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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1901)
THE COURIER per workers, and the other an evening meeting for the purpose of promoting sociability among the club members and their invited guests. An address will bo gived by some well known literary worker and refreshments will be served. One of tho few organizations which withholds membership from any candi date not willing to work, is the club for tho Study of Child Nature, in New York. Tho members are all mothers and have a vital interest in the subject of child study. During the twelve years that tho club has been in active operation it never has held a meeting outside of a home, had a formal lecture or in any way courted publicity. The club was started by throe women who met once a week for the purpose of determining the best stories to be read to children of various ages. Such inspiration was de rived from the authors studied that the mothers determined to make personal investigations for themselves. Formed thus originally for study, the club has adhered faithfully to that principle, each member interpreting for herself the subjects treated in the text-books and comparing experiences with her associates at the meetings. It confines its attention mainly to the ethics of the home rather than with tho outside life of children, with occasional discussion of subjects relating to the physical de velopment of the little ones. ''There is no member of the club who fails to prepare a paper when her turn comes around," said the club secretary. "Some beg to be let off, pleading that they can write nothing original, but they are told that selections from ac credited authors will serve the purpose and that a paper is obligatory and inevi table. Certain women dropped out for this reason. They were willing, even glad, to listen to the papers and argu ments and profit thereby, but to take active part in tho proceedings was too much for them. "Others came to take their place and insight into human nature is gained through the association of opinions and ideas of so many minds all directed to one line of thought. We have fifty act ive members and are assured of a subject for a study which is inexhaustible in in terest and certain to attract members as long as there are-any mothers in the world. home and the social school life of chil dren up to the age when they are un avoidably drawn into companionship other than that of the mother. The club meetings are limited to an hour and a half, but frequently topics taken up prove of such engrossing a nature that tho time is protracted unawares. "Obstinacy, whether due to mental incapacity or to sensitive temperament; and 'the germ and nature of various falsehoods, whether due to fear, love of gain or to exhuLerant imagination are subjects that have been looked into. Another point that is in need of settling which is yet a subject of debate is the amount of personal attention that a mother should vouchsafe her child, the question being: 'Is it right that the children should monopolize the mother's attention to such an extent that other members of the family, the father, for instance, may be at a disadvantage therefrom; and does the time devoted to young children stunt the natural growth of the mother?' A topic that aroused much interest one morning was 'Should language be simplified to meet the understanding of the child, or should the child be elevated to a feeling of ease in an atmosphere of refinod lan guage?' "Our fifty members are all workers and women who take high rank in in telligence and loyalty to the subject undertaken. When the subjects recon noitered have widened out in a manner that demanded much more study than was expected 'hey have not shirked the task, but pushed the investigation to the furthest. 'Should the desire for the right of franchise be inculcated in daughters, and the influence of this right on social conditions?' was a sub ject that involved much heated argu ment and much research for opinions and sentiments to back up the respec tive views. 'A child's natural interest in questions relative to sex,' and 'a child's innate interest in religion,' pre also posers which involve a long trail of argument. "If in looking up matter for papers on subsequent topics a member stumbles on something concerning these mooted points she treasures it up for relating at the next meeting. And that opens the discussion again. Even in regard to subjects which we can't settle satisfac torily as a body the discussions kindle iffV'i &h Our motto is 'Altiora peto' (I seek thought and are of help to the individu the higher), and wo don't protend to criticize or overthrow the old methods of doing, but to satisfy our own desire to find the best. "In all the club's meetings the purely personal element is kept in the back ground from considerations of expedi ency; but a number of the most inter esting subjects have developed from questions put anonymously in the ques tion bag which had foundation in the immediate home circle of the questioner. ''The first book taken up (or study was Rousseau's 'Emile,' and out of this grew discussions on obedience, how the true idea of property might be conveyed to a child, and the distinction that should be made between the property that is the child's through being .be stowed upon it and that which it has constructed itself. After this topic there followed a prolonged discussion relative to toys, the result being that a majority of the members resolved to taboo extravagant or useless playthings for their children and to discontinue the acceptance of them as gifts. ''Dr. Stanley Hall's various theories on child nature have been carefully read. Dr. Adler's 'Moral Instruction of Children' has been a text book. And Spencer, Locke, Ritchster, Radestock, Blackwell and other authors have been painstakingly read and discussed. "The studies are divided into two courses, the first pertaining to children under three years of age, and the other relating to everything touching on the al mothers who had half-formed conclu sions in tho matter. "The club members who have young children are urged to keep a journal of their charges' development from the first awakening of the senses in a new born infant on to the development of will power, of the mind, of language, disposition, tastes and so on, together with such miscellaneous jottings from time to time as may occur to the moth er to have bearing on the subject. "Baby ways are charming, irresistible, but our members find them none the less eo because of their efforts to discov er the order of progress that underlies them. To keep such a journal as we advocate is a task of years, but the in terest never declines; only strengthens with time. The child may never reach the ideal standard, but the work will be its own reward, and out of it comes a fuller understanding of tho child's in dividuality. "The plan of classification adopted is based on Preyor's method. First, we make note of an infant's perception of light and dark, its first observation of objects and first intimation of a sense of color, its interest in bright objects, in moving objects, in strangers, in animals and in new impressions. "The date is taken of the first time it betokened Interest in looking out of a window or gave sign of noting a toy or any object in the room. Along with these note6 is kept the times of its first sense of hearing and when it first IF m iS&tei 'wm uinuiuv iiw r.nnviiiwunuuN av nvniiii wvnwiwKimiivii fas The fact that a purchase made here represents a 0 paying investment is worthy of consideration. It's a paying- investment because no matter what you buy, you can rely on its worth, and the price you'll pay is by no means a standard by which to judge its worth. fe The price is always smaller than the value. 0& It's this way: we buy great quantities and buy cheaply; we sell great quantities and can attord toet! sell cheaply. WAISTS AND SKIRTS New walking- skirts of Melton cloth, stitched flounce effect, Oxfords on ly, each $2.50 Lawn waists in pink and light blue, sailor collar, hemstitched, solid tucked front, tucked back, ea.. 97c White lawn waists with 5 rows of inch-wide inser tion and embroidered cuff, each 97c Percale wrappers, good quality, colors red, black, blue and grey, flounce, ruffle over shoulder, trim med with braid, each.. 97c 42-inches au uurc w DRESS GOODS. Black cheviot, ...wv, .,.. v iw rl(-i((iSr wool, particularly desira- J& ble for skirts, actual value w1' 50c, our price, per yd.39c Superior quality all wool sp) French printed challies in gjti all the popular shades, HP suitable for waists, per 2 v.ird Sflp W && Knit Underwear. Women's summer vest", ribbed, sleeveless, each 3c Women's Richelieu ribbed vests, extra sizes, taped, sleeveless, usu ally sold at 19c:, our price, each.. I23c Women's light weight union suits, long sleeves, worth 75:, our price, each 50c We carry many styles and makes in underwear that can't be had elsewhere; many exclusive novelties. All wool hnmpsniin. 50 wide, Oxford greys, a good p meuium weignt, actual value 75c, our price . . 50c ' We'll be glad to send vou I samples it you want them. Men's Furnishings. A lot of boyB heavy blue Madras shirts, well made, excellent wear ing goods, sizes 13 to 14, worth 40.:, our price, each 25c Boys' Brownie Overalls, made of Bpieuuiii grauo ui uiue uenim, sizes 4 to 15 years, worth 35 and 40c, our price, each 25c Men's fancy socks, in the very fashionable colors, red and blue, fast colors seamless, all sizes, worth 15 and 20c, our price lOcapair.or 3 pairs for 25c 2&"i. m:ivcojwv, xebr. &?2.t ?sm Preferences i ? i WE long ago learned that to argue against a wo man's preferences was a mere waste of time consequently we never try. We sell every good sort of typewriter in its best form. One of these will suit your requirements. Plenty o unbiased advice, however, if you require it. P. E. ALMOND, II06 O Street . . . Teleiaom 769 WNCOIN, XEBR. ijfL& f A W Y F V S Send The Courer your legai, notices i i-k v Y l l0 files are kept in fire proof buildings. kf CSk 3: