The clownish humor, the crude drawing, the humor of the unusual position and unexpected dilemma, without the bad manners and other unethical conditions, are furnished in abundance in the drawings of Leslie Brooke, Gelett Burgess, Peter Newell, in Tenniel’s illustrations of Alice’s Adventures, in Edward Lear’s Nonsense Books, to mention only a few. Delicately colored pictures, which adults find exquisite, do not attract the child, but in this day there are abundant treasures of pictures and picture books with colors strong, yet not blatant. In this respect the English and American work is in the main preferable to French, German, Russian.
Many books of songs for little children are published that are merely mediocre, or ill-adapted to children because not based on a knowledge of child psychology and the range of the child’s voice. Some children can carry a tune at three years, others not until six or seven years. The natural range of the child’s voice can be easily tested by trying it out with the piano; it will usually range from E to A at three years and from middle B to upper D at six years. These physiological limitations indicate that songs for children to sing should have a simple melody, within this range, and should be short. Children like simple hymns, lullabies, songs about animals, nature, play, dolls, and action songs.
If a child is thought to have vocal talent, the voice should be especially protected from strain and misuse, and intensive training postponed until late in the teens when the voice has become placed. A teacher of ability should be engaged for the first training.
All children should be trained to use the voice intelligently, which is hygienically. They should be taught to sing softly and naturally, and never allowed to sing harshly, boisterously, or falsetto. Screaming and shouting injure the voice, especially in childhood, while the vocal cords are developing. By a little careful hygiene, the example of musical, well-modulated voices in their elders, and the selection of songs within their range, American children might develop as pleasant voices as are found in some of the countries across the sea.
(music note) = boys (backwards music note) = girls
Age 0 1-2 3-5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12
From Gutzmann and Paulsen.
CHAPTER XX
HOME NURSING AND FIRST AID IN THE NURSERY[34]
General Principles. Careful hygiene will reduce illness to a minimum. Study what to do in emergencies and illness before these appear, in order to be mentally and technically prepared to act promptly, with confidence and poise, when need arises. Teach children as early as possible how to spit, gargle, raise phlegm, inhale. Habits of obedience, self-control, and regularity will assist in recovery. Under any circumstances avoid excitement; keep calm and self-possessed. Use firmness, gentleness, patience, good cheer, and the spirit of play in care of illness. It is wiser to call the doctor at first, when symptoms of illness appear, than to incur severe sickness and greater cost by delay. A severely sick child needs a trained nurse. Children have less resistance than adults, and succumb more easily, therefore they need prompt, intelligent treatment.