The aptitude of children for diverting and often profitable occupations is admirably fostered by the new Britannica through many of its very practical articles. This matter has been discussed in the last chapter. In addition it is worthy of note that an ingenious boy could learn to make and set up a sun-dial with the help of Dial and Dialling (Vol. 8, p. 149), by Hugh Godfray; and could experiment and amuse himself with a Camera Lucida or a Camera Obscura (Vol. 5, p. 104), from the articles written by Charles J. Joly, late Astronomer Royal of Ireland; while even a younger child could quickly learn to tie any kind of a knot from Knot (Vol. 15, p. 871), with 54 illustrations, by P. G. Tait, the famous British physicist. All the crafts that produce objects of household utility are practically taught in articles by experts, so that the Britannica is a complete guide to the use of every kind of tool.
Reading for Girls
In the field of girls’ occupations there is in the Britannica much material that serves to give knowledge of the best methods of home making.
A great number of articles for girls’ reading will be found among those named in the chapter For Women.
In these days parents, and especially mothers, are devoting more and more time to the study of child development. The importance and value of intelligent sympathetic guidance in everything a child does—and every active child strives to do something—has been fully realized. The chief problem before the parent is, therefore, to have at hand some ready means of meeting every expression of a child’s interests, every indication of budding talents. A short experience with the new Britannica will show this to be one of its many valuable functions. Children do not need to be driven to the volumes. They need only to be made acquainted with them.
CHAPTER LXIII
SOME QUESTIONS CHILDREN SOMETIMES ASK, AND SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK CHILDREN
A child gains a great part of its knowledge by asking questions, and he should be encouraged to ask them. But parents often find the child’s questions, even those about the objects he sees every day, so difficult to answer, that he is told “not to bother.” With the new Encyclopaedia Britannica at hand, there is hardly any intelligent question that cannot be answered after a glance at the Index and at the page to which it refers the reader. Again, there is no better way at once of amusing and instructing the child than to ask him questions and help him find his way to the answers. Here are a few questions: some of the kind that a child might ask, and some that may be put to a child. The Britannica supplies interesting answers to all of them, and some of these answers are given here.
What makes people snore?
The answer, found at once by referring to “snoring” in the Index, is that the cause is breathing through the mouth, which makes the soft palate vibrate. When the child is told this, it should also be told what the Britannica says about mouth-breathing being a dangerous habit for children to form, as it often leads to sore throats.
How does one ant tell another to go to work?