adverbs, signifying that the child is not yet ready for
abstract qualities and characteristics. Simple facts only are sought at
first. Questions concern the names of things, activities connected with
them, causes and ends and the age-long mystery of origins.

Passing by reluctantly any further discussion of this most fascinating
subject of children's questions, four great facts bearing upon nurture
must be noted.

1. Repression of the sincere questioning of a child tends to weaken his
effort to acquire knowledge.

2. Questions reveal a need felt by the child, and are a guide to the
kind of instruction he is ready to receive.

3. A question not only reveals a need, but is also an assurance that
the instruction given will be received, for what the mind wants to
learn, it will learn.

4. A sincere question demands a sincere answer.

This statement would seem superfluous, if its need were not apparent in
questions dealing with the origin of life. God gives to the mother,
first, the sacred privilege of investing these most holy mysteries with
purity and sanctity, and through this confidence drawing the life of the
child into closer fellowship with her own. If the opportunity be cast
away through the evasive or untruthful answer, the facts may come with a
taint upon them which can never be wholly removed.

(2) Mischief.

(3) Destructiveness.

A word must suffice upon these other manifestations of curiosity. When
truly understood, they reveal only an eager mind trying to obtain new
experiences to add to knowledge. It is not total depravity that leads a
child to pull the articles from the workbasket, or tear the book, or
demolish the toy. He merely wants to see the object under as great a
variety of conditions as possible, to find out all he can about it. It
is identical with the spirit of the scientist who essays new
combinations to see what the results may be, only in its inception it is
crude and unskilled.

Assuredly, instead of dealing harshly with an instinct which in later
years may make the whole world richer, it would be wiser to give it
legitimate outlet. Toys and blocks which admit of being taken apart and
readjusted may begin the training of an Edison or a Stephenson.

INTERESTS

Just as in the realm of the physical, appetite for one sort of food may
be greater than for another, even in hunger, so a varying appetite
appears in connection with the soul hunger of curiosity. It is strongest
in the dir