244 MORE POT-POURRI 



She went, and did not even nod. 



What had I said that could annoy ? 

 Mothers are really very odd 



If you are born a little boy. 



I could go on quoting for ever from Mr. Quick's book, 

 but why should I when it is within reach of all ? His 

 last sentence is : ' The duty of each generation is to gather 

 up the inheritance from the past, and then to serve the 

 present and prepare better things for the future.' How 

 can there be a better motto for young or old ? 



The Kindergarten system, when well carried out, seems 

 to be the best method of teaching children under seven, 

 and a Kindergarten child has more thoughtful independ- 

 ence than other children. I once tried to make a boy 

 of five clean his teeth, but he was rebellious that night, 

 and in an unguarded moment I said he must. So after 

 standing some time beside him I said : ' I do not know 

 how long you mean to keep me here, but I can't give in 

 now I have said you must.' The child answered quite 

 calmly : ' Well, it is odd, mother, you should say that, as 

 it is exactly what I feel.' And then we came in some way 

 to an amiable compromise which hurt no one's dignity. 

 It is so idiotic in the management of children to give 

 direct orders which they do not understand and which 

 appear to them as unreasonable tyranny. A mother had 

 better command by example, not by authority. Subjection 

 and blind obedience are all wrong, and result from what 

 is quite a mistaken idea of the evolution of the universe. 

 ' Every human being has a claim to a judicious develop- 

 ment of his faculties by those to whom the care of his 

 infancy is confided.' 



Teeth cleaning of children used to be thought rather 

 an unnecessary tyranny. It has assumed different pro- 

 portions now, and it ought to be seen to in all schools. 

 A great many people will be surprised to learn that 



