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CANADA POSTAGE 50 CENTS EXTRA, ALL OTHER COUNTRIES $1.00 EXTRA
Entered as Second-Class Matter April 12, 1907, at the Post Office at Chicago,
Under the Act of March 3rd, 1879.

All subscriptions begin with current issue, unless ordered for a future date.
expiration date of current subscriptions is shown on the wrapper.

179

Managing Editor, P. D. HERWITZ

The

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Building The Child's Habits

By L. E. Eubanks

OW an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny."—Anon.

Man is a bundle of habits, life a series of repetitions. Do what we will, we cannot escape the natural law that action tends to repeat itself; mentally, physically and morally our existence settles itself into a groove as the years go by. The most independent person living, the most revolutionary thinker, can but modify this fundamental principle; he must form some kind of character.

But the very rigidity of this law is a virtue when we apply the principle constructively. We are bound to form habits, but Divine Wisdom has left it optional with us as to their nature. He who has grooved himself a course in the meadow of good and useful habits has harnessed the principle; he who has drifted into an endless ditch in the desert of injurious habits has been harnessed by the principle. As Samuel Harris said, "At first a man carries his habits, afterwards his habits carry him.” Every child is going to form habits, good or bad. Always there is habit energy that demands expression. An appreciation of this truth, and an understanding of habit, its nature, formation and eradication, constitute a valuable part of every parent's and every teacher's preparation for duty. If Herbert Spencer was right in saying that education is the art of preparing man for complete living, then education, at home or at school, should include a study of habit. It is a lamentable fact that many instructors fail to realize the importance of an early start; they do not deny the child's right to such instruction, but they say Johnny is now too young, a year hence will be early enough and he will then understand better. Psychology is a deep study. Another reason that many adults hesitate to begin habit-building in the child is the apprehension that years are required to perfect the work. As a whole, this doubtless is true; but the whole is made up of parts, and the eminent psychologist, Professor James,

states that six weeks of disciplined effort suffices to form a habit of a practice.

We grant that psychology is deep, but we submit that it has its elementary branches the same as other sciences have; mathematics is not omitted from the curriculum because algebra and geometry are beyond the third grade pupil. There are some points in psychology that a child can grasp with no greater perception than he employs in his simplest studies. Much depends on the teacher or parent; simile, analogy, example can be so simply and attractively presented that children will find the subject highly interesting. There are recondite phases of psychology that tax the brain of a savant, but in habits we are dealing with a branch that readily lends itself to exposition.

Perhaps the first thing to explain to children is that desirable habits and objectionable ones follow the same general principles in their growth. To many youngsters and to some adults-habit is synonymous of vice. They must be taught that good habits are as cultivable as bad ones and become just as much a part of us, when given a chance, as the pet folly we "just cannot do without.” A great scholar has lamented that "bad habits are so much more easily formed than good ones," but this is only apparent; naturally, negative measures seem easier; it is easier not to do a thing than to do it, and since a large percentage of bad habits are those of neglect, the inference seems logical.

Positive methods are to be preferred in teaching the child; help him to build some good habit before you ask him to give up any. Suggest one that will bring the kind of results to interest him; for the average boy some particular exercise of the muscles practiced daily, will be satisfactory. If he holds to it religiously for five or six weeks it will become as much a part of the daily life as eating. Then he may experiment by omitting it two or three days, and note what a grip the practice has secured on him. Only a very light hint from the parent or teacher is required to help him draw the logical conclusion relative to

evil habits. This is practical study, and far more effective than mere preaching.

It will be necessary to explain subconscious mentation, but it can be done very simply, and nine children out of ten will not only understand but take a deep interest. Tell them that the subconscious mind is the store-house, where records of thoughts and experiences are kept for future reference. Take some simple automatic action of the body to illustrate; walking is a good one. Every Ichild has observed how hard it is at first for a baby to walk, and knows that he, too, went through the struggle. "And how easy I do it now!" he boasts. "I don't even have to think about it."

That's the point; he does it now without conscious attention because guidance of the action has been given over to the subconscious mind. The conscious mind teaches the baby legs the trick, then turns the reins over to the subconscious. Show that the subconscious mind works continually, keeping guard while its overworked ally rests in sleep, or attends to some thing that has not been made "instinctive." Here is where you can lead up to the matter of auto-suggestion, which is going to be your greatest help when once your children understand its value. Tell them that when an order or a suggestion is impressed on the conscious mind repeatedly the subconscious mind records it, and reminds the conscious mind if the latter forgets. A good illustration is the ability to wake at a certain hour, which all can develop by repeated autosuggestion when they retire. Teach them that to be effective auto-suggestion must be impressive, the attention must be undivided at the time.

You will find the work of breaking habits decidedly more difficult; but if you have succeeded in interesting the children in formation, they will listen to your counsel on eradication. That this is one of the most important duties of all adults-to help our young shake off evil practices before they are weakened or ruined-cannot be questioned by any observant person. Investigation nearly always discloses an alarming prevalence of bad habits among children. Just recently a California city was shocked by an announcement of the compulsory attendance officer that 75

per cent of the city's school boys over twelve years of age use tobacco. All these lads could quit, most of them easily, with a little help. Nine out of ten believe they can give it up later, any time they want to; and this is where knowledge of habit is invaluable. Teach your boys, and girls, that avoidance is always best, and that next to it prompt discontinuance is best; that every indulgence makes the reform more difficult.

Repetition wears a path in the brain, just as many feet wear a path through a vacant lot where distance may be saved. Show the young folks the analogy, that the oftener the thoughts follow this path the smoother the road becomes, and the longer the path exists the greater becomes the number of its tributaries. Speaking more literally, when we think a great deal about a certain thing its area in the brain enlarges, and other thoughts are modified.

So the first step in dealing with an undesirable habit is to unravel the ideas. Segregate the one you wish to shun, and let none of the others touch it. The weeds and grass must be allowed to grow again, the path must fill up and the foundations of new structures occupy the space. Teach that this abandonment of the thought is the first essential. In most bad practices thought is everything; no one can use tobacco or intoxicants unknowingly. The thought must precede the action, and as long as the mind is kept away from it all will be well.

Substitution is a powerful aid. By this is meant the cultivation of some other habit to take the place of the abandoned one. The point of making the new practice fill the exact time when the old one formerly held sway is important. "To uproot a weed and put no flower in its place is to invite temptation," said Professor Lewis. Guard the thoughts and keep busy is the very best motto you can instil. Helping a child to perfect his health so that his condition will be normal and teaching him the constructive power of thought-control-this is education that makes for future happiness and usefulness.

"The wisest habit of all is the habit of care in the formation of good habits.” -Lynch..

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The Movement in Connecticut

For Children's Courts

And the Better Care of Dependent, Neglected and Delinquent Children

By William H. Macdonald, L. L. B.

Hartford, Conn.

(Continued from June Issue.)

The list of these co-operating outside agencies are too numerous to detail in an article of this kind, and vary according to the community, but they are always there, ready, willing, capable, and in most instances efficient if shown how; how much of, or how often is, this outside co-operative assistance sought or used in the average criminal court of today, or by the courts under the criminal systems? If the judge places the child on probation, that is generally the last he sees of him until he is again brought into court for another offense; this is not the right method; he should be brought before the judge personally, and given encouragement, guidance and advice, and not left to the probation officer alone.

All the phases or features of this bill can not be discussed in detail in an article of this character, so with the mere mention of the fact that it is provided that custodial control of a child under this act shall be to a person of the same religious belief as as the parent where practicable, and to an institution governed by persons of like faith, except a state or municipal institution; that the public who have no interest in the proceedings of the court may be excluded; that a child, by reason of an adjudication or disposition of a case shall not be denominated a criminal; that a statewide juvenile court and probation committee shall be appointed to unify the work and do anything else that shall the better carry out the same; and also that the judge may appoint a local board, county, district or otherwise, of similar character and for similar purposes; and that in certain cases the case

of an offender under this act may be retransferred to the criminal court if thought advisable by the juvenile court judge; and that the bill provides for concurrent jurisdiction of contributory delinquency cases, the writer will proceed to close this article with a few words as to the history of this movement so far as legislation is concerned, and a few words as to what steps have been taken to secure this legislation, its draft and endorsement.

In 1913, Miss Susan C. O'Neil, a lawyer of Waterbury, this state, and chairman juvenile court committee of the Connecticut Congress of Mothers, drafted a state-wide juvenile court bill to follow the state congressional districts, with courts located at certain of the larger cities and places of the state, and the cases should be brought to these places and tried; the bill called for an appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars and the appointment of six special judges for the work. This was an ideal bill in many ways, and was the beginning of the movement in a legislative way that has increased from session to session. At the same session the writer drafted and presented senate bill No. 204 that provided for juvenile courts in the probate courts, the cases to be tried by the probate judges; no appropriation was asked for; the judiciary committee turned down both bills.

At the 1915 session of the legislature the writer again presented the juvenile court-probate court bill, known as senate bill 142, following the 1913 draft with numerous added improvements; this time Miss O'Neil co-operated with senate bill 142 committee and was a

member thereof, and

brought the strength of the Connecticut Congress of Mothers in support of the measure; she at the same time presented another measure for a commission to investigate, which it was understood was not to oppose S. B. 142, but rather to secure some recognition and make some advance in case S. B. 142 should be turned down. Again the judiciary committee reported unfavorably upon juvenile court measures, and again we realized that we must try, try again.

And so at the 1917 session we again presented a similar bill, to senate bill 142 of the 1915 session, and through the

have with us, not only our original friends, the Connecticut Congress of Mothers, but we have secured the support of the Connecticut Research Society, the State Suffragists Organization, the Womans' Christian Temperance Union, and various charitable societies, including the Associated Charities of New London and the Civic League of that city, former probation officers from various parts of the state and workers in penal institutions, as well as a large number of individuals from different localities in the state.

Just a few days previous to the hearing before the judiciary committee it

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kindness of the clerk we were able to get the same number, namely, senate bill 142 for the 1917 session; one reason for this was because we had on hand considerable printed material we had used in our 1915 campaign, and if we were able to get the same number, we could use the same material without spoiling it by marking it all up or throwing it away.

This time we began to organize a state-wide committee to carry on the work and propaganda, and while we have not finished that work entirely, we

was decided to make some amendments and improvements to the bill, so it was redrafted and offered as a substitute, the principal change being the provision for the appointment by the governor of five special judges to try these cases in the different probate districts as they should arise instead of having the probate judges try them; another change was to make all probation service mandatory and trained; a few other changes were made in the bill and it was offered as a substitute to senate bill 142 and we had a splendid hearing before the ju

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