Imagination. - This faculty is active in the sensitive, responsive type of child. The busy little brain pictures people, objects and scenes many times without the conscious volition of its owner, where there is no thought of being untruthful. One such was told that he must explain when he was going to tell "a fairy story", so his listeners would know it was just "make believe", like "Jack the Giant Killer". After that he would raise a small but impressive forefinger and announce, "Listen! I'm doin' to tell a fairy tory'.' Another little one having eaten at my house a simple luncheon at which hot gingerbread and apple sauce served as dessert, reported at home a marvelous meal with chicken and three kinds of cake. It was difficult to convince the mother that the three year-old had simply taken "poetic license" to embellish the frugal meal with all the magic of a "fairy tory".
If we desire three and four-year-old minds to be literal in every respect we must refrain from telling them bedtime stories and in other ways stimulating their imagination and love of the wonderful and beautiful. Later, admiration of the heroes and heroines of fiction may lead them to dramatize these personages -Robin Hood or other famous characters.
Last fall a nine-year-old boy appeared at my door with a "band" composed of his two small sisters and some equally diminutive neighbors, all ingeniously arrayed in imitation of Robin Hood and his men. Even fat Friar Tuck was there. The leader carried a small but well stuffed cornmeal sack, and in a deep voice demanded to know if I was "very poor". Having seen "Robin Hood" on the screen a few days before, the meaning of the sack instantly occurred to me. I assured him that I was "very poor, indeed", whereupon the sack was thrust into my hands with the hearty assurance that it was full of gold and I need never be poor again. Peering toward the shrubbery I evoked out of my imagination a score of King John's men and hurriedly hid "Robin" and his band under couch and bed the while I bravely sallied forth to divert the ruffians from the trail by assuring them that the quarry they sought had passed to the north ten minutes before.
We had a merry time and the bag of pebbles I had received remained until when moving from the city I was forced to leave it behind although reluctant to do so, as it was a happy reminder of the dramatic faces of the little band to whom that kindly deed of bestowing the bag of gold was as real as any other of that day's happenings. It is well to remember that while older children may realize the "make believe" in this kind of play, to the three or five-year-old it is as real as their own little fingers and toes.
Truth is golden, deceit is cowardly or malicious. Wise is the parent who succeeds in impressing upon the little ones the importance of absolute straightforwardness in respect to all serious matters, while still permitting some play to the harmless imagination.
Unwise Discrimination.-The fundamental virtues-Com-age, Perseverance, Truthfulness, Industry, are neither male nor female but the possession of all noble souls. No rounded human character-man or woman-is without them.
The child so unfortunate as to he deficient in these qualities must not be discouraged by the suggestion that such faults are limitations of sex, hut encouraged to overcome the deficiency. Such expressions as "you cry like a girl"; or "you are just as rough and awkward as a boy", are not calculated to harmonize relationships between brother and sister, or to increase mutual respect. Some boys lack bravery; some girls are truly courageous; some boys are easy and graceful in movement and manner; some girls the reverse. But holding an individual of either sex up to the ridicule of the opposite is neither just nor wise. Such suggestions sink deep into childish hearts and do incalculable harm, often resulting in juvenile contempt-and even persecution. Attempting to stimulate a child to moral betterment by belittling or ridiculing, and thus destroying-the happiness and self respect of another-is a far greater wrong than leaving the original fault unremedied.
"I wish they were both girls, I can't do a thing with Tommy", makes Mary feel disagreeably self righteous and Tommy more refractory than ever. "Johnnie, if you don't stop crying, I am going to put one of Susie's dresses on you, boys are supposed to be brave", is not calculated to encourage Susie, though a short time before she had borne the intense pain of a bad burn with remarkable bravery and self control during the long weeks in which the arm had to be dressed daily.
Truly, "there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond or free, male or female. They are all one", fundamentally human!
Constructive Training calls for constructive and affirmative suggestions, the holding up of high ideals of life and conduct. Destructive and negative suggestions, like the ones just cited, are conducive to nothing save heart burnings, the creation of false standards and perversions of character. The boy who is expected to be boorish and unmanageable will scarcely fail to fulfill these expectations. The little girl who hears nothing but talk of dress and society-who is indirectly taught that no one expects courage of a girl, or genuineness or other high and noble qualities so long as she is ornamental, will have many things to unlearn before her life can become a positive factor through self development and a blessing to others.
The Fundamental Human Virtues are indispensable to each of us-whether male or female-though in the lives of men and women, widely differing uses for them may be found. An earnest study of psychology will show all intelligent guardians of the young that the faults of "children wax strong or are overcome in exact ratio with the wisdom and persistence with which we keep constantly before them noble examples, direct them wisely and inspire them through helpful suggestions.