Practice Games

       That is all the lecture part of today's lesson," smiled Miss Helpem. "Now, for the practice."

       She made a gesture toward Shesa Brave, who came forward, and together they lifted before the class the tiny medicine cabinet which Mary Frances' Aunt Maria had given her for her Dolls' Hospital.

       "Let me see," said Miss Helpem. "Yes, we have everything here, I believe. Girls, you may all come look."

       The dolls I mean, girls gathered around the little glass closet and compared the labeled bottles and packages with the list given them in the previous lesson.

       They were delighted with the beautiful cleanliness of the closet its bright glass door and white shelves and shining enamel frame.

       "Now," continued Miss Helpem, "please divide into groups of two. That will make five groups. We will play that one girl in each group is the mother, and the other her child. The child has cut her hand while slicing bread. Mothers, what will you do? What will be your first-aid treatment?"

       Mary Frances I mean, Miss Helpem was delighted with the girls' answers and with the way in which they sought out the iodine bottle, and wrapped the supposed injury with narrow gauze.

       "In the next practice game, the 'child' acts as mother and 'mother' as 'child,' "' said the assistant nurse. "This time the 'child's' clothing has caught fire from a spark which snapped out of the fireplace." The girls laughed.

       The nurse smiled. ''Girls," she said, " these games may make you feel like laughing, but please keep in mind how serious the real accident would be, and try to learn what to do. You will be so much better able to live useful lives."

       You see, Mary Frances didn't quite remember that they were only dolls. Even so, they have served a very useful purpose if they only teach the readers of this book some of their lessons.

       "Ready, now, for practice," said the nurse. "Girl No. 2 of each group is to act as a little daughter whose frock has caught fire."

       The girls remembered not to run, and "pretended" to smother out the flames.

       "That was so well done," said Miss Helpem, "that no one was severely burned, so we'll merely have to treat for slight burns."

       The "mother" girl from each group went to Shesa Brave for carron oil, which she applied on gauze compresses to imaginary hurt fingers.

       Then they reversed parts again, and played the "child" had frosted her fingers. The "mother" girls rubbed the fingers with imaginary snow, gradually restoring the circulation of the blood in then "frozen" parts. 

       Throughout all their fun the girls acted in a serious, purposeful manner.

       "I'm not so certain that boys would 'play in earnest," said Miss Helpem to Shesa.

       "I think they would," replied the young girl. "I'm certain Ibee is just as interested as Soami," which pleased the assistant nurse more than I can tell you.

Wrapped the supposed injury with narrow gauze.

 Introduction: Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Practice Games,  9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19