Show OUR CHILDREN by ANGELO PATRI DONT LAUGH take thenis choa find and C their ways seriously A lot af 0 thought and effort so go into their work and play the results of their efforts took look good to them the lopsided box the crooked sheet of paper the primitive sketches are perfect in their eyes when you point to them with the finger of scorn when you et at them you roil hurt the rhe creator of these works to the heart beart tie ile put all he had into them and you poke run fun at it all ali artists nit alt craftsmen work to la their vision belore before ever a tool too touches the material the idea Is complete the worker sees only that thai vision not until his hands are lifted and the work set apart does he realize the spat span that lies iles between his vision and ilia his work gradually as his fervor cools the realization of 0 tn imperfection PerfectiOn dawns upon him another via vision too Is born and another work ift 1 star started tedi it will be started it tile his spirit Is nut not crushed it will not be started it if ridicule kills the creative spirit teachers and parents often fall to get tola this point of view which to Is the childs very own to the teacher every error stands out like a sore thumb parents feel the efforts of their children keenly they struggle along and suffer with them it Is to bide their anxiety and their pain that they so often belittle a childs effort dont do that appreciate tile the work of the childs mind and hand go behind the clumsy effort to the vision the child cherished so long as his work Is sincere it Is good you can say any so safely so long ions as the child cherishes his vision and struggles to co attain it he can be encouraged and praised screen his unseasoned spirit from biting sarcasm and the bitterness of ridicule it Is cruel to wound a child through his work this Is true of very little children as well as older ones when a child tries to tel a story and falters using the wrong words falling failing to catch his 0 own wn idea den firmly enough to express it clearly it funny it Is as great a disappointment to him as a bad investment Is for you and you know how bow you welcome the sarcasms of your friends on that point unless you can stand beside the child unless you can see what he sees and feel nit as he feels unless you can understand his impulse and 1 appreciate his bis effort to create and to express you cannot help him then at least you need not hurt him laughter can be as cruel as a blow and as kind as a caress THEY a hale MADE ME IF F THERE Is any one thing more than another that makes me long to be merlin and have the power to change children into other forms and persons it Is the cry ue he made me do R it the instant a child says that he betrays his weakness that pitiful weakness that makes him a tool for all who care to use him it la Is useless to scold and fume about it it ile he says that because he Is that kind of a child we have to seek for some magic that will turn him into the other sort of child the one who wha says not me you cant fool me go chase yourself I 1 am always heartened when a childs mischief or mistakes are positive when he be says 1 I did that I 1 wanted to see what old llan alan willis would say any if I 1 put a brick through his garage window anyway hes too gay calling us names and telling our fathers on us all the time I 1 dont feel fee discouraged even when the offense Is worse than that when roland ran away and hitch hiked for a week and then wired home send me ticket im tired hiking I 1 got a sore toot foot he got the ticket and a calm reception ills ells aw I 1 was tired of hearing her telling me I 1 was left back because I 1 know this or I 1 know that sure I 1 remembered my mother but I 1 was coming back I 1 knew I 1 had no right to use the money for the groceries for myself but I 1 needed some and so I 1 just took took it along I 1 can manage all that because it is direct an and positive there was some thought behind it but when he says bays 1 I was coming home and I 1 met him and he be say to me you gotta come along im going to boat beat it on the freight tonight I 1 said I 1 want to go but tie he made me I 1 feel sick alck 1 I know I 1 have to get out the magic wand and the incantations and the blue powder and make a magic that will change this child into it a real one with a mind and a purpose and a will first I 1 call in the chair specialist and I 1 glie ghe him a list of things which he Is to investigate thoroughly this child must have in him SOllie somewhere where something of strength on chich we can build then I 1 want to feed him right 1 want something of the quality ot of the molher mother lug tug g earth to go from them to him next neit I 1 want him to live with peo pi who are close to what i wani wan him film to be goodness Is catching man ners and morals are infectious you can do a lot to change elie die negative nei tive child into a positive one if you work hard at the jib 31 and have a lot of faith in him and in oi irsell F faith afta goes before work always 0 bell syndicate service |