f f -HOME- BOYSANoGIRLS BERTHA JOHNSTON HOME OCCUPATIONS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS BERTHA JOHNSTON KDITOR OF THE " KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE ' ASSISTED BY FANNY CHAPIN PEN DIRECTOR OF THB CHICAGO LATIN SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO. PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1908 By GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO. PUBLISHED OCTOBER, 1908 All rights reserved Printed in U.S.A. Teach him. He is naturally clever. From his earliest years, when he was a little fellow only so big, he would build mud houses, carve out boats, and make little wagons of leather, and frogs out of pomegranate rinds, you can 't think how cleverly. Aristophanes, 421 B. C. 2O66023 PREFACE The plan of this book has special reference to the .Mother when comes the woful plaint, "I don't know what to do ! Mama, what can I do now ?" Is she busy in the kitchen? She has right there material for the little one's happy employment. Is she mending the stockings ? She can give him needle and thread and, with the aid of this book, a word of sug- gestion. In spare moments both mother and children can together prepare papers, cards, etc., for future occasions. It will be found upon examination that although some of the articles described herein require material peculiar to certain localities, very many more may be made of things to be found in every home, whether the city flat or the remote country homestead. Usu- ally a choice is possible. One may use the cardboard, paper, etc., saved from the scrap-basket or may send to supply houses for material partially prepared. It is an undoubted advantage for the child to be trained to see the possibilities in the raw material lying at hand. It stimulates his inventive imagination and makes for efficiency and the power to cope with emergencies. The child accustomed to looking upon odds and ends of wire, paper, weeds, seeds, and grasses as hiding delightful secrets which he may learn to un- ravel and utilize, may be readily trained to regard all Nature as a vast storehouse open to his investiga- tion, and a continual source of inspiration. The child, habituated to mastering the raw ma- terial of his immediate environment, will not be dis- comfited if thrown upon an unknown shore, whether arctic or tropical. He will recognize everywhere 5 6 Preface about him possibilities for shelter, food, clothing, and transportation and will know how-to use them. But the child must be trained to perceive the beautiful and the ideal as well as the useful. Into each article here described, even the simplest, enter the elements of beauty, proportion, harmony of line and color, and good, true workmanship, leading surely, even if unconsciously, to an appreciation of the best wherever found. In making an article as a gift for child or adult, thought for others is cultivated and the frequently needed help of older brother or sister encourages the spirit of goodwill and kindliness. The festival occasions are especially valuable in developing the sense of interdependence and large- mindedness. Among a people proverbially wasteful it is cer- tainly the part of wisdom to train the child to economy for the sake of future service. The contents of the city garbage barrel are found by business men to be worth sorting and classifying and everything proves to be of some use. Why should not the child be taught, before throwing away the discarded picture book, to ask if there is not a use for it still ? A nation so trained will preserve its forests and save its Niagaras. It will see things material and things spiritual in their true relations. We would suggest that a little cupboard be placed within easy reach of the child. Here he may keep his own scissors, paste, pencil and papers, ready for use when the propitious moment of inspiration seizes him. Too much exactness must not be required of the very young child, but as fast as he is able to do good work insist upon the best of which he is capable. Preface 7 Train him always to try to surpass himself. Above all, let him be happy in the doing. The ideas offered in this volume have been gar- nered from various sources. Practical experience in the home has suggested many, and actual daily work in the kindergarten has given rise to others. A few, such as the thimble biscuit party and croquet with peas, are among the recollections of happy childhood. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the obligation to Miss Fanny Chapin, of Chicago, a kindergartner of long experience, for the comradeship of thought which made the book possible. Miss Chapin also con- tributed the directions for making feather flowers, many of the holiday suggestions, and other items scat- tered through the book. The conversion of corks into a set of furniture was learned from a German playmate twenty-five years ago. Imagine the interest with which we dis- covered a set, almost identical, at the German exhibit of the recent International Kindergarten Union. The candlesticks of tin or cardboard, brightened with colored tissue-paper, varied to suit particular occasions, is a regular feature of the festival dinners at the Gertrude House, Chicago. To one and all to whom, consciously or uncon- sciously, we may be indebted for any suggestions, we express our thanks. A perusal of this little volume will show that it is far from exhaustive of the topics treated. It is largely a book of suggestion. If it stimulates the child to new investigations and experiments along similar lines ; if it reinforces the spirit of brotherly kindness in the home; or if it helps to solve any of the problems of the mother, the hopes of the authors will be accomplished. BERTHA JOHNSTON. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. The Secrets of the Market Basket n II. Mother Nature's Horn of Plenty 39 III. Saved from the Scrap Basket 53 IV. The Sewing-Basket 69 V. The Paint Box 73 VI. Dolls and Doll-Houses 80 VII. Plays and Games 92 'VIII. Festival Occasions 107 IX. The Key Basket 141 X. The Child's Library 149 XL Kindergarten Materials The Gifts.... 155 XII. " " The Occupations . 164 CHAPTER I THE SECRETS OF THE MARKET BASKET The busy but thoughtful mother will find in the contents of the market basket many possibilities for happily employing the creative instinct of her child. We give a few suggestions which demand activity of both mind and body. STRAWBERRY-BOXES Seed-Markers (No tools needed but the fingers) Remove the rim of wood which binds the box into shape, that the little tacks may not injure the child. Then let him tear the sides and bottom into little slats which can be used as seed-markers. Older children can write upon them the names of seeds, and when planted put one of these slats into the ground to indicate where the seeds may be expected to come up. The little child enjoys the sense of power that he feels simply in being able to tear these boxes apart, but let the're be a thought back of the action if it seem to degenerate into pure destructiveness. Toy-Fences (Employing fingers only) Split the boxes with the fingers into pieces wide or narrow, as desired, and the slats thus made can be turned into fences for the play farm in the sand-box, or for borders for small flower beds. ( i ) Stick them 11 12 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls into the sand or earth side by side, to suggest a plain board fence; or (2) Put very narrow ones at short intervals apart to suggest a picket fence. Toy-Fences (Scissors, tacks) If old enough to use scissors, let the child cut the boxes apart with long scissors and use for fences as before, (i) Side by side for board fence. (2) Cut into very narrow strips for picket fence. Use the rim of the basket for the rail to unite the pickets, fastening them with the tiny tacks which are already in it. Pickets might be one inch apart. Cutting the tops of the pickets into points will complete the resemblance to a real fence. Put the rails about one-half inch from top. Boxes for tacks, seeds, etc. (Scissors, paste, paste- sticks, ribbon, &}/ 2 inches long, i l / 2 inches wide, ivall-paper, pan with zvater) Take two pieces of a box, each measuring 2x5 inches. Soak in water till soft. Place one directly across the middle of the other, and bend the four projecting ends up perpendicularly into box form. (i) Hold the sides in place by winding the ribbon around the four sides, till they meet, and paste the one overlapping end over the other. (2) Cut a piece of wall-paper (obtainable often from a wall-hanger's shop) into a strip i l / 2 x % l / 2 inches and wind around, pasting one end over the other. If the child is inex- perienced the paper may be cut of exactly the height of box. If skillful in so doing, let him cut the strip y 2 inch wider and turn down over the top to give a little finish. This gives practice in neatness and skill. Let the child observe how a Swedish matchbox- is made the wood held together by strips of thin but The Secrets of the Market Basket 13 tough paper and then carry his thought to the far- distant land which sends us the magic wands that give us light with safety. And all carried in a tiny box made of wood and paper. Decalcomanias might be used for decoration of the plain wooden box. Let the child experiment in making boxes of different shapes and sizes for his collections of seeds, stones, etc. This cultivates his ingenuity and practical imagination. Picture Frames (Scissors, thumb-tacks, gold paint, water-colors, glue) Cut three slats, each I x 8 inches, to make triangu- lar frame. Unite with thumb-tacks, one at each of the three corners. To place them exactly the right way may take a little experimenting, which helps develop the child's sense of proportion and arrangement. When joined, cut off the projecting parts at the top to give pointed effect. Good for pictures of Indians, as wigwam is suggested. Decorate by gilding or painting. Can be painted with Ivory paints or water- colors. Chicken-Coops (Scissors, glue) Remove the rim, bottom (in one piece) and two adjoining sides of a berry box. This leaves two sides remaining which are already bent into correct form for coop. Cut the bottom of the box in half from corner to corner. This gives the triangular back of the coop which must be glued on. The slats must now be made and put into place. Cut three slats each Yz inches wide, (i) In each of the two front edges of the coop cut three horizontal slits ^ inches deep ; slip the slats into these and cut off the projecting ends. The slats at the top will necessarily be shorter than 14 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls those at the bottom. (2) Or an older child can cut in each of the two edges 3 notches JH$ inches deep and Ys inches high and glue the slats into these, thus : Chicken- Coop. Paste-Sticks (Boxes, scissors} Cut sides of boxes into slender pieces which can be put aside and used for paste-sticks when pasting is the order of the day. They will prove to be better than brushes. Wagon (Thumb-tacks, button-molds, skewers, glue, small, slender nails) Take two boxes. Remove rims. Bend down one side of each of the boxes so that it is horizontal. Lap one of these exactly over the other and join with thumb-tacks. This makes the body of coal wagon. For wheels use (i) large wooden button-molds or (2) the cardboard circles round which ribbons come. Make axles of skewers. Glue axle to bottom of wag- on, slip on the wheels and insert small, slender nail to keep wheel from coming off. If skewers are not at hand whittle a slender piece from a stick of kindling wood, whittling the ends until slender enough for the wheels to slip on. Paint spokes on the wheels and paint the wagon, using any paint at hand. The Secrets of the Market Basket 15 Candy-Boxes [ (Fancy paper, crinkled-paper or Button-Boxes j silk, glue, paint} Take a berry-box and dye with Diamond dyes. Line it with crinkled paper or dainty flowered wall- paper or silk. To do this, fold the paper or silk one inch over on itself from the top, for hem. Gather or pleat the silk near the top with silk of same color and glue to the inner side of the basket near the top, leav- ing a little projecting edge for ruffle. Leave the lower ends free. The silk should be two inches wider than the depth of the basket and one and one- third times as long as the four sides of the basket. Now take a square of cardboard the size 'of the bot- tom of the basket and cover it smoothly with a square of silk, folding the silk neatly over the sides and catch- ing it across so as to be smooth on the right side. Put this silk square down in the bottom of the basket and it will hold the sides of the lining firm. A basket may be lined with paper in the same way, using glue to hold it in place. As paper can not very well be gathered, the top may be glued down smoothly or the paper may be pleated. Hanging-Basket (Lead from tea-box, ribbon or wire, earth, seeds') Line a berry box with the lead, fill with good earth and plant vines or flower-seeds. Suspend by ribbon or wire. Dolls' Furniture (Spools, scissors, glue) 1. Table. Make a table by cutting a slat from a basket into an oblong 2x3 inches and glue to spool for dining-table. 2. Bed. Soak a few moments and when flexible cut an oblong 2x6 inches and bend one end up i^ 1 6 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls inches to form head of bed. Bend the other end up y* inch to form the foot. Glue two spools to the bot- tom of this for legs, one at each end. 3. Chair. Make chairs for the same set by cut- ting a piece of the box to measure 1x2 inches. Bend across the middle so that a right angle is formed and glue one side to a spool. The other half forms the back of the chair. Such furniture may be colored with dyes or Ivory paints, PEAS Shelling Peas ( Tin pans) Let the child help Mother to shell the peas for dinner. Children enjoy work of this kind when co- operating with the mother or father. They like to do what Mother is doing when she is doing it too. This will be an excellent time to tell Hans Andersen's story of the "Five Peas that Dwelt in a Pod". As a reward let the child plant a few peas in a box or out-of-doors. Pea-Pod Boat (Pan of water, pcapods) Give a small child a dish-pan filled with water and a peapod for a boat, with peas for passengers and he will entertain himself for a long time. Let the frequency with which he is allowed this privilege de- pend upon his care in keeping himself and his sur- roundings dry, thus leading to neatness and self-con- trol. Pea Furniture (See chapter on kindergarten occupa- tions) The Secrets of the Market Basket 17 Numeral Frame or Abacus {Hair-wire, cardboard stationery box) Get ten slender pieces of wire about six inches long. Put one pea on the first, two on the second, three on the third, etc., until you reach the last, on which place ten. Take an empty stationery box, and cut away the bottom leaving the four sides intact as a frame. Into this frame insert the ten wires, the one with one pea at the top, then No. 2, 3, etc. The child can then prac- tice counting the different combinations up to ten. Instead of peas such a series of units could be made by stringing cranberries or rose-haws on a waxed thread. POTATOES AND SQUASH Potato Horse (Three potatoes, slender sticks or tooth-picks, raveled string or coarse black thread) Take large potato for body of horse, a smaller one for the neck, and another for the head. Join them with sticks broken to convenient length. Four other sticks make the legs, two little ones the ears and the string or thread the flowing tail. The tail can be at- tached to a tack or pin and inserted. Squash or Sweet Potato Animals (Crooked-neck squash or sweet potato for each animal, slender sticks) Insert sticks for legs into crooked-neck squashes and convert into animals of various kinds, the kind depending upon the size of the neck and general shape. Sweet potatoes by their queer shapes will often suggest animals: pigs, dogs, etc., or ducks, swans, ostriches, and birds. Use tacks or shoe buttons for eyes. Dolls can be made also. 1 8 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls CORN HUSKS GREEN Mat (Husks, needle, thread) Take four smooth husks and press between blot- ting paper for 24 hours. Then tear into l /4 inch strips. Lay eight of these on the table. Take eight more and weave these under and over the first eight, making mat for doll-house. Put again between blot- ters. The next day, slide the strips together till they lie smooth and even, and close together. Fasten by sewing the outside strips lightly to the interlacing ones. Cut the extending parts off about one inch from outside strips. Feathers (Husks, scissors) Take a dozen leaves of the husks; cut slits slant- wise down the edges about l /^ inch apart. Let dry 24 hours. Then use as feathers for Indian head dress, using design on copper cent as model. CORN-COBSDRY Corn-Crib (Cobs, hammer, nails, cover of starch-box) To a small piece of thin wood like the cover of a starch-box nail four short cobs of equal length for legs (half an inch or an inch long). Around the four sides, on top, nail a row of slender cobs for the walls of the corn crib. Make roof of cobs or lay a piece of cardboard across. Nail from below, through the board. It will require a little thought to determine just where the nail must go in order to run through the board and into the cob above, but tell the child that he is a little carpenter and must make careful The Secrets of the Market Basket 19 measurements. Ask if he can think why the crib is raised thus from the ground. (To preserve the corn from the rats and mice.) Toy-Raft (Cobs, rim of berry-box, tacks) Lay six or more cobs of equal length side by side upon the table. Take a piece of binding-rim of a berry-box as long as the row of cobs is wide. Lay it across the row near one end and nail it fast to each cob. Nail a similar piece across the other end. This will make a serviceable toy-raft. Stick in a skewer for a mast and make a sail-boat. Paste on the mast a triangular piece of paper or muslin for a sail. Zig-Zag Fence (Cobs only) Lay down half a dozen cobs in zigzag fashion, with their ends not quite as far apart as the length of the cobs. Then across every two ends lay another cob, and so build up the fence. Post-Fence (Cobs, tacks, skewers, slats) Lay several cobs in a row a few inches apart as posts. Unite them by laying across them two rows of skewers or kindergarten slats. Join with tiny tacks. Use in the sand-table or dolls' farm. House (Cobs, nails) (i) Take two cobs and place them opposite to each other. Place two others across the ends of the first two, at right angles to them. Then two more directly over the first two and so on, building up alternately for log cabin. This is the first simple building experiment of the little child. Two such cabins put together will make a two-roomed house. Thus made it will be crude with wide interstices be- 20 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls tween the logs, but this forms no objection to the child. (2) When he does manifest the desire for some- thing better made a house which will not admit the rain and snow a more solid house can be made thus : Place three cobs end to end to form three sides of a square. Directly upon these lay three more, and nail firmly to those beneath at the ends, with slender nails. Build up in this way as high as desirable. One side has, however, been left open. Now put in the fourth wall but leave place for the doorway. Do this by making the lower part of the wall of cobs so short that they do not even go half way across the opening. Take two such short cobs and nail each to the side of the house. A little space will be left between them, say of two inches. Take two more of same length and place on top of the first two and nail in place. The third cob may be long enough to extend straight across the little house making the top of the doorway. Put another and another on top until the last row is reached. Roof with similar logs or with cardboard. The child can be trained a little in forethought when led to save anything like corncobs for possible use in the future. Furniture (4 short cobs, 4 long slender ones, tacks 1 , cheesecloth, fine cord, cotton batting} Take four short cobs for sturdy legs. Nail to these four slender cobs for bed-frame. In the inner part of the long sides of the bed hammer small tacks about y^ inches apart. Then string cord from one tack across to the opposite one and so on, to make springs. Make mattress of cheesecloth stuffed with cotton. Other furniture can easily be made in similar manner. The Secrets of the Market Basket 2 1 In this work, as with other suggestions here given, older children will need to help younger ones and thus the spirit of helpfulness and sympathy is exercised. CORN KERNELS DRY Portieres (Kernels of corn, straws, needle, coarse thread, pan) Soak corn in pan of water over night or till soft. Get inch-long pieces of straw at kindergarten supply store, or, if obtainable in the country, get the straws entire and let the children cut them into inch pieces. In all this work it is desirable to let the child do as much as possible himself. Later, when familiar with materials and simple processes, let him use the pre- pared bought material. Now, let him string the corn and straws alter- nately. He can then vary by stringing first one kernel and one straw ; then two kernels and one straw ; then three, etc. This gives practice in counting, and ex- ercises also his sense of taste and proportion and his invention. A pretty effect can be secured by using kernels of the two colors, red and yellow. Suspend a number of such strings in the door- way; they may be all of the same length or may be very short in the middle of the doorway and gradually get longer as the jamb is approached. Designing (Red and yellow kernels) On a rainy day let the child employ his inventive skill in making designs of the red and yellow kernels on a flat table. He can lay them in squares, oblongs, crosses, etc. 22 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls POP-CORN There are few American children who need to be told how to pop corn; they see it done before they are able to do it themselves. But this fascinating oc- cupation is not known to many children outside of the United States. Perhaps it is well that our children should appreciate their privilege in this respect. If a popper is unobtainable, corn can be quickly and deliciously popped by putting a tablespoonful of butter in a deep kettle and when it is hot dropping in a cupful of popcorn. Shake or rather stir to keep from burning and in a short time the kettle will be full of the white popping fairy-like kernels. Salt or sugar can be sprinkled in as desired. Balls (Com, popper, sugar, molasses or water) Make a thin syrup by boiling together equal quantities of sugar and water or two cupfuls sugar, one of molasses or syrup, one teaspoonful vinegar, and butter size of an egg. Cook until it hardens when dropped in water, then pour it over 8 quarts of popped corn as quickly as possible and mold into balls, making about twenty. If made with strawberry syrup the color will be a beautiful red. Festoons (Popped corn, needle, coarse thread) Thread the kernels to adorn walls or picture frames or Christmas tree. NUTS Boat (Walnut shell, pan of water, toothpicks, candle- zvax) When busy with her baking the mother can give The Secrets of the Market Basket 23 the three-year-old in his high chair a half walnut shell for a boat. An older child can elaborate into a sail-boat by cutting a triangular piece of paper for a sail, glueing it to a toothpick for mast, and then melting a drop of wax from a candle. and inserting the mast while the wax is still warm. A burnt match can be shaped into a mast also. Such a fleet of tiny vessels would prettily set a table for a farewell dinner to one going abroad. Surprise Walnuts (English walnuts, baby-ribbon, tiny dolls or animals, glue) Open a number of walnuts carefully so as not to break the shell. Remove the meats and fasten the two sides together with a tiny strip of ribbon, which serves as a hinge, glueing the ends of the ribbon to the in- side of the half shells. Ribbon need be only an inch long or less. Put a tiny doll or a wee china rabbit or kitten inside the shell and tie around with ribbon. Little china animals come in sets of five or six. A little verse of greeting or a conundrum can be written and put inside if the toys are not available. A group of little children could be kept busy and happy for an afternoon making some of these little souvenirs for a home dinner or for a fair. Nut-Animals (Peanuts, toothpicks) The imagination of most children will quickly perceive resemblances to all kinds of creatures in the queer shapes of peanuts. Take such a peanut and stick into it four bits of toothpicks for legs and two tiny ones for ears. If the toothpicks are not sharp or strong enough to penetrate of themselves, make incisions with a sharp pin. One common shape suggests a cat, seated. Two 24 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls vertical pieces would make the front legs and two horizontal pieces the back legs resting on the ground. Eyes and mouth can be inked in. Another shape hints at an owl with sharp, curved beak. Another will make a hen. Once started on this line of experi- ment, the child will discover likenesses for himself. These creatures can be used in the toy farm, Peanut party (See page APPLES Candlestick (Apple, candle} Cut in the top of a rosy apple a hole of right size to hold a candle. Appropriate for Thanksgiving. A carrot can also be used thus, but a part must be cut away at the bottom so as to secure a firm base. ORANGES Baskets (Orange, smaller fruits) Cut an orange horizontally partly through the middle from each side so as to leave a part in the centre which can be cut into a handle. Hollow out the interior and put raisins, small nuts, etc., in it. RED PEPPERS Lantern (Large red pepper, knife} Hollow out a large red pepper and cut into it eyes, nose and mouth, making a miniature Jack-o'- lantern. This makes a pretty table decoration. The Secrets of the Market Basket 25 Let the child help as much as possible by making these little table decorations. If you want boy and girl to love home, give them a share in making it in- teresting and attractive. Do not discourage them if their efforts are a little crude at times. It is the spirit of good- will which makes the blessed home. EGG-SHELLS Garden (Shell, earth, birdseed) Cut an egg-shell in half horizontally, with a sharp pair of scissors, and three days before Easter put into it a little earth, place in this a little canary seed, or a single pea or bean, and a little plant will delight the child. Doll's Cradle (Shell, ribbon half an inch wide, paste, cardboard) Take a smooth white egg and blow it. To do this make a tiny pin-hole in each end, and by blowing into one end steadily the contents can be emptied out of the other. Draw lines lengthwise and crosswise around the shell, dividing it into four equal parts. Then, following the line, cut away the upper quarter toward the small end. This leaves a cradle with a small canopy. Paste the ribbon neatly around for a binding round the edge. Rockers can be made by cutting curved pieces ]/+ inch wide out of thick card- board, although such a cradle will rock without rock- ers. Mattress for above. (Thin white ribbon, milk- weed doivn, needle, sewing silk) Cut and sew the ribbon into a tiny mattress for this fairy cradle, and stuff with milkweed down. If 26 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls the ribbon is just the width of the cradle the edges of the mattress can be neatly overcast. A tiny doll may then be placed within the cradle. Boat (Goose-egg, leatherette paper, kindergarten slats) Blow the egg as described above. Cut in half lengthwise. Cut the paper into strips 1/2 inch wide. In each side of the shell cut an indentation y% inches deep and ^ inches wide for oarlocks. Then bind neatly with the paper strips. Cut the slats (or a piece of berry box will do) into tiny oars and paste a seat across, which is also cut out of a slat. Careful handling is required for these dainty toys, and if the child seems to get nervous let her do only a little at a time; but much neatness and skill is exercised in the making, and it is good practice for older children. The wise mother soon learns to de- tect the difference between the poor work which is the result of pure nervousness and that which is the consequence of carelessness. The latter should never be permitted to stand. See to it that what the child does is up to his best capacity. Humpty-Dumpty Eggs (Shell, shot, water-color paints, a bit of cotton-batting, and a bit of tough paper) Take a shell and empty of contents as described above. Enlarge the hole at one end sufficiently to drop in a dozen tiny shot obtainable at hardware store. Paste over the opening the bit of paper, and on that a little cotton to simulate hair. Paint upon the surface eyes, nose, and mouth. A comical litle toy which always regains its balance, however placed, is the result. In playing with this the child uncon- The Secrets of the Market Basket 27 sciously imbibes a few ideas about equilibrium, equi- poise, etc. Tell him you want him to be a man that, however placed, will always be able to get upon his feet again. Foot-ball, or rather it might be called Breath-ball (Egg-shell, -water-color paints) Take an empty shell and paint to resemble a foot- ball or in some college or High School colors. See page 99 for directions for game. Toy Lamp (See under Doll-Houses) PRUNES AND RAISINS Turtle (Raisin and five cloves') Take a plump raisin and stick into it five cloves for head and legs. Man (Raisins or prunes, toothpicks} Make a man by running a toothpick through three raisins for a body. Into the top one stick two other toothpicks, with two raisins each for arms and two other toothpicks with raisins make the legs. Each leg has a projecting raisin for a foot and another large raisin makes the head. These are fun-makers for a children's party, one at each plate. SEEDS Stringing (Squash seeds dried, strong thread, nee- dle) Little children can be happily occupied making 28 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls chains of squash, pumpkin, and water-melon seeds that have been saved and made soft by soaking awhile in water. The black seeds of the water-melon alternate prettily with the white seeds of the other gourds. Variety can be introduced by stringing sev- eral of one color and then several of another, counting by twos, threes, etc. This gives exercise in counting, in pleasing grouping of colors, and so exercises both the invention and the taste of the very little child. Designing (Black seeds, white seeds} Let the child make designs of the seeds upon the table. Place a black one for a centre and a white one on each side. Repeat this figure for a foot or more, placing the groups an inch apart and observe the effect. Tell him thus to make a design for the frieze of the room. Another effect is produced by placing a white seed as a centre and placing four or five around it. Vary still further by placing a circle of black seeds around the whole. These few examples will serve to indicate the endless variety that can be secured, and is a training in invention and taste. Let the child always have in mind a design for some par- ticular purpose, as of wall-paper, oil-cloth, etc. Lead him to observe similar effects in carpets, wall-paper, etc. The best of these attempts can be made com- paratively permanent by pasting upon small sheets of tinted bristol-board. The chief value in preserv- ing any such work is for purposes of comparison as the child improves. Counters Save out 24 white and 24 black seeds for coun- ters in checkers, go-bang, etc. The Secrets of the Market Basket 29 Squash-Seed Chicken ( inches in length and 2 l / 2 inches in width across the upper part, forms an excellent model. If one does not draw habitually, use tracing paper when tracing the pattern. If one uses water- color paints successfully, paint the deep blue band across the upper part of the shield, and the twelve red stripes running from the band to the lower edge of the shield. For those who do not paint, dark red and blue paper may be substituted very successfully. A touch of gold paint on the edge of the shield adds greatly to the effect. Write each guest's name on a card measuring 2 l /z inches in length and i l /2 inches in width. Attach a card by means of red, white and blue ribbon to upper corner of each shield. Rockets (Red, zvhite and blue paper, paste, gold paint, slender ivooden sticks) Rockets are made in the same manner as fire- crackers, excepting that the paper strips are cut wider, viz. : 3 or 4 inches in width, and more strips are re- quired to give the proper size. This may be left to the maker's discretion. When the rockets are rolled and pasted after the 128 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls manner of the firecrackers, insert the sharp point of a pencil into the center of one end of each roll, and gently push out this center to the distance of two inches. This will give the pointed end of the rocket. These pointed ends may be gilded, as well as the slen- der sticks which are inserted at the other ends. LABOR DAY The words "parade" and "procession" are as- sociated in the minds of most American children with long lines of soldiers, and the small boy will play for hours putting his tin soldiers in rank and file, or inarching with his comrades, with pans for drums. In these later days, when the spirit of the Peace Congress is in the air, it is well that the children should become interested in struggles and battles of a different and higher order and in the parades in which long lines of honorable workers take part. In this country all self-respecting people are workers in one way or another, and though in the course of progress of cooperative movements and com- binations, among many kinds of workers, there may have been much of injustice, such movements have also been accompanied by self-sacrifice, courage and generosity of a high order. In time the good will far out-weigh the evil. As Labor Day approaches, the children, especially if the father expects to take part, will be readily interested in the day and what it should mean the solving of the great problem of the twentieth century. Meanwhile let the children feel the beauty of Walt Whitman's lines: Festival Occasions 129 "Ah little recks the laborer How near his work is holding him to God, The loving Laborer through space and time." The Labor Day parade is a revival, or survival in modern guise, of the mediaeval processions of the Guilds. Such a procession is charmingly represented in Wagner's delightful opera, "Die Meistersinger," wherein, on a festival day, we see the bakers enter, bearing the insignia of their trade, enormous pretzels and other cakes. The cobblers march in with gigantic boots and slippers suspended from tall poles ; the butchers carry hams and festoons of sausages, etc. The child may imitate such a parade in his play. In talking with the child, emphasize the obliga- tion to do good, true work and to take pride in such. Let fidelity and trustworthiness be his watchwords. Parade (Poles or broom handles, wrapping paper or newspaper, scissors, tacks, rakes, spades, etc., flags and banners) Let the children cut from the paper large out- lines of shoes, boots, hams, saws, try-squares, clocks, watches, enormous pens, knives, forks, etc., and fasten with pins or tacks to the poles. Then march to the tune of some stirring air. Some may be able to secure small garden rakes, spades and toy brooms to carry. The American flag and banners should also be carried. Toy- Processions (Trade catalogues, toothpicks, pa- per dolls, etc.) Cut out paper dolls and let each one carry a tiny toothpick upon which has been pasted a picture cut from some catalogue. These catalogues will furnish 1 30 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls pictures of shoes, carriages, saws, hammers, watches, furniture, etc. Be sure that little American flags are also carried. Dolls may be glued to spools for stand- ards. Place Cards for Dinner 1. (Bristol board, scissors, paints, brush) Make place cards of Bristol board, which may be cut into shape of shoes, watches, etc., and painted accordingly. The name of guest may be placed on reverse side. Or, on plain white card, paint a picture emblematic of a trade and write upon it also some quotation from a writer of democratic spirit. 2. (Tiny cast-iron rakes, spades and hatchets / cent each.) As a souvenir, give each guest a tiny cast-iron spade, rake and hatchet tied together with cord. Or, for a joke, these may be placed by each plate instead of knife, fork and spoon. 3. (Pen and ink or pencil, white card.) Draw on a plain, white card a picture of an ant, bee or beaver as emblematic of labor. Use for place cards. 4. (Frances S. Osgood's poem, "Labor," white cards, pen and ink.} On each card write one stanza of this beautiful poem, and after the close of the meal let each guest in turn read the lines on his card. It would be well for every child to commit this poem to memory. It is long, but sings itself easily into the mind. The word-pictures it calls up are exquisite and the learn- ing of it, little by little, would not be an unhappy task. Festival Occasions 131 HALLOWE'EN This is the festival which is given over to all kinds of merry pranks and is dearly loved by the chil- dren. It is an opportunity to teach them to discrimi- nate between the fun which is kindly and that which is malicious and productive of needless pain. Ducking for Apples and Nuts (Large pans or tubs, apples, nuts, pennies') Let the children, young and old, for once get themselves wet, if necessary, in ducking for the nuts and apples floating in the water. With a little suc- tion some of the children will be able to get pennies from the bottom of the tub. Fortune-Telling 1. With Needles. (Needles, pan of water) Name a needle for yourself and one for a friend, and put in the water, but not together. If they move safely across, it betokens good luck. Two needles meeting indicate life partnership. 2. With Toy Ships. (Pan of water, nut ships as described on page 22) Name one little vessel for yourself and one for a friend and set them afloat. If they come to port on the other side all is well. 3. With Apple Rinds. (Apple, knife) Pare an apple so that the skin comes off in one long piece. Toss over the head upon the floor, and the form it takes will give the initial letters of the name of one's future mate. 132 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls 4. With Cake. (Cake, thimble, ring, penny, etc.) Bake a cake, hiding in the dough a thimble, a ring and a penny. When cut, the recipient of the ring is fore-doomed to marriage; the one getting the thim- ble will be a spinster ; the one receiving the penny will have the pleasures and responsibilities of wealth. Apple-Biting Contest (Apple suspended front a string') 1. The apple is set swinging and two people, standing opposite each other, try as it passes to seize and hold it in the mouth. They must not touch it with the hands. 2. Tie an apple by its stem to the middle of a string about a yard long. Then two people, each tak- ing one end of the string in the mouth, begin, at a signal, to gather it as fast as possible into the mouth, and so to reach the apple. This belongs to the one reaching it first. Refreshments Apples, nuts, popcorn, cider, gingerbread and doughnuts are suitable for lighter refreshments. Baked beans and plain ice-cold rice pudding were once eaten with decided relish at a New York City Hallowe'en party, the city people evidently enjoying the contrast between this feast and the usual caterer's service. Serve fruit from a kettle suspended from three cross-sticks, a la witch. Decorations Jack-o'-lanterns of pumpkins ; strings of apples, popcorn and cranberries, and toy brooms hung here and there, as reminders of the witches who are said Festival Occasions 133 to be abroad, will add to the occasion. The pumpkins should be cut to resemble skulls. Reading Have some one read "Tarn O'Shanter's Mare" (Burns) ; also some good ghost story. Thomas Ken- drick Bangs' "Ghosts Which I Have Met" contains some good stories, all absurd. Choose a good reader for this. Place Cards 1. (White or tinted cards, Palmer Cox Brownies, ink, pen} The Brownies are delightfully funny little people without a suggestion of anything coarse or evil. The children love them. Let the older ones copy and cut them out to use as invitation cards for the Hallowe'en party or for place cards. 2. (See "Pricking," page 165.) Since witches are always associated with the pricking of pins, this is an appropriate occasion for using the kindergarten pricking. Outline some of the Brownies on tinted cards and prick as directed on page 165. 3. (See Pumpkin Jack-o'-lantern cards, page I35-) THANKSGIVING Place Cards (White paper or cardboard, brush and paints or pen and ink) i. Cut out a turkey, copying from some picture if necessary. (Picture may be found in dictionary. ) 134 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls If skilful with brush or pen, indicate the feathers, eye, etc. 2. Draw picture of a pumpkin. Cut it out. Paint in deep orange tones with shadings of brown. Cut into it eyes, nose and mouth, suggesting Jack-o'-lantern. 3. On white cards write stanzas from Whittier's poem, "The Pumpkin Pie," and let each guest read his stanza in turn. 4. Cut as many triangles as there are guests and paint each to resemble a slice of pie. One side of triangle should be curved. 5. Find a simple figure of a Puritan maiden and draw in outline ; then cut out and paint or draw in black ink the important lines. Use as place card. 6. Make little walnut boats (see page 22), and on each sail write name of guest. 7. Find picture of Mayflower and copy on white card. On reverse side write a stanza of "The Break- ing Waves Dashed High." Let each guest read his lines. (Or parts of "Hiawatha" about Mondamin may be used.) Table Souvenirs (Tiny cast-iron gardening tools, i cent each) As described under Labor Day, these tiny penny tools may be put at each place, the hatchet represent- ing the knife, the rake the fork, and the spade the spoon. Attach name of guest to set. Butter Modeling (Clay modeling tools, firm butter) If any child has acquired a little skill in clay modeling, let him try his hand at modeling out of firm butter some form expressing a Thanksgiving Festival Occasions 135 thought. It may be a piece of fruit, or some animal. Get clay modeling tools at art store. Center Piece (Pumpkin, knife, fruits and vegetables) Hollow out a pumpkin in such a way that a part of the rind is left as a handle to the remaining part, which serves as a basket. Into this basket put a variety of fruits and vegetables, emblematic of the bounties for which we are grateful. Jack-o'-lantern (Pumpkin, knife, candle) We doubt if any boy needs to be told how to cut a face in a pumpkin. A sharp knife will soon make the cuts for eyes, nose and mouth in the rind, the seedy contents having been previously removed. A hollow may be cut in the bottom of the interior to hold the candle, which can be made still steadier by melting a little from the bottom and letting it drip into this hollow, forming a waxy bed into which the candle may be inserted. Candlesticks See pages 24 and 64 for those made of apples and of cardboard and colored papers. Room Decorations 1. Corn Stalks. (Strong cord and needle, ham- mer and tacks.) Stack cornstalks in the corners of the rooms in effective positions, two or three to a corner. Those living in cities may find it well to secure these from farmer friends some time before the holiday. 2. Unhusked Ears of Field Corn. (Strong cord.) The corn husks must be turned back from the ears and cut off from them without loosening the sepa- 136 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls rate leaves. Then a number of these husks may be strung upon a strong thread or string alternating with the ears of corn. Hang along the upper part of the wall as a frieze. The rich, warm tones of the brown and yellow are very effective. 3. Cranberries and Brussels Sprouts. (String, needle.) Run upon a string half a dozen cranberries, then a Brussels sprout; then more cranberries, etc., and suspend this as a festoon along mantelshelf, in chan- delier, or over window. 4. Autumn Leaves. (See page 47.) 5. Autumn Boughs. (Oak boughs.) Oak boughs, with the rich red and russet leaves still upon them, are very handsome in the autumn. The beautiful branches may be gathered by the young people and hung in parts of the room where most effective. CHRISTMAS Place Cards 1. (Sheet black paper, Chinese white water-color paint, brush.) Cut a stocking from the black paper (obtainable at kindergarten supply store). With the paint, paint in white toes and heels. On the re- verse side write some appropriate quotation and name of guest. Stockings may be about four inches long. 2. (White paper, black ink or crayon.) Cut a rough figure of a snowman out of white paper, put in features with black ink or crayon, and write name on reverse side. 3. (Water paper, water-colors, scissors, spray of holly.) From real holly or a picture of same, paint a Festival Occasions 137 spray of green leaves and red berries. Cut out around the edges and use as name card. 4. (Red cardboard, scissors, pen, ink.) Draw an outline of a bell on cardboard and cut out. An appro- priate sentiment may be written upon one side and name of guest upon the other. Surprise Nuts (See page 23) Snowflakes for Tree (See page 59) Snowball (White cotton batting, snowftake crystals from toy store, white cotton cloth, sewing thread, mucilage) Cut two circles of cotton cloth, stuff with the bat- ting, after sewing into shape of ball. Cover lightly with snowflake crystals, first dipping ball lightly into thin mucilage. Suspend from tree. Candles (Paraffine or old candles, kettle, soft cotton string, small box of sand, pencil) Candles have sometimes been made in the kinder- garten in either of the following ways : I. Heat a pound of paraffine (bought at grocer's), or melt up some old candle ends in a kettle. Place in front of the child a cigar box containing about a quart of moist sand, smoothed level. Then with his pencil let him press into the sand, making a deep, hol- low mold just the width of the pencil. Now let him hold a short piece of string so that it hangs down into this mold. An older person will then pour some of the melted wax into the mold. It will cling to the string, and in a moment or two will cool enough to be drawn out, making a little candle that can be used for 138 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls the Christmas tree, or put into a clay candlestick, also made by the child. (See below.) 2. Put the kettle containing the melted wax before the child and let him dip into it a piece of string about four inches long. Then let him take it out in a mo- ment and lay it aside to cool. A very little wax will cling to it. Meanwhile he dips in another string and puts aside to cool. When cool he takes up the first one and dips it in a second time, and a new coat of wax adheres. He proceeds thus until the candles are as large in diameter as desired (about YT. inch at base). The candles may be put into clay candlesticks, also made by the child. Candlesticks (Clay, a tin or china candlestick to use as model) Let the child take a candlestick and copy in clay ; it should be of simple form, a mere cylinder, with just enough of a base to make a firm standard. Candlesticks (Cardboard, scissors} Cut small squares of cardboard. The candles may be made to stand temporarily upon these by melting the lower ends of the candles and letting some of the wax drip upon center of the cards, and then pressing the candle down upon the melted wax. These may be placed upon the table on Christmas morning. Christmas Carols Let the children learn some simple old carol, as a secret, and Christmas morning have them sing it softly and sweetly to awaken father. A full pro- gram of songs suitable for this most beautiful of days will be found in the little book, "The Children's Mes- siah," compiled by Mari Ruef Hofer, price 20 cents. Festival Occasions 139 It gives also the address of a firm publishing stereop- ticon views for illustrating the program suggested. Spider-Web Party (See page 104) Arrange the twines of several colors as described on page 104, and at the end place the gifts belonging to each child. Popcorn (Popcorn, popper, thread, needle) Pop the corn and string into festoons with which to decorate the tree. Christmas Bells (Red cardboard, scissors, thread, needle) Make bells as described on page 109, only make them of various sizes. String, and use to decorate table or tree, or to festoon from the center of the ceiling to the corners and sides of the room. Kindergarten Lanterns (Red, gold, or silver paper, scissors, thread, paste) Take a kindergarten square of pretty paper or make a square of some attractive wrapping paper. Fold once into an oblong. Now cut a series of parallel lines from the fold toward the edge, stopping each about Y-2 inch from edge. Open and paste one end so that it overlaps the other, the cuts running vertically. This makes the lantern bulge out a little at the fold, giving a Japanese lantern effect. Suspend by a thread tied to the upper edge or paste a narrow strip of paper on for a handle. Use as decoration for Christmas tree. Paper Chains (See pages 56 and 115) 140 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Reading Read a part or the whole of Dickens' "Christmas Carol," "The Chimes/' or "The Cricket on the Hearth ;" or "Is There a Santa Claus," by Jacob Riis ; or "The Birds' Christmas Carol," by Kate Douglas Wiggin. Longfellow's "Arsenal at Springfield" and "A Christmas Hymn," by A. Domett, are also appro- priate. CHAPTER IX THE KEY BASKET or HOUSEHOLD DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Train the children little by little to bear certain light responsibilities in the home. Even in a home in which all the household tasks are done by trained servants let the girl and boy have some small duty to perform, if it be nothing more than to keep the match-safes filled. They will thus acquire an interest in the home which can be aroused in no other way. Indeed, every child, boy and girl, should be trained to do easily and well the common household tasks upon which depend so much of the happiness and well- being of the home. Such knowledge and skill often prove of use in unexpected emergencies and make for general efficiency. The ancient symbol of the house- wife's office is her bunch of keys, hung at her waist or placed in the key-basket, so we have used this latter phrase as our chapter heading. HOME TASKS Here are a few brief directions for the usual home tasks in which both boys and girls may to some extent be trained. 141 142 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Table Setting (Usual dishes and cutlery} Different homes vary in unimportant particulars in the placing of the dishes. The following is a com- mon arrangement for the dinner table: At each place lay the fork vertically at the left- hand side, the knife vertically at the right, and the soup-spoon to the right of the knife. This places each utensil so that it is ready for the hand which uses it most. Put the teaspoons to the right of the soup- spoon, and the napkin to the left of the fork. Place the glass just above the knife, the butterdish above the fork, and the individual salt-cellar, if used, between the two. Father and mother sit at the ends of the table. Put carving-knife and fork at father's place ; also the soup ladle, as father serves the soup and carves. Mother pours the coffee and tea and serves the vege- tables. Therefore the soup and dinner dishes must be placed before the carver, and the needed vegetable dishes and cups and saucers at the mother's place. Here, too, must be placed the sugar bowl and cream pitcher. In the United States it is customary to serve most vegetables upon individual saucers. In England they are usually served upon the plate. If salad is to be served, oil and vinegar cruets may be put on. The dessert is usually served by the mother, and the necessary dishes must, therefore, be placed at her end of the table. If possible, always have flowers or a growing plant in the center of the table, but do not have it so high that it obscures the view of those persons sitting on opposite sides of the table. Upon special occasions, particularly if the guests The Key Basket 143 are many, it is convenient to indicate the place of each person by a "place card" bearing his name and decorated in some appropriate fashion. Suggestions for such place cards will be found on other pages of this volume. Table-Serving (Tray) Train both boys and girls to wait on the table quietly and quickly. Then they can save mother many weary steps. Remove soup-tureen first; then the indi- vidual dishes. After the meat-course, remove first the platter and vegetable dishes ; then the plates, sau- cers, etc., from each individual place; then, if there is no salad course, the bread and butter dishes, cruets, etc., from center of table. Next the table must be crumbed. Do this by quietly removing crumbs from each place with crumb-knife and tray or by brushing with folded napkin. If salad is served, crumbing takes place after that course. Hold all dishes to left of guest, so that he may easily help himself with his right hand. Dish- Washing (Hot water in quantity, dishpan, wire tray, drainer, washing-soda, soap, dish-mop, wash- cloth, towels in plenty, both coarse and fine) If two people are to work together, let one collect the dishes and dispose of the left-over food, while the other washes the kettles and saucepans. Get these heavy cooking utensils out of the way the first thing; then the drudgery part is over before the workers are tired out. Dishes in which potatoes, cereals, or eggs have been cooked should be put to soak, not in hot, but in cold or tepid water; they are then readily cleaned. Fill with water as soon as emptied. 144 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Keep a little washing-soda on hand, dissolved in water in a canning- jar, for cleansing greasy dishes. Have hot water in abundance, and, putting a little soda in with it, scrub the kettles briskly with the wire- brush that comes for the purpose, or with mop, dish- cloth or chain dish-cloth. Wipe dry with a heavy towel. Meanwhile the other worker is collecting, scrap- ing and classifying the other dishes. Before beginning to wash, have all the dishes assorted according to kind and size and placed convenient to hand. When putting away remnants of food it is well to have for the purpose a series of pitchers ranging from three inches to about nine in height. This gives sizes suited to any quantity which may be left over of soups, milk, liquid vegetables, etc. They take less room than bowls, and the graduated series ornaments the shelf. A wire strainer should be kept in the sink to pre- vent the larger particles of waste, indissoluble parings, coffee grains, etc., from going down the drain. This saves plumber's bills. When ready for the washing, begin with the glasses and wash quickly in hot water, either clear or soapy, as preferred. Have at hand a second dish-pan in which is placed a wire rack. Put the glasses in the rack, rinse with hot water, and dry rapidly while still wet and hot. It may be necessary to keep them in the water a moment or two to get them really heated through. In washing glass pitchers put a silver spoon in them before placing in the hot water. This prevents breakage. Treat canning- jars in the same way. Next wash the silver, having the water soapy and piping hot, in order to get a good polish. Keep spoons, knives and forks in separate groups and all pointing in the same direction. The Key Basket 145 The smaller, less greasy dishes follow the silver, and then the heavy china. Here, again, let dishes that have held eggs or starchy foods soak awhile in cold or tepid water. Rinse greasy dishes well. Conclude by scrubbing tables and sink with cloth, brush, soap and sapolio as needed. Put the scrapings in the garbage pail and pour hot water and soda down the pipe to remove the last vestige of grease. Hang up the shining dish-pans, after washing out the towels and dish-cloth in soap and water, if they require it. A can of Babbitt's Potash of Lye may take the place of the washing-soda. Bed-Making (Two sheets, blanket, comforter, cover) Put the lower sheet on with the right side up. Tuck it in neatly at the corners much as one would fold in the corners when wrapping up a box in paper. Place the upper sheet upon this with the right side down. This brings the two right sides together. Let the broad hem in each case be at the head of the bed. That of the upper sheet should just reach the head of the mattress. Place the blanket with its upper end about six inches from the head of the bed. Then comes the comforter, placed in the same way. Fold the sheet down from the top just where the blanket ends. Tuck all in neatly at the sides and the foot. Now put the spread smoothly over all. It may be tucked in or may hang down as desired. Place the pillows with the closed ends of the cases together. If an extra coverlet is to be placed at the foot of the bed, fold it in thirds so that the sleeper may reach down and draw it up over himself without rising to the floor. 146 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls To put on a bolster-case easily, turn it wrong side out and then roll it up over the bolster. Train children to air beds every morning by shaking up bed-clothing and extending it over foot- board and chair. Washing (Toy tub or tin basin, toy washboard, basin for boiler, soap, bit of blueing tied in bag, strong cord for line) Put dolls' clothes or a few dustcloths or handker- chiefs in tub of warm water after soaping well. Let soak awhile, then rub out on the little washboard or between the hands, put into the boiler with cold water and just bring to a boil. Rinse in warm water or wash vigorously in warm water if necessary; then rinse in warm and then in cold water ; put the blueing in a basin of cold water till the water is slightly tinged; remove the blueing bag and rinse the clothes in the water. (The blueing is to counteract the ten- dency of white goods to grow yellow with time.) Hang up to dry in the air and sunshine. Tell the children that the clothes must always be sorted, white body clothes being in one class, bed- linen in another, table linen in another ; woolens must be washed by themselves with care to keep the water of moderate temperature and the rinsing water of the same degree of heat as the washing water. Flannels must be dried as rapidly as possible. Colored gar- ments must be washed by themselves. Ironing (Two irons, holders, ironing blanket and sheet, iron-stand, cake of beesiva.r or candle) Before ironing the clothes must be sprinkled lightly with cold water, smoothed out and rolled up tightly for half an hour. Meanwhile pin the blanket The Key Basket 147 to the ironing board and cover smoothly with the .sheet. The iron must not be so hot as to scorch the clothes. Try it on a piece of paper. If it seems dirty or rough, rub it on the beeswax to make it clean and smooth. (In place of wax a candle will serve the purpose if wrapped around with a piece of clean cotton cloth.) If the garment seems too wet, put a piece of white cloth over it and iron till somewhat dry. Then the iron may be placed directly upon the garment. Starch is prepared by wetting and dissolving it in cold water and then pouring upon this boiling water and boiling until clear and smooth. The young child will not need to starch anything, however. Sweeping (Broom, whisk-broom, hair-broom, sheet, sweeping-cap) Let the little worker don sweeping-cap and apron, and then proceed to dust carefully small articles and books, place them on the bed and cover with an old' sheet. Put furniture which is movable in the hall after dusting. Open the window. Then sweep the rugs on both sides and place outside. Pin up the cur- tains. Then dampen a newspaper and tear into small pieces ; throw these on the floor to absorb the dust. Wet tea-leaves may be used for the same purpose. Sweep, holding the broom rather closely to the floor and taking short strokes, raising as little dust as possible. Then leave the room for awhile, for the dust to settle. Dusting (Dusters of cheesecloth, clean pieces of old silk, chamois-skin) On returning to the room after sweeping, wipe off the baseboard, then the furniture, always working 148 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls from the top down. To reach high corners where cobwebs may lurk, pin on the brush of the broom a cap of cheesecloth and sweep along the edges of the ceiling. For corners under heavy furniture, a small whisk brush or soft hair brush may be needed. Rub off mirrors with a damp cloth, drying and polishing with chamois-skin or crumpled newspaper. Highly polished furniture may be dusted with soft silk or chamois-skin. Even small members of the family may be given a share in this work. Little boys and girls can be shown how to dust chairs and furniture within reach of the little arms and hands. It may take more time at first on the mother's part than if she did the work herself; but in the end she is more than repaid. The little child need not be required to do much, but let that little be done thoroughly, if only the legs and rounds of one chair. CHAPTER X THE CHILD'S LIBRARY Every child should be encouraged to possess his own books even in this age of public libraries. Birth- days and Christmas afford occasions when the parent can increase the little library, and later the child may be trained how to choose wisely his own purchases. When he is limited in the books he possesses public libraries open up opportunities for a wide range of reading. We give a brief but varied list of books from which the parent may select such as suit her child's particular needs. The discriminating taste in reading must be cultivated from the earliest years if the child is to read with profit and pleasure in youth and ma- turity. All children should be allowed to read a few at least of the traditional fairy tales. They teach many important life lessons in an impersonal way ; they de- velop the imagination and widen the sympathies. The successful business man, the progressive physician or lawyer, and the truly successful minister is he who understands human nature, who can put himself in the other person's place ; and to do this he requires a culti- vated imagination. The fairy tale also lifts the child from the restricted life of his environment into the region of boundless possibilities. It increases his sense of power over untoward circumstances. Ac- quaintance with fairy lore also familiarizes one with 149 150 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls many allusions to be met with in reading all great writers. A love of poetry should be the heritage of every child, because of the inspiration it gives amidst the sordid cares of life, and because of the innocent pleas- ure and refreshment it affords in hours of loneliness and weariness. The child's first book of verse should, of course, be Mother Goose. After this there are many valuable compilations of good poetry that may be used. A varied library to be found in one large volume is "The Children's Book" compiled by Scudder. It includes selections from Mother Goose, from Grimm's fairy tales, from old English fairy tales, the Arabian Nights, and Hans Andersen. There are also several of Maria Edgeworth's famous moral stories, a great many of ^sop's fables, many of the old English ballads, etc. An excellent compilation of verse is Roger Ingpen's "One Thousand Poems for Children," which contains all the old favorites of children as well as a large number of the best-known poems by stand- ard authors. Standard books on science and nature should be in the home, and the child's library should include a few books with stories from real life leading up to biography, history, and travel. The little one's sense of humor must be accorded recognition. Mother Goose supplies such a need in part, and Lear's Book of Nonsense may be added. The Sunday funny sheet should be censored before being put into the hands of the child. Expurgate any- thing that expresses disrespect to old age ; that makes light of honor and integrity ; or that is coarse in draw- ing, color, or subtle suggestion. If the child when grown is to appreciate the delicate humor of a Charles Lamb, his taste must not be dulled when he is young. The Child's Library 151 It is a pity for a child to grow up without know- ing and loving the "Pilgrim's Progress." To give him this pleasure the book should be read to him or put into his hands when about ten years old. Otherwise the psychologic moment has passed and he may never learn to care for the great English classic. The great mediaeval legends should also be known to the child. They are interwoven with much of history and literature and give a glimpse into a rapidly receding past. We include in our list a charming wee volume, "The Young Folks' Book of Etiquette," by C. S. Grif- fen, which the mother, wearied of repeating from day to day the same admonitions as to manners and morals, will find a great assistance in seconding her efforts. The child will enjoy both the text and the pictures. For the child's Bible reading we recommend Moulton's edition of the Old and New Testaments. The language is identical with that of the familiar old volume, but the text is condensed so that each story is given in the form of a continuous narrative, and ob- jectionable passages are omitted. It may thus safely be put into the hands of very young children, who en- joy the simple, dignified style. Music also must form a part of the child's library. The list appended covers a variety of needs. FAIRY TALES, MYTHS, AND LEGENDS Adventures of Pinocchio, trans- Among the Night People, Clara lated from Cullodi by Cramp (an D. Pierson. (Exceptionally good.) Italian classic loved by children). Arabian Nights Entertainments. /Esop's Fables. Bimbi, Ouida. (Collection of Alice in Wonderland, Lewis '*S5* ofSi* and Friendly Larro11 ' Beasts, Abbie Farwell Brown. Among the Farmyard People, Bow-wow and Mew-mew, Georg- Clara D. Pierson. iana M. Craik. 52 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls FAIRY TALES, ETC. Continued Boys' Odyssey, W. C. Perry. Curious Book of Birds, Abbie Farwell Brown. Fairy Tales, Hans Christian Andersen. Fifty Famous Stories Retold, Baldwin. Folk Tales from the Russian, Blumenthal. Gods and Heroes, Francillon. (Greek legends.) Household Stories, Anna C. Klingensmith. Heroes Every Child Should Know, Hamilton Wright Mabie. In the Days of Giants, Abbie Farwell Brown. (Norse legends.) Japanese Fairy Tales, trans- lated by Williston. Jungle Book, Kipling. King Arthur and His Court, Frances Nimmo Greene. Knights of the Silver Shield, R. M. Alden. (Includes "Why the Chimes Rang.") Little Black Sambo. (Beloved by young children.) Mother Goose (Altemus edi- tion), including a few fairy tales. Nights with Uncle Remus, Joel Chandler Harris. Norse Gods and Heroes, A. Klingensmith. Norse Tales, Hamilton W. Mabie. Peterkin Papers, Hale. (Af- ford pure, wholesome humor.) Peter Rabbit, The Tale of, Beatrix Potter. Saints of Italy Legends, Ella Noyes. Story of Siegfried, Baldwin. The Boys' King Arthur, edited by Lanier. The Red Book of Romance, edited by Lang. The Red Fairy Book and others of same series, edited by Lang. Tanglewood Tales, Hawthorne (Greek Legends). The Oak Tree Fairy Book, ed- ited by Clifton Johnson. The Pilgrim's Progress, Bun- yan. The Stars in Song and Le- gend, Jermain G. Porter. The Wonder Book, Haw- thorne. Wagner Story Book, F_rost. Wandering Heroes, Lillian T. Price. Water Babies, Charles Kings- ley. Wizard of Oz, Baum. HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY Childhood of Ji-Shib the Ojib- wa, A. E. Jenks. Children of the Cold, Fred- erick Schwatka. (Life among Esquimaux children.) Cuore, de Amicis, translated by Mrs. Lucas. (Experiences of a school boy in Italy.) Each and All, Jane Andrews. Five Minute Stories, Laura E. Richards. History of the Ancient Greeks, C. D. Staw. Lolami, the Little Cliff-Dwel- ler, Clara K. Bayliss. Ten Boys of Long Ago, An- drews. The Chinese Boy and Girl, Bishop Headland. The Snow Baby, Mrs. Peary. Seven Little Sisters, Jane An- drews. Story of Joan of Arc for Boys and Girls. Story of My Life, Helen Kel- ler. Story of Troy, M. Clarke. The Child's Library '53 NATURE A Year in the Fields, Bur- roughs. Everyday Birds, Bradford Torrey. First Book of Forestry, Fili- bert Roth. Friends in Feathers and Fur, Johonnot. Grasshopper Land, Margaret Morley. How to Attract Birds, Neltje Blanchan. Lady Hollyhock and Her Friends, Margaret C. Walker. (Tells how to make dolls out ot flowers.) Plant Relations, Coulter. Pussy Meow, S. Louis* Patte- The Bee People, Margaret Morley. The Hall of Shells. The Stars in Song and Le- gend, J. G. Porter. The Training of Wild Ani- mals, Frank C. Bostock. Trees in Prose and Poetry, Stone and Fickett. Ways of the Woodtolk, Wil- liam J. Long. Wilderness Ways, William J. Wild Animals I Have Known, Seton Thompson. POETRY Book of Nursery Rhymes, New Collection of Old Mother Goose, Charles Welsh. Children's Book, The, compila- tion by Scudder. (Prose and verse.) Child's Garden of Verses, Rob- ert L. Stevenson. The Chinese Mother Goose, Bishop Headland. (Charmingly illustrated with photographic pictures of Chinese children with their parents.) Golden Numbers, Kate Doug- las Wiggin. (Choice collection of miscellaneous poetry; beautifully bound.) Little Rhymes for Little Read- ers, Wilhelmina Seegmiller. Lyrica Heroica, edited by W. E. Henley. One Thousand Poems for Chil- dren, Roger Ingpen. (A very full collection.) The Listening Child, L. W. Thacher. (Compilation of short poems suitable for children over six.) The Posy Ring, Kate Douglas Wiggin. (Choice collection for young children.) (o 7 "" The Robin's Christr )ld English ballad.) PICTURE BOOKS An Apple Pie, Kate Green- away. At Great Aunt Martha's (Pic- tures), Kathleen Ainslie. (Il- lustrations of wooden dolls.) Book of Nonsense, Edward Lear. (Highly recommended by Ruskin.) Dean's Rag Books. (For very young children; will wash and iron.) Jingleman Jack (Pictures and verses about the trades), O'Dea and Kennedy. Four and Twenty Toilers, Lucas. (Hard to procure.) 154 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls MUSIC Holiday Songs, Emilie Pouls- Children's Messiah, Mari Ruef Hofer. Children's Singing Games, Old and New, Mari Ruef Hofer. Christmas-Time Songs and Carols, Mrs. Crosby Adams. Finger Plays, Emilie Poulsson. li son. Merry Songs and Games for the Use of the Kindergarten, Clara B. Hubbard. Music for the Child World, Mari Ruef Hofer. Two vols. (Music every child should know.) Nature Songs for Children, Fanny Snow Knowlton. Primary and Junior Soags for the Sunday-school, Mari Ruef Hofer. Small Songs for Small Singers, illustrated, W. H. Neidlinger. Song Stories for the Kinder- garten, Mildred and Patty Hill. Songs and Games for Little Ones, Walker and Jenks. Songs and Games of the Mother-Play Book, Froebel. Songs Every Child Should Know, Dolores Bacon. Songs for Little Children, Eleanor Smith. Two vols. Songs of Childhood, Field dc Koyen Song Book. Songs of the Open, Seeboeck. Songs of the Child World, Jessie L. Gay nor. St. Nicholas Songs, the Words from St. Nicholas Magazine. SUNDAY-SCHOOL HELPS A Year of Sunday-school Work, Florence U. Palmer. Beginnings, A. W. Gould. Pamphlet. Tells of the begin- nings of world, man, sin, lan- guage, death, law, etc., accord- ing to the Bible, according to Science, and according to old myths. Bible for Young People, Century Co. Kindergarten Sunday-school Stories, Laura A. Cragin. (New Testament.) Old and New Testament for Children, edited by Richard G. Moulton. Old Testament Bible Stories, Walter L. Sheldon. Stories from the Lips of the Teacher, O. B. Frothingham. Stories of the Patriarchs, O. B. Frothingham. Wonder Stories from the Gos- pels, Katherinc Beebe. CHAPTER XI KINDERGARTEN MATERIALS The Kindergarten Gifts Friedrich Froebel, after observing and studying thoughtfully the play and playthings of little children, selected from among these, and arranged in logical order, a certain series which should help develop the little one in mind, body, and spirit through childlike play. This series of related playthings is known as the kindergarten ''gifts." All children of all races play ball, and the first kindergarten gift to be given, even to a very little child, consists of six soft worsted balls in the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The second gift is an oblong box containing a wooden ball or "sphere," a cube, and a cylinder, with several slender axles and beams to assist in the little plays. The third gift is a box containing a two-inch cube divided horizontally and vertically into eight one-inch cubes. The fourth gift is a similar cube divided hori- zontally into eight oblong blocks. The fifth gift is evolved from the preceding ones and is a five-inch cube divided into inch cubes, half cubes, and quarter cubes. The sixth gift is a cube of the same size divided so that it contains cubes, oblongs, and plinths. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gifts are derived from the geometrical solids. 155 156 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls The seventh gift is derived from the geomet- rical surfaces, and consists of wooden tablets in shapes of circles, squares, triangles, etc. The eighth gift represents the geometrical line and is made up of wooden sticks in lengths of one, two, three, four, five, and six inches. They may be had in two thicknesses and either colored or uncolored. The ninth gift, derived from the edge of the circle, consists of metal rings, half rings, and quarter rings, in several sizes. The tenth gift, derived from the geometric point, is the lentil. Kindergartners differ as to the amount of em- phasis to be placed upon the geometric side of the "gifts," and as to whether or not they should always be presented in a certain logical order. To appreciate their full value the mother must read her Froebel or take a kindergarten course. We give below some simple methods of using them, from which the child will derive both pleasure and benefit. What follows should be entirely clear, especially if the mother has the "gifts" before her as she reads. First Gift Balls (Rubber ball i l / 2 inches in diameter, zvool in six primary colors, crochet-hook} These balls can be made by taking a rubber ball and crocheting around it a case of worsted ; or a case can be crocheted and then stuffed with loose wool or cotton. In the latter case to insure a good shape it is well to crochet over a ball till nearly finished ; then take the rubber ball out and fill with the cotton or wool and then complete the ball. Then crochet a string about eight inches long and attach to the ball, for suspending it. The ball can then be swung, raised, lowered, made to hop like a bird, swing like a pendu- Kindergarten Materials 157 lum, revolve rapidly like a wheel. The child may play that it is a bucket being raised or lowered. See how steadily he can raise it. The balls lend themselves to many color games. 1. Place them in a row, let one child blind his eyes, another one removes one of the balls and the first one, opening his eyes, tries to think which one is missing. 2. Let children observe the colors through a glass prism and try to arrange balls in similar order. Ask child if he can tell which colors are uppermost in the rainbow, the cold or the warm ones. 3. If the mother is sewing on a colored dress, let the child try to pick out the ball resembling it in color. 4. Play hiding the ball, as in hide the thimble. 5. Play store, letting him tell you which ball will best represent a lemon, an orange, a red apple, etc. Second Gift Plays Throughout his life, Froebel felt with keen pain all that was discordant or inharmonious in human so- ciety. Beneath all differences and misunderstandings lay, he believed, the possibility of adjustment, or recon- ciliation. Relations most strained might be brought into harmonious union. This great idea is typified by the second gift. The hard wooden sphere is round, curved from all points of view, with no angles or edges, and is easily moved. The cube is a complete contrast to the sphere, inasmuch as it stands firmly, has Hat faces, angles, and edges. The cylinder com- bines the characteristics and possibilities of the other two. It has fiat faces as well as a curved one, and can both stand and roll. It forms a bond of connec- tion between the other two which at first sight seem irreconcilable. 158 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Three of these forms have small staples inserted in side, edge, and angle so that they may be suspended, swung, and revolved. There are also perforations through each one admitting the insertion of the axles, when needed for certain plays. If an axle be put through cube or cylinder and it be revolved rapidly, you can see, in the swift moving figure, the spirit, as it were, of the other forms an experiment fascinating to young and old. A little imagination will turn the box in which these blocks come, into a boat, car, engine, etc., pins, matches, tacks, wire, etc., being called in as extras. The little wooden beam may be placed across, held up by the axles and upon this the blocks may be sus- pended as objects for sale in a store. The box with its cover may be used to illustrate the three primary mechanical principles, the pulley, or wheel, the inclined plane, and the lever. The pulley is made by placing the cylinder on an axle, tying a little weight to one end of a cord and drawing it up over the cylinder. Let the child play the weight is a bucket of water being drawn up from a well. Play loading a boat and use the cover for a plank, inclined from the deck to the ground, up which to roll a barrel (the cylinder). Play that the cube is a heavy piano box and show how to raise it by using a stick as a lever. The students of a kindergarten training school made fine derrick cranes with this box of blocks, and no two were exactly alike. Games with Second Gift Ball I. Let children sit crossed-legged on the floor in a circle and let one child roll the ball across to an- Kindergarten Materials 159 other child. He in turn rolls it straight over to some other child and so on. 2. Let one child sit in the center of a circle and roll the ball to each child in turn, who rolls it back to him. 3. Let several children stand in the center of a ring and try to catch the ball as it rolls swiftly by. 4. Let children stand in center and try to avoid being touched by the ball as it rolls along. 5. Draw a circle on the floor and let the children try in turn to so roll the ball that it will stop inside of the ring. 6. Place the cube in the center of the circle. Put the cylinder on top of the cube and balance the sphere carefully upon the cylinder. Then let the children try to hit this target with another ball. Many are the lessons in self-control, fair play, patience and kindness which the children practice in playing these simple games, in addition to the physical exercise and training in alertness, in seeing correctly and in acting quickly. Second Gift Beads Mrs. Hailmann, a kindergarten training teacher, some years ago added to the "gifts" the so-called "sec- ond gift beads," much loved by wee children. These are perforated wooden beads in shape of the sphere, cube and cylinder. They come in two size?; and may be had in colors or uncolored. A shoe lace comes with them for stringing. In delightful plays with these beads the child learns to distinguish form and color, and has practice in simple designing. At first let him have a number of different kinds 160 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls and let him thread them as he pleases. Observe him and see if, of his own initiative, he will distinguish either form or color. After a while he will probably, without suggestion, begin to string them in some sort of order one sphere, one cube, one sphere, one cube, etc. Two spheres, two cubes, two cylinders, etc. When he begins to see differences, give him two forms only and let him arrange. Later give him others. Too many at first will be confusing. Besides the stringing, these beads may be used in other ways. Make a fence by putting two cubes and a sphere, one on top of the other for a post, and then join these to similar posts by running toothpicks or burnt matches through the perforations. Place cubes and cylinders, one on top of another, and use as tree box with tiny twig or elderberry branch for tree. If making a toy village of blocks or card- board, these little beads will make good lampposts. The Pegboard The pegboard, an additional gift devised by Mrs. Alice H. Putnam, can also be had in two sizes, the large one to be preferred. The board is perforated with holes at regular intervals and is accompanied with colored pegs, which the child loves to insert in the openings. He may arrange them in ranks for soldiers, ac- cording to color, two and two, or four and four, learning thus to count. A flower-bed with red flowers in one corner and green bushes in another may be made. He may play that the pegs are kindergarten chil- dren playing follow the leader, some with red dresses, some with blue waists, etc. A birthday cake with candles may be represented, Kindergarten Materials 161 or a line of telegraph poles, if father has gone on a journey, and over the imaginary wires a message may be sent. The pegboard is also loved by very young chil- dren. Plays with the Other Gifts The third gift cubes may be built by the little child into houses, furniture, wagons, etc. It is very simple, and yet when handling it the child learns something of form and number and gains skill with his tiny hands. The fourth gift expresses "proportion." Each block is twice the - length of those in the preceding gift and half as high. He can build with it objects impos- sible with the first divided cube. The two may often be used in conjunction. The fifth gift requires a decided increase in the child's powers of coordination. He can make with it a very great variety of objects. Only a kindergartner can appreciate its many possibilities. The sixth gift lends itself peculiarly to buildings of a certain type. It expresses less strength and more grace than the preceding ones. In playing with these "gifts" under direction of a teacher, the child, if making the grocery store, pro- ceeds to make the counter, the scales, the money desk, etc., in succession, and is not allowed to take the first structure apart in disorderly fashion and then make the next one, but is supposed to build the counter, or other article, by gradually transforming the thing al- ready made, removing the blocks in ones, or twos, or threes in an orderly way. Each block is supposed to have some relation to the whole. For instance if a shoe store has been made and one unused block re- 1 62 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls mains, it may represent the footstool used in such a store. Froebel thought in this way through simple play to help the child little by little to feel the relatedness of all life. Seventh Gift Plays With the seventh gift tablets the child makes designs or "beauty forms," becoming familiar with certain geometrical forms and exercising his powers of invention in pleasing design. In using the tablets, which are in both light and dark stains, do not give too many at first. Give him for instance one circle, representing a picture of a ball, and let him lay a row of such for a frieze design for a gymnasium. Give a circle and four squares, and let him place one above, one below, one to the right and one to the left, touching the circle. This will suggest a unit for a tile for a playroom fireplace. Tell him to change the top square so that its angle touches the circle ; then change the lower one in the same way ; then the right, then the left. This transformation gives an entirely new design. The other tablets may be employed in the same way, the different kinds of triangles offering oppor- tunity for much variety. Eighth Gift Plays The sticks may be used in representing designs in which the straight line prevails. The lines may be placed in vertical or horizontal position. Sticks may be arranged as soldiers, standing two and two in straight vertical lines ; or as fences in horizontal posi- tion. Kindergarten Materials 163 They may be classified as to length. Let the child sort them as wood for the woodpile, putting to- gether those of same length. Or play he is in the store to buy a cane and sees those of different lengths, some for men, some for children. For designing give the child four sticks of one length and let him make a square. Give him four of another length and let him make a larger square. Then with these eight sticks let him make two ob- longs of the same size. Give him these exercises as puzzles, but do not let him play with the sticks until he gets nervous in trying to keep them in position. Play With Lentils These are necessarily few and simple. Let the child make circles, squares, etc., by putting the lentils in rows. He can also represent the mass of a tree's foliage by placing a number of the lentils in a mass. CHAPTER XII KINDERGARTEN MATERIALS The Kindergarten Occupations The kindergarten gifts proceed, as will have been observed, from the solid through other forms to the point. The objects made with these are but temporary, and the same material may be used again and again. Parallel with these Froebel devised what he calls the "occupations," which put into permanent shape the ideas expressed by the gifts. Among the occupations (we will not name all) are : Peaswork, pricking, sewing, weaving, parquetry, pasting, cardboard modeling, sand and clay modeling. These are arranged in reverse order to the gifts ; that is, they proceed from the point to the solid. Peaswork (Good well-dried peas, wooden toothpicks or hair-wire} Soak the peas for 10 or 12 hours till soft. Then make a cane of one pea and one stick. Two peas and one stick will make a dumb-bell. Three of each will make a triangle. Make a square in the same way, and then by adding to this other peas and sticks a skeleton chair can be made. All kinds of furniture and geometrical forms may be thus manufactured. The wire or tooth- pick must be inserted in the cheek of the pea. Watch the child carefully to see that he does not get nervous over the work. Assuming that the peas are in good 164 The Kindergarten Occupations 165 condition, there should be little trouble if the forms made are simple. Pricking (Thin white cardboard, long pin, several folds of cloth or a piece of felt) Froebel recognized the appeal this pastime makes to the mystery-loving child. As sometimes used it may be injurious to nerves or eyesight ; but used judi- ciously the child of five or six will find it a source of harmless entertainment. Let mother or older brother draw on cardboard a simple strong outline. Provide a strong steel pin (hat-pin or mourning-pin will do) and a piece of folded cloth for a cushion. Follow the outline by pricking in it a succession of holes. The rough side is the right side of the decorated card. The card may be hung up as a transparency, or may be made up into blotter or calendar; or, if the outline be that of a vegetable or a fruit, it will make up into a Thanks- giving place card. Very beautiful effects are produced by pricking the surface as well as the outline, a form of embossing, but this is a great strain on the nerves. Let the child work for only a few moments at a time, and be sure that the light is good and the drawing is distinct. Sewing (Cardboard, worsted, silk or chenille, needle, punch) It is a disputed question now whether or not the cardboard sewing of the kindergarten, once consid- ered so essential, should be used at all. Some condemn it entirely ; others use it sparingly. Many replace it with sewing on cloth and other materials soft and flexible, which lend themselves to the kind of stitch- ing required later in everyday sewing. We cannot 166 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls now enter into the discussion, but common-sense rules here as elsewhere. Cards with designs already drawn and perforated may be bought, but the mother need not feel that she must depend upon these. Old visiting and invitation cards may be used for the purpose. We give a few examples of objects pretty and useful which may be made of this material. These will suggest others to the active-minded child. Get punch at kindergarten supply store; from 50 cents up. 1. Gift Card. Cut a square of cardboard 5x5 inches. With a needleful of red worsted let the child sew upon this card three straight candles in stitches one inch long. You may first punch in the bottom of the card three holes as guides. Put them in a row equidistant from each other. Make parallel to these a row of three dots in- pencil. The child will push the needle through one hole from bcloii.' and put it through the dot above, making his own hole. So proceed till finished., A flame may be drawn with yellow chalk at the upper end of each candle, to make it more realistic. This card may be used to stand a candlestick upon, or to send as a birthday card. A similar card with the red stitches lying hori- zontally will picture firecrackers ready to be set off. Use as a mat for a match safe. 2. Cover for Medicine Glass. Draw a circle five inches in diameter. Cut this out. Parallel to the edge draw a circle four inches in diameter. Make dots about l /> inch apart along this second cir- cle. Punch holes through these dots. With worsted, ravelings or chenille let the child sew once around this circle. Then go around the other way to fill up all the gaps left the first time. Use as cover for glass of medicine. Line the bottom with clean, white paper. The Kindergarten Occupations 167 Vary by overcasting, or from a central hole take long radiating stitches to the holes in the circumfer- ence like the spokes of a wheel. 3. Toy Umbrella. The above circle with spokes may be made into a toy umbrella if a slender stick be run through for a handle. Stick a pin about an inch from the top to keep the umbrella part from slipping down. 4. Bookmark. Cut an oblong card 2x6 inches. Draw upon this a row of parallel oblique lines about one inch apart and one inch long. Punch holes through the ends of the lines at the bottom, sew one slanting line to show the child, and let him finish the row. A similar oblong will make a napkin ring if the ends be brought together and tied with the ends of the worsted. Squares, oblongs, crosses, etc., may thus be punched and sewed. If no punch is obtainable, make the holes with a coarse needle or strong pin. Paper Tearing (See page 54) Paper Cutting This is another Froebelian occupation. Some sug- gestions have_been given elsewhere. (See page 54.) We will spealc here of a more definite series of pro- gressive steps. Take a square of white paper. Fold once to make an oblong. Keep folded and fold once more, which gives a small square. From the corners of this square cut pieces, large or small. Keep these. Open the paper and lay it down. Then arrange around it the cut-off corners to make a design. They may be 1 68 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls arranged in a variety of ways. The pieces cut off the corners may be of various shapes. Vary another square by cutting into it, after it has been folded, triangles or other figures. Open and arrange around it these cut-off pieces. When a satis- factory design has thus been made, it may be pasted on a pleasing background of paper. In kindergarten training, checked paper is pro- vided and the cuttings are made from lines drawn upon this according to a progressive system. Parquetry (Colored papers, paste, kindergarten slat or match for paste-stick) This occupation has its parallel in the tablets. The designs made temporarily with the circles, squares, etc., of wood may be put into more permanent form with the parquetry papers. These are circles, squares, triangles, etc., of colored papers, the unit of size being the inch. There are 1,000 in a package, embracing the six colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, with two shades and two tints of each, besides neutral tones, and black and white. 1. Easter Card. Give the child an oblong piece of gray cardboard, six inches long, and some yellow circles. Let him paste a row of circles for dan- delion heads and then chalk in the green stems. Give to father for an Easter card. Red and yellow circles may be cut in half and so arranged as to suggest tulips. (See page 122.) 2. Frieze. Let the child make designs for a frieze for the doll-house parlor, arranging circles and squares successively or alternately on a strip of paper. Or he can make a design for the doll-house kitchen oilcloth by pasting squares or circles (one square or circle surrounded by others) in a square unit. The Kindergarten Occupations 169 An inexpensive paste for this work may be made of gum tragacanth. Buy five cents' worth of the pow- dered gum. Put a tablespoonful into an empty mucil- age bottle and fill with water. In a few moments it will dissolve and thicken. Use more or less, accord- ing to thickness desired. Weaving (Colored kindergarten weaving mats, weav- ing needle} This is one of the most popular of kindergarten occupations. Primitive man early learned to interlace the branches of trees to make for himself a shelter, and to weave together coarse fibres to make his crude gar- ments. In course of ages great skill was acquired in thus using all kinds of flexible materials; artistic bas- kets were produced of raffia and reeds, and fine gar- ments of linen, wool and cotton. Beautiful effects in color and form were introduced, the designs usually having a symbolic meaning. Froebel devised, for the expression of this natural tendency, a series of exercises with colored paper, which gave practice in selection of color harmonies, in designing, in counting, and which led to skill and neatness in work. Loom-weaving has been described on another page. (90.) In many kindergartens it now en- tirely supersedes the paper-weaving, which we will here briefly describe. i. If you do not care to buy the regular kinder- garten weaving mats, you may use smooth gray or brown wrapping paper cut into four-inch squares. In such a square cut tivo slits l /2 inch apart and one inch long. From some pretty paper cut a strip one inch wide and two inches long and insert in the slit in the 1 70 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls mat, pasting the ends of the strip to the under side of the mat. 2. Cut three or four slits in similar mats and weave into them one-inch or half-inch strips, using narrower ones as the child gains skill. Weave such a strip under one and over one; then weave another, under two and over two, etc. ; thus a variety of effects may be produced and the child meanwhile has prac- tice incidentally in simple counting. Such a mat may be used to cover a glass of drinking water or medicine glass. 3. A larger mat may be made of pretty paper cut into comparatively fine slits. Paste upon this mat a square of smooth paper as a kind of lining; fold cornerwise and paste two edges together, making a kind of cornucopia. 4. Scent-Bag. A scent-bag may be made by putting between the mat and the lining described above a thin piece of cotton-batting, sprinkled with scent. 5. Oilcloth or Felt. Instead of paper, mats may be woven of plain oilcloth or of felt. Have two colors of each material, one for the mat and one for the strips. On a 5-inch square of the material draw four parallel lines one inch apart and one inch from the top and bottom. Then using these as guide lines, cut four slits and weave in and out as with the paper weaving. Ribbon may be used for the woof if de- sired. Such a mat may be used for a lamp-mat or for a flower-pot mat. Among the reasons for discarding the paper- weaving are the following : The colors are somewhat intense, and it is not always easy to secure good har- The Kindergarten Occupations 171 monies; the care necessary to avoid tearing the deli- cate paper and soiling- the delicate colors is often a trial to highly-strung children. Therefore they should not work at it too long at a time. A weaving needle comes with the kindergarten weaving papers. Paper-Folding We give here only a very few of the innumerable forms which may be made by folding paper accord- ing to exact directions. Mother may conduct such a little play while she is sewing and the child is on the floor or at the table. But directions must be exact and explicit. After once having told what to do in quiet, distinct, clear language, do not repeat. Train the child to hear accurately the first time. Papers in many tones may be obtained from the kindergarten supply stores, but any exact square of white paper or of smooth brown wrapping paper will do. Place the simple open square before the child, the edge directly in front of him. Call it a table- cloth and ask where the different members of the family sit. If able to wield the scissors, let him fringe the edge all around. 1. Book. Give a second square and, showing him which are the front corners, tell him to take hold of these and fold the paper over so that the front edge is just on a line with the back edge. Let him iron the table cloth (crease the fold with his thumb nail) so as to make a sharp line when opened. This makes a little book or tent. Ask what he can read in the book; who camps out in the tent; etc. 2. Window. Make another tent. Keep the tent in front of the child and tell him to open it and then to fold the left side over so that the left edge 172 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls exactly meets the right edge. Crease and open, and the result is a window with four panes. Have the child tell what he plays he can see through it. 3. Tunnel. Fold a square once through the middle as before. Open and notice the sharp line made by the crease. Now fold the front edge to meet exactly this line. Open and then fold the back edge to meet this line. Open in such a way that the form when standing makes a little tunnel. Roll a marble under it. 4. Barn. Fold a square into sixteen little squares by making a tunnel in one direction and then folding a tunnel in the other direction, so that the creases cross each other at right angles. Open out and cut from the left edge and from the right edge three slits along the horizontal creases to the first intersecting vertical crease. (See illustration.) Now Paper-Folding. fold No. I over No. 2 so that one little square exactly covers the other and paste or pin together. Do the same at the other end. This draws the paper into shape of gable roof. Place remaining flaps so that one overlaps the other a trifle, as shown in the illus- tration. Then cut a door in the side. (See illustra- The Kindergarten Occupations 173 tion.) This can be made of a large sheet of strong paper and will house very large paper animals. 5. Sailboat. Place a square of paper directly in front of you. Fold the front edge backward to meet exactly the back edge and crease. Open and fold the left edge over to meet exactly the right edge and crease. Open. Turn the paper over so that the wider side is uppermost, and place so that a corner is directly in front of you. Fold the paper so that the front corner exactly meets the back corner and crease. Open and fold so that the left corner exactly meets the right corner. You now have a square crossed by two diameters and by two diagonals. Number the corners thus: i, 2, 3, 4, and the center o. Take the corners and hold in one hand so that i-o, 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0 are back to back. Then crease in that position. The form is a square. Lay down so that the folded corner faces you. Fold the loose back corner down to meet the front corner. Then turn over and again fold the remain- ing back corner down to meet the front corner, and two sails become visible. Fold back one-half of the hull to make a base, and the little boat will stand and move if breathed upon. It can be made water-tight by dipping in melted paraffine. Melt the paraffine by putting it in a double boiler with boiling water be- neath. Cardboard Modeling (Cardboard, knife, pencil, scis- sors') This is another of Froebel's materials which is much used in the kindergarten. The regular kinder- garten cardboard comes in large sheets measured off into inches, half inches and quarter inches by red and 174 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls blue lines. These are to assist in the accurate cut- ting and folding of the stiff paper. The tinted Bristol board obtainable at stationery stores is also much used. With this simple material older children acquire skill of both hand and eye. The higher school grades are now using it to a great extent in making geomet- rical figures, thus gaining practice in making objects after first making the working drawings for the same. A tinsmith who has had kindergarten training will find himself better equipped for his life work because of this early experience in cutting and measuring. The directions here given assume that the unruled cardboard is used. To score is to make a long shallow cut or scratch in the cardboard with a knife, so that it will bend easily. We give a few simple objects in the order of their difficulty. 1. Book-Mark. Draw an oblong i x 8 inches. Cut it out and punch a series of holes down the mid- dle, one inch apart. Run a bit of baby ribbon in and out and thus make a simple book-mark. 2. Toy Wash-Bench. Draw and cut an oblong 1x6 inches. Draw a line straight across this one inch from each end, and then score these lines lightly. Bend and you have a wash-bench for doll's house. 3. Sugar-Scoop. Draw and cut an oblong 2x4 inches. Draw a line lengthwise through the middle. Score this line, and cut along the score one inch from each end. Score again from each end at right angles to the previous crease. Bend up the scored ends and the side, and paste the flaps together. This may be used for the toy grocery store. 4. Box. Read these directions through once. The Kindergarten Occupations 175 Then begin and work along as you read again, and all will be clear. Cut out a square measuring 4x4 inches. Place squarely before you, and then on the front edge, one inch from each side, make a dot. On the back edge, one inch from each side, make a dot. Unite the dots at front and back by straight lines. This gives two vertical lines. Now, on the right hand edge, one inch from each end make a dot, and do the same on the left hand edge. Unite these dots by straight lines, which gives two horizontal lines crossing the ones previously made at right angles. With a sharp knife, and ruler to keep it straight, score along these lines so that they may be readily bent. Now, from the right edge cut along each hori- zontal line a slit one inch long. From the left edge cut along each horizontal line a slit one inch long. These cuts will give four flaps. Bend up the four oblong sides and fold each flap over inside the box and paste. A little experimentation on the part of older chil- dren will show how to elongate one side so as to make a cover. Differences in the proportions of the original piece of cardboard will make boxes of different pro- portions. 5. Work- Box. Draw a five-inch pentagon. Look up in a geometry to find the rules for doing this. Upon each side as a base erect another pentagon. Score at the line of junction and bend the side penta- gons till the edges meet. In these edges punch holes opposite each other, and through these tie baby ribbon to hold them together. 176 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls Clay Modeling (Potter's clay, oilcloth or small smooth board, curtain pole} Clay is one of the important kindergarten ma- terials, and if used with care need give but little trou- ble. Buy at kindergarten supply store or art shop. Take a yard of table oilcloth and sew tapes to the corners so long that the oilcloth may be tied to a table and thus held smooth and firm. When not in use keep rolled up on a curtain-pole, broom-handle or dowel. This preserves it from untimely cracking. Upon this oilcloth the child can easily work with the clay, and the small pieces which may stick to it are readily wiped off with a damp cloth. If preferred, a small board about a foot square may be used instead of oilcloth. The child soon learns not to scatter the pieces. It is well for him to wear a little apron when making his small works of art. When finished with the clay, let him remove as much as possible from the hands as a rule, what remains may be rubbed away with a brisk clapping of the hands or is washed off very readily. 1. If his first impulse is to pound and thump the clay, show the child how pretty things may be made by gently pressing and molding the clay between thumb and fingers. If he is still interested in pound- ing, show him how to make a sphere by rolling the clay between the palms, and then by striking it four times hard against the table it is transformed into a rough sort of cube which further effort will improve. 2. If he inclines to make a number of balls, show him if possible one of the cheap clay marbles, and tell him to make some like it. though his will have no glazing. 3. If you see that he is rolling the clay into long The Kindergarten Occupations 177 lengths, suggest that he make a snake or links of a chain. 4. Older children may be shown how to roll it with the palm into long slender cylinders. Then coil these round and round spirally upon themselves and so build up a jar, as certain primitive races do. Then smooth it outside and inside until well shaped. 5. Bowls and crude vases are easily made, and these when dried may be painted and used to hold matches or pencils. 6. Sometimes, to stir the imagination, break off a rough piece of clay and ask the child if it looks like anything to him. If it suggest a bird or fish or fruit, show him how the crude form may be made more nearly perfect. 7. Take a bit of clay and upon it press another bit, and so little by little smooth and press and build up a plaque y 2 inch high and four inches square. Upon this as a background, build up in the same way, little by little, a raised leaf, or a geometrical figure, such as a square or a Maltese cross. If a leaf is made, copy from a real leaf. When thus interested, let the older children read Longfellow's beautiful poem, "Keramis," and the work of the potter will have a meaning it never had before. The children who thus make crude efforts to express the beautiful gain in power little by little, and will have added capacity to appreciate the won- derful works of art to be seen in every gallery. They will gain in discrimination as to what is really beau- tiful, and will know how to choose those decorations and ornaments which will make their homes truly artistic. Clay lends itself so readily to the slightest turn 178 Home Occupations for Boys and Girls of thought, and is so easily employed by the smallest pair of hands, that it is one of the best materials to give to the little child. He soon learns to tell with it what he may be able to say in no other way. When ready to put away, break into small pieces, put the pieces together, knead a little till made into a mass, punch a few holes in the mass, fill these with water, put into a stone jar and cover with a damp cloth. Or put the clay into a cloth, dampen, and then, twisting the four corners of the cloth together, drop the mass on the floor. Do this several times and it will be found welded together. Then put into the stone jar. Disinfect clay by exposing to sunshine. Sand-Table (Kitchen table, sazv, boards, nails, sine) From Germany we have finally learned the value of the sand-table and the sand-pile as means of devel- opment to the child, not to speak of their virtues as pure givers of joy. Sand-tables may be bought at kindergarten stores, or one may be made of a kitchen table by sawing off the legs to the size which brings the table top within reach of the child. Then the top should be fenced in with boards, from three to six inches high, to keep the sand in. It is a good plan to line the table with zinc, since it is sometimes desirable to have the sand pretty wet, although it generally suffices to make it just damp enough to mold readily. It can be damp- ened with a sprinkling-can. 1. The child will play a long while without much suggestion. A little pail or bottle to be .filled and emptied and refilled will furnish material for his em- bryonic experiments. 2. A tiny cast-iron spade (price one cent) will add materially to his happiness. The Kindergarten Occupations 179 3. Shells and patty-pans of different shapes and convolutions suggest bakery plays, and mother must sample the baby's cookery. When houses and forts and churches are the order of the day, paths must be laid and bordered with stones and shells ; twigs and elderberry branches make tiny trees for tiny orchards ; and a little pan of water or a bit of mirror makes a wee lake. The kindergarten building gifts make sub- stantial structures, bridges, park-benches, etc. A winding river can be painted with blue paint on the zinc. When the child's imagination flags, a word from the mother or a timely story will start a new series of plays next time. 4. Older children will enjoy reproducing in the sand the hills and valleys of their environment, the roads, woods and streams which they know, etc. 5. Tell of the western plant which, when uprooted from its loose hold in the desert sand, is sent flying by the wind over the sand, and wherever it touches makes a perfect spiral. Let the children make such spirals with a coiled piece of wire. 6. Having noticed the impression made upon the sand by the patty-pans, the child can be led to make designs with them by making a row of impressions equal distances, apart, arranging these in twos, in threes, etc. INDEX PAGE Abacus 17 Acquiring Skill with Brush or Pencil 74 Aiming Games 95, 96, 97 Anagrams 102 Apple-biting C9ntest 132 Apple Candlestick 24 Apple-seed Penwiper 30 Applied Art 76 Ash Tray 67 Autograph Picture 105 Badge 123 Baking Pan Papers 57 Balls 96, 156 Barn, Paper Folding 172 Beads, Second Gift 159 Bean Bag Games .' 95 Bean Bags, To Make 95 Bed- Making 145 Bedstead, Dolls 87 Bells 109, 139 Berry Baskets or Boxes II Birchbark 42 Biscuit, Thimble " 104 Block Furniture 85 Blowing Bubbles 51 Blowing Out Candle 100 Boat 22, 26, 36, 41 Blue Prints 52 Bon-bon Papers 58, 115 Booklist 151 Bookmark 58, 174 Border for Sand-table 40 Bottling Shells 40 Bottling Stones 39 Boxes 12, 15, 174 Breastpin 71 Bristol Board 61 181 i 82 Index PAGl Brush, Pencil or 73 Bubbles 51 Burnt Match Safe 34 Butter Dishes 41 Butterflies 105. 121 Butterfly Party 105 Butter Modeling 134 Buttons 69 Button-Box 15 Button Mold Tops 70 Button Mold Wheels 70 Calendar 74, 109 Candle, Blowing Out 100 Candle Design 55 Candle Making 137 Candle Sticks 24, 64, 138 Canoe 43 Cardboard 61 Cardboard Animals 63 Cardboard Modeling 173 Cardboard Sewing 165 Carols 138 Carrot Top 45 Celluloid Butterflies 121 Center Piece, Pumpkin 135 Cereal Boxes 32 Chains 56, 115 Chased by a Goose 78 Checkerboard 62 Cherry Stone Game 99 Chicken Coop 13 Chicken, Easter 122 Chicken, Squash Seed 29 Child's Library, The 149 Chinese Kite 66 Chinese Toy 64 Christmas ". 136 Cigar-Box Bedstead 87 Cigar-Box Dollhouse 82 Circle Tag 92 Classifying 39, 40, 48 Clay 176 Clay-pipe Doll 80 Index 183 Clock, Paper 86 Clothespin Doll 80 Clothespin Race 94 Clover, Four-leaf 48 Collecting 39, 40, 48 Color Top 75 Colors, Matching 71 Cork 36 Cork Doll 81 Corn 18 Corncobs 18 Corncrib 18 Cornhusks 18 Cornstalks 135 Counters for Games 28, 62, 69 Countess of the Huggermuggers 100 Counting Ball 96 Cover for Medicine Glass 166, 170 Cradle, Egg Shell 25 Cranberries 136 Croquet with Peas 98 Cross Tag 93 Cup and Ball 96 Curtains for Dollhouse 87 Cutlery, Toy 36 Cutting Paper 54, 167 Darning Egg 44 Decorated Note-Paper f 9 Decoration Day ) .2.5 Decorative Cherries 114 Decorative Leaves 47 Designs 21,28, 77 Dinner Souvenirs 120, 130, 134 Dishes, Tin-foil 35 Dish-washing 143 Distances, Guessing 72 Doll Furniture 15, 37, 85 Doll-Houses 82 Doll Park 89 Dolls 80 Donkey Game 100 Drawing 31, 72 Drums 125 184 Index PAGE Ducking for Apples 131 Dusting 147 Easter 120 Easter Card 122, 168 Easter Chicken 122 East Indian Fan 43 Edam Cheese Lantern 34 Egg-shell Boat 26 Egg-shell Cradle 25 Egg-shell Game 99 Egg-shell Garden 25 Eggs, Humpty Dumpty 26 Egg-shell, To Blow 25 Egg-shells 25,26, 99 Eighth Gift Plays 162 Elevator, Toy 71 Epaulettes 56 Experiments with Color 75 Expression with Pencil and Brush 73 Fairy Tales, Myths, etc 151 Fan 43, 63 Feather, Corn-husk 18 Feather Flowers 49 Felt Mats 170 Fence 1 1, 19 Festival Occasions 107 Festoons 47 Firecracker Designs 55 Firecracker, Imitation 124 First Gift Balls 156 Flags 119 Flower- Pot 35 Flower Rack 37 Flowers, Feather 49 Flowers, Pressing 51 Foot-ball, Egg 99 Fortune Telling 131 Fourth of July 124 Frieze 48, 168 Fringed Bon-bon Papers 58, 1 15 Furniture 15, 20, 37. 85 Index 185 FACE Games and Plays 92, 157, 158, 161 Gift Card 166 Gifts, Kindergarten 155 Go-Bang Board 61 Good Luck Pigs 109 Gourds 44 Grace Hoops 97 Grocery Store 88 Guess Ball 96 Guessing Distances 72 Hallowe'en 131 Hammering Soap 31 Handkerchief Box 42 Hanging Basket 15, 35, 44 Hearts no History and Biography Books 152 Home Tasks 141 Honey, Weighing 103 House, Cob 19 House, Doll's 33, 82 Household Duties 141 Humpty Dumpty Eggs 26 Imitation Water 31 Independence Day 124 Indian Head-dress 50 Ironing 146 Jack O'Lantern 135 Jackstones 39 Japanese Tag 93 Key-Basket, The 141 Kindergarten Materials Gifts 155 " Occupations 164 Kite 60, 66 Labor Day 128 Dinner 130 " '' Parade 129 Lacy Valentine in Lamp Mats 170 i 86 Index *xce Lamp, Toy 86 Lantern 33, 34, 1 39 Toy 24 Learning to Observe 73 Leaves, to Dry and Press 47 Lentils 163 Library, The Child's 149 Looms go Man, Prunes, Raisins 27 Masks 57 Matching Colors 71 Matchsafe 34, 177 Mats 18, 46, 170 Medicine Glass Cover 166, 170 Memorial Day 123 Merry-Go-Round, Dolls' 89 Midnight Watching 109 Mirror, Toy 36 Money, Toy . 36, 58 Morning Glories, Pressed 51 Moving Van 32 Music Books 154 Nature Books 153 Needle Case 42 Needles 71 New Year's Bells 109 " Day 108 Newspaper Wrappers 57 Numeral Frame 17 Nuts 22 Occupations, Kindergarten 164 Oilcloth Mats 170 Oiled Paper 87 Omnibus Swing 101 Orange Basket 24 Paint-Box, The 73 Paint-Brush Box 43 Painting from Object 73 " Wagons or Houses 76 Paper 54 Index 187 PAGE Paper Chains 56, 115 Paper Cutting 54, 167 Paper Doll 81 Paper Folding 171 Paper Furniture 85 Paper Lanterns 1 18 Paper Mats 169 Paper Money 58 Paper-Weight 40 Papering House 85 Papers for Baking Pans 57 Park for Dolls 89 Parquetry 168 Parties, Suggestions for 103 Paste 169 Pasteboard Doll House 82 Paste Stick 14 Path Borders or Markers 39 Pea Furniture 164 Peanut Animals 23 Doll 80 Party 103 Pea Pod Boat 16 Peas 16 Peaswork 164 Pebbles 39 Pegbpard 160 Pencil Box 43 Pen Tray 67 Penwiper 42 Perforating or Pricking 133, 165 Piano Scarf 41 Picture Books 153 Picture Frames 13, 44, 46 Picture Story 78 Pictures of Seedling 74 Pigments 75 Pincushion 41 Pin Tray 41 Place or Luncheon Cards, 76, 108, 113, 119, 121, 127, 130, 133 134, 136 Plays or Games 92 Plays with Gifts 161 Plumes for Hat 55 i 88 Index PAGE Poetry Books 123, 153 Pop-corn Balls 22 Pop-corn Chains or Festoons 22, 139 Portieres 21 Post Fence 19, 160 Potato Horse 17 Race 94 Pressed Leaves 47 Pressed Morning Glories 51 Pricking 133, 165 Prism 75 Prunes 27 Pulley, Toy 71 Pumpkin Basket or Center Piece 135 Races 94 Racing Tag 93 Raffia 45 Rafts 19, 36 Rag Doll 82 Raisins 27 Ramekin Dishes 41 Reading 123, 133, 140, 177 Red Pepper Lantern 24 Reins 46 Ring Toss 97 Road Roller, Spool 71 Rockets, Imitation 127 Room Decorations 132, 135 Rope and Sandbag 101 Rose-haw Chains or Rosaries 5 1 Rosettes 126 Rug Design 77 Rugs 90 Sailboat 23, 36, 173 St. Patrick's Day 119 Dinner 120 St. Valentine's Day no Dinner 112 Salt 34 Salt Dishes 41 Sand 178 Sand Table 178 Index i 89 PAGE Saved from the Scrap Basket 53 Scales, Toy 88 Scent Bag 170 Scissors, Drawing 72 Scrap Books 68 Screen, Toy or Miniature 63, 122 Second Gift Plays 157, 158 Second Gift Beads 159 Seedling, Drawing of 74 Seed-markers n Seeds 27 Seventh Gift, Tablets 162 Sewing 165 Sewing Basket, The 69 Shadow Game 52 Shamrock , ..no Shells 40 Shields 127 Snowball 137 Snowflakes 59 Soap 31 Soap Box Doll House 84 Soldiers Caps, etc 55 Soldier-Flowers, Milkweed 51 Spiderweb Party 104 Valentine in Spinning Buttons 69, 70 Sponge Garden 120 Spools 70 Squash Animals 17 Squash Seed Chicken 29 Stained Glass Windows 77 Sticks, Kindergarten 156, 162 Stones and Pebbles 39 Stove, Toy 86 Strawberry Boxes II Straws 51 Stringing 21, 27, 51, 69, 136 Sugar Scoop 174 Suggestions for Parties 103 Sun and Shadow 52 Sunday-School Helps 154 Surprise Walnuts 23 Sweeping 147 190 Index PAGE Sweet Potato Animals ................................. i? Sweet Potato Vine ..................................... 45 Swimming Float ....................................... 37 Swing, Omnibus ...................................... 101 Table Serving ......................................... 143 Table Setting .......................................... 142 Tablets, Kindergarten .................................. 162 Tag ill et, Sp per ......................................... 54 Telephone Toy, for Doll House ......................... 87 Tailless Kite Target, Tearing Target, Spool .......................................... 70 Paper Tents, Paper .......................................... 116 Thanksgiving .......................................... 133 Thimble Biscuit Party .................................. 104 Threading Needles .................................... 72 Tiling, Doll House .................................... 85 Tin Cans .............................................. 34 Tin- foil ............................................... 35 Top ............................................. 70, 75, 77 Tower Target, Spool ................................... 70 Toy Vegetables ........................................ 40 Transparency .......................................... 47 Transparent Papers .................................... 75 Tree-Boxes ............................................. 70 Tunnel, Paper ......................................... 172 Turnip Basket ......................................... 45 Turtle ................................................. 27 Umbrella, Toy ......................................... 167 Valentine Party Dinner ................................ 112 Valentines ............................................. no Vegetable Animals ..................................... 17 Vegetables ............................................. 45 Toy ....................................... 40 Wagon ............................................. 14, 32 Walnut Boats ......................................... 23 Surprise ....................................... 23 Washing .............................................. 146 Washbench, Cardboard ................................. 174 Washington's Birthday ................................. 113 Index 191 PAGE Water-color Cups 40 Water, Imitation 31 Waxed Leaves 47 Weaving go, 169 Weighing Honey 103 Wheels 14, 32, 35 Windows 77, 87 Wishbone Doll 80 Work Box 175 Worsted Mats 90 Yarn Doll . . .81 A 000 037 051 o j