so much in the care of servants
and nurses.
“A little one who is generally in the company of its mother, or
of somebody who really cares for it, may be said to enjoy all the
advantages of kindergarten from its very cradle,” she remarked. “Its
education has been going on happily and unconsciously all the while.
Its little brain and hands have found occupation in imitating the work
or doings it sees. It is not left to gape and stare at the things
around—all wonders to it—but it is encouraged to ask questions, and it
gets its questions cheerfully and patiently answered.”
“I suppose that is a very important item,” said Lucy.
“Yes, indeed,” said Miss Foster. “A careless nurse may often answer
a question, but she does this snappily, perhaps with a hasty shake
or a cross remark that the child is ‘a silly, little worrit.’ That
encourages no further inquiry, and the baby-mind often closes over
ridiculously wrong impressions, which can only confuse and blur its
mind and all its processes.”
Lucy smiled.
“Yes,” she answered, “I can understand that, for children generally
want a second answer to explain the first. I remember Hugh once asked
me as we walked past some burial ground what it was used for. I told
him ‘to put people’s bodies in when they die.’ He said ‘Oh!’ and
walked along quietly, but looking puzzled. I felt sure he had some
afterthought, so I said, ‘You have learned what a burial ground is now,
Hughie, haven’t you? To put people’s bodies in when they die.’ Hughie
snuggled up to me and whispered the confidential question, ‘If they
only put their bodies there, what do they do with their heads?’ What
an idea he would have carried away if his second question had not been
drawn out!”
Miss Foster laughed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account