WHEN MOTHE!
LETS US CUT PICTURE
MD
IDA E. BOYD
1
WHEN MOTHER LETS US
CUT OUT PICTURES
WHEN MOTHER LETS
US CUT OUT PICTURES
By IDA E. BOYD
Teacher oj Art, Brooklyn Training School
for Teachers
ILLUSTRATED BY THE AUTHOR
NEW YORK
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY
1918
r N ' <\
Copyright, 1912, by
MOFFAT. YARD AND COMPANY
NEW YORK
/*// rr^ A// reserved
Piwt Printing April, 1912
Second Printing May, 1913
Third Printing September, 1915
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
TO
NAOMI NORSWORTHY, PH.D.,
A
GREAT INSPIREB OF TEACHERS
37843
CONTENTS
PAOK
INTRODUCTION 1
How TO CUT Our PICTURES 4
CHAIRS 7
THE TABLE OF THE THREE !BEARS 11
THE HOUSE OP THE THREE BEARS 14
STREETS 18
OUR VILLAGE 24
A PAPER BABY 34
A DEPARTMENT STORE 41
BOYS AND GIRLS 46
ANIMAL ARTISTS 66
MOVING PICTURE SHOWS 77
CHILDREN'S HAPPY DAYS 83
CHRISTMAS DECORATION 89
CHRISTMAS SECRETS .... 91
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
SEA-SAW Frontispiece
DISHES
SNIP 2
LITTLE SASH 3
A COLLAR AND SOME CHAIRS 6
MOTHER ROCKS THE BABY 8
THE TABLE OP THE THREE BEARS 10
THE PARTY 13
HOME OF THREE BEARS 15
A WALK IN THE WOODS 16
A BIRD HOUSE 17
WHIRLS . . 19
TREES 22
TREES 23
FENCES 25
SWING ON THE GATE 27
LAMPS 28
A STREET CAR 29
A COZY SPOT 30
THE FAMILY AUTO 31
WATCHING FOR MOTHER 32
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL 33
BABY GROWS 36
MILLET 's FIRST STEP 38
I 'VE ADOPTED LITTLE TEDDY ........ 37
SHOES 40
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE CHILDREN WHO LIVED IN THE SHOE
BEADY TO WEAR ......
THE CHUMS ......
A LITTLE TENNIS PLAYER .
THE GAME ...... ***
MY FRIEND ......
HIGH IN THE AIR ....
UP IN THE WORLD ....
OUR INDIAN COUSIN
HAPPY WALKING CHILDREN
MY SHOVEL AND PAIL AND I
AN AIDE-DE-CAMP
..
THE GENTLE HORSIE .
A WILLING MESSENGER .... go
IN THE PLAY HOUSE ....
FLOWER LOVERS ..... " 65
THE FRIENDS . . . . .
MY CHUM AND I . . . " .' ' [ 6?
BEAR LITTLE PUSSY ..... 69
HIDE AND SEEK ..... 70
AFTER THE BALL
THE BIRD'S Music LESSON ..... 75
MOVING PICTURES ..... 76
FIE, LITTLE CHICKS ...... 78
BEST OF FRIENDS ...... 79
CONTENTMENT ...... OQ
BIRTHDAY WISHES .... v o-j
A PROUD MESSENGER ..... go
CUPID IN GLEE ......
YOUR VALENTINE ....
HALLOWE'EN INVITATIONS .....
HAS SANTA CLAUS FORGOTTEN
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
PRECIOUS GIFTS 90
BOATS f
BASTEE FLOWERS 9m
Dishes.
INTRODUCTION
Do my little friends like to cut out paper dolls,
soldiers, tents and such things? If they do, I
am sure we shall have a happy time cutting many
kinds of things out of paper.
First of all, in the right hand take a pair of
scissors, pointed scissors will be best. We must
slip our thumb and second finger into the holes
in the handle. The first finger helps to steady
the scissors and will take care of itself. Open
the scissors wide, then close them to the point.
Try this several times, listening for the sound
of the points as they come together. We shall
never be able to do well unless our cuts are long
and clean.
We can use any kind of paper that we choose.
I am sure mother will let us have the clean
wrapping paper that comes around our bundles.
Take the part of the paper that is not wrinkled
much. By and by when we have learned to cut
well we shall choose fresh paper that has never
been used. While we are learning, wrapping
paper and, perhaps, newspaper will do very
well.
2 "WHEN 'MOTHER LETS rrs OUT OUT PICTURES
Let me whisper something to you. When we
are having a happy time ourselves, let us remem-
ber not to make any work for any one else. Let
us make mother glad because we never leave a
scrap of paper on the floor. Little fingers,
bright eyes and loving children will be quick to
help everybody, every time and everywhere.
Shall we have that for our secret ?
Snip, snip, snip!
How my nice sharp scissors do fly!
Work, work, work!
An artist I '11 be by and by.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 3
Here's a little sash
Only a little sash.
Yes, it is white
But it's cut quite right,
Quite right!
4 .WHEN" MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
HOW TO CTTT OUT PICTURES.
r
Take a piece of paper (not too large a piece)
and hold it in your left hand with the scissors in
the right. With long clean cuts make a dolly's
sash. Be careful to cut it straight.
Cut another strip of paper like the sash. Do
you know how some of father's stand-up collars
look? Sometimes they look as if they were cut
out of a straight piece of cloth, then sewed to
a little band which is longer than the collar.
Cut one where the band and collar are in one
piece. To do this we must cut out little bits at
the ends, thus making the band longer than the
collar. The corners may be bent back or we may
round them off with the scissors. With a wider
piece of paper try some cuffs in the same way.
Father often wears other kinds of collars. Do
you think that you can cut out another kind?
Choose white paper if you have some and try it.
Make it large enough to be a real collar and cut a
little hole at each end of the band for the collar
button. When you do this, be careful to hold
a finger under the paper on the other side as you
press the scissors through. As soon as you feel
a little prick from the scissors, take your finger
away and gently press the scissors more until
the buttonhole is large enough. Cut a button
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 5
hole in the middle of the collar, too. Put a collar
button in it, leave it on father's dresser and see
what he will say.
Cut out an oblong piece of paper. Cut a flag
with a nice long stick. Begin at the bottom
of the flag stick and cut up the paper until
the stick is as long as you wish it to be. Now,
turn the paper around with the flag stick toward
you and with a straight cut, cut to the end of the
paper. If you have some colored crayons, you
will have a happy time putting in our stripes and
making a blue garden for our stars.
Cut another flag. Turn it upside down, with
the stick going up. What have you? A chair
with a very tall back. Do you wish to cut off a
piece of the back? A chair with a back as tall
as this wouldn't look well, would it?
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
A Collar and Some Chairs.
WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 7
CHAIRS.
We have some chairs that look as solid as
this. If you do not wish all the chairs to be like
parlor chairs you can cut out the underneath
part to let the legs show. If you wish to have
a little rod join the legs, cut a piece out under
where the rod will be. Then cut through one end
of the rod up to the seat, across under the seat,
down to the top of the part for the rod (be care-
ful not to go through it), across the top of it and
a piece of paper will fall out but the rod will stay.
I am sure that now you will be able to cut the
three chairs for the Three Bears. Try them and
be careful to cut them so that each bear will know
his own chair. Chairs stand on the floor and I
believe that you will enjoy doing this although
it is harder. Think; a little strip of paper,
then the baby's chair; more strip of paper, then
the mother's chair ; more strip of paper, then the
father's chair. We shall always play that the
strip of paper that holds all together at the bot-
tom is either the floor or the ground. If you
wish to show the legs and rounds of the chairs,
cut as you did before but be careful to plan so
that one leg of each chair is not cut away from
the floor.
Find the little chair that you like the very best.
See if you can cut one that will look like it.
Mother rocks the baby
And sometimes she rocks me!
Now she's tired, maybe
So here's a chair she'll see.
WHEN" MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 9
The first time you try it, do not cut it on the floor,
do that the second time. If you cut the floor
strip quite wide, you will be able to double that.
The part that is turned under can be flat and
your chair will truly stand. In this way you
will be able to cut out all the chairs you want for
your playhouse.
Which is jnother's favorite chair? Cut it out
just as carefully as you can. Put the cutting be-
side her plate on the table to see how surprised
she'll be.
The Table of the Three Bears.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 11
THE TABLE OF THE THREE BEARS.
Shall we cut out the table that Goldilocks
found in the house of the Three Bears ? I am
sure you have found by this time that it is easier
to cut away from you and that you must turn
your paper every time you cut. Show the table
on a floor line, cut up the leg until you get to the
top which you will notice goes out a little more
than the table legs do. Be careful about this,
because without it your cutting will not look like
a table. Cut across the top and down the other
side. Be careful to make the second side just
like the first. What a strange table it would be
if all the legs were not of the same length!
The table must stand well and be strong. For
that reason it will be better not to cut under the
bottom of the table legs. Decide how wide you
want the leg to be and at the bottom very gently
press the point of the scissors -through the paper
as you did for your buttonhole. Carefully cut
up the table leg to the thickness at the top, under
the top, down to the bottom of the other leg and
across the floor strip to the place where you
started. A piece of paper will fall out. If you
wish a shelf to go across between the legs, as I
have done, you will have to cut out two pieces in-
stead of one.
I have cut the table of the Three Bears show-
12 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
ing the three bowls. I am sure that you will en-
joy doing the same thing.
Won't it be fun to make another cutting of
this kind with a chair at each end of the table !
I believe you can do that by yourselves. Be-
fore you begin, think how high the seat of your
chair will be and also how tall you will want its
back. Tour little bear won't be happy unless
the chair is just right so he can sit at the table
where he can easily reach his bowl and spoon.
The table will often need other dishes besides
bowls and spoons. Try to cut out all kinds of
dishes. Platters and saucers must not be high,
but very low. Although cups have different
shapes, they almost always have a handle. Look
at the pitcher. See the difference in the spout
on the pitcher and that on the teapot. Have
you some dolls' dishes? Try to cut their pic-
tures. Be careful to cut so that the opposite
sides will be alike.
Will you come to my party
To drink some real tea with me ?
We'll use my cut out china
And very polite we'll be.
14 WHE^ MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
THE HOUSE OF THE THREE BEARS.
iWe can now cut tables, chairs and dishes for
the Three Bears. So far we have tried no
house for them. Let us cut a simple one first,
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 15
one that is not fastened to the ground. Let the
bottom of the house be square, the roof pointed,
and the eaves wide to let the rain run down to
the ground. Cut a door and a window in the
house and have a chimney at one side. In cut-
ting the door, cut across one short side and one
long side, the other side being folded so that it
will act like a hinge and will open and shut.
When your door is open, put your house on a
table or a window seat, and it will stand.
I have cut the house of the Three Bears.
Goldilocks was here in the Little Bear's bed
when the Big Bear's growl wakened her and
she ran home dreadfully frightened. This kind
of cutting may be too hard for you to do yet, but
some of you may enjoy trying to do it.
16 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTUKES
Suppose you try to cut the house that you
would like to have the Three Bears live in. Cut
it on a ground piece. If you make this piece
wide enough to bend forward, the house will
stand and will have a real sidewalk in front of it.
A Walk in the "Woods.
A Bird House.
18 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
STREETS.
What kind of house do you live in? Can you
cut a picture of it? If you didn't live where
you do now, what kind of house would you like
to live in? Look through your picture books
and through mother's magazines to find a pic-
ture of the house you like best. Make a cutting
of it. It will be fun to cut many houses of many
kinds. Plan for a sidewalk in front of each
house, and have a little village. Arrange your
houses in order so you will have a street. Will
you build the houses close together or will you
plan to have a yard for each one? Of course
you will want a schoolhouse, some churches,
some stores, and bird houses, too.
When you make the streets, will they be nice
and straight so that the people who walk through
them will be able to find their way easily ? Will
you have cross-walks connecting the streets?
One day I heard a little boy whisper "May we
cut a street car for this little town?" That was
such a nice idea. Shall we cut an automobile,
too ? But wheels to such things are round and
before we can do this we must learn to cut round
things.
One day when I was walking in the woods, I
saw a tall stem that had wound itself up into a
little ball at the end. As the sun and the air
Whirls.
20 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
and the water played with, it, it gradually spread
out and became a beautiful fern leaf. Another
day I saw the house of the snail. Suppose we
think of this kind of curve as we use our scissors
to-day.
Cut a square, size about three inches. Take
the square firmly in your left hand. In your
cutting begin near the top and as you cut around
the corner, firmly but gently turn your paper.
Turn it all the time you are cutting. Keep on
turning and cutting until you get to the middle
of your square.
Find the picture of this on the opposite page.
Try this several times until your cuts are round
and even.
Take a large piece of paper. Have it square
in shape. Try cutting a large, round mat by
cutting the corners off as you come to them.
The only way that you can do this well, is by re-
membering to turn the paper all the time. When
you succeed in cutting this nice round mat, think
of a way of cutting some fringe on it. You may
like to color it with your crayons and use it in
your playhouse.
Suppose we play that we are going to the store.
"We have a nice round penny in our hands. Let
us see if we can cut a play penny that is as
round as our real penny. In the store we shall
see some round pink candies that we are going
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 21
to buy. Can you cut some of these, too ? Per-
haps you will like to color them. Sometimes
they are brown, sometimes pink, sometimes
green, and sometimes white.
These candies are on a pretty plate. It has
two little green bands on it with a row of chil-
dren between the bands. The candies on this
plate are green, too. Let us cut a picture of the
plate and be careful to have it nice and round
and even. If we remember to turn our paper
when we are cutting, I think it will have no
nicks and no bumps, but will be round and
smooth. Won't it be fun to make a lot of plates ?
Perhaps mother will give you a round cookie to
put on your plate, and you will have a real
party.
Trees.
Trees,
24 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
OTJB VILLAGE.
What has become of our village? We must
surely plant trees there and now that we have
learned to turn our paper, I think we shall be
able to cut trees. What kinds of trees do you
like best? Think how some trees look. Do you
know what an apple tree looks like ? I am sure
you do if you have ever been in the country.
The trunk is strong and sturdy and the branches
grow low. An elm tree is tall and slender and
spreads out its branches like an umbrella. Like
all other trees, it does catch the rain and keeps
some of it from soaking the little birdies who are
patiently waiting for mother bird and father
bird to bring them a worm.
The poplar tree goes straight up like a soldier
pointing his gun upward. The great strong oak
tree and the maple grow to be very large and are
often rather round. But the tree that the chil-
dren love best of all is the Christmas tree with its
branches growing out straight. It almost seems
that it is holding out its arms to take the pre-
cious things that it so carefully guards.
Each tree that is cut must have its own shape
thought out. See if you can tell which trees I
have cut for you. Try cutting them. Hunt up
pictures that you think are well drawn and cut
their pictures. Go out of doors, find the tree
WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 25
that you like best, and cut a picture of that, too.
Cut your trees with ground to grow from, and
plant them near the house where you wish them
to be.
Fences.
26 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
Houses that have yards around them have
fences, too, sometimes. There are many kinds of
fences. I think I shall try to cut a picket fence.
The easiest way to cut this seems to be, first,
to cut an oblong as high and as long as the fence
is to be on one side of the gate ; second, to plan
and to cut for the height of the gatepost and
the width of the gate ; third, to cut a strip for the
fence on the other side of the gate.
If you cut this fence, take a large piece of
paper and let the first cutting be a big one. I
must make small cuttings to go in a small book,
but your cuttings should all be large if you wish
to get all the fun that you can out of doing it.
If you make a picket fence, remember that
gateposts are usually a little taller than the
rest of the fence. In cutting the pickets the
top may be. flat, pointed, or rounding. Be care-
ful when you cut out the spaces between the pick-
ets that you press the point of your scissors
through carefully. If you are not careful to do
this, your paper may tear. Be careful also to
make the pickets of the same size and to see that
the strip that joins them has the same width
from beginning to end.
If you wish the gate to open and shut, you
must cut down the length of it at one side and
across the bottom to the other gatepost. What
other kinds of fences have you seen? Do you
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 27
remember how they look? Can you make a
cutting of one of them? If you cannot remem-
ber how they look, perhaps you will be able to
find a picture of one that you will enjoy cutting.
Be careful to have it strong and well built.
When you cut out the fences to put around
your yards, you must think how high you wish
them to be. They must be high to keep the
baby in the yard, and they must not be too high,
because that will spoil the looks of the place.
Swing on your gate and wave your wee flower !
Wave it on high, above your bright eyes !
Call to the birdies on branches swinging
Near to the nest where mother-bird flies.
Swing, little girl! Hold your wee flower!
Dear little girl whose two dancing eyes
Will sparkle and flash and each time she swings
She'll hold for us sunbeams as sure's they rise.
Lamps.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 29
Think about this, for everything that we put
in our little town must help to make it beau-
tiful. Perhaps you may choose to have no fence
at all.
Now we are ready to call in the man who helps
us light our streets. Before we do this we must
have some street lamps. Look at the lamps
in your neighborhood, choose the ones that you
like best, cut them and plan for their placing.
You are now ready for street cars and auto-
mobiles. Look for pictures of them, watch them
as they stand on the street. Look to see how
they are made if you want to put them in your
village. Look to see how the wheels are fastened
to a street car and to an automobile. Are they
put on in the same way?
'I
I
A Cozy Spot.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 31
I believe you can really cut a picture of out-
of-doors now. Some people take pictures, some
draw them, some paint them and I believe that
you can cut them. Let your first one be very
simple. Have only a house and a tree in it.
Think how near to your house you wish to plant
your tree. What kind of a tree is it to be, and
how tall do you want it?
I have tried to cut an out-of-doors picture
and to have it in a frame. This is harder to do
because one is apt to cut into the frame. I do
not wish to have my trees all alike nor to have
them all the same distance apart. If you do try
to cut a picture in a frame, show it to father and
perhaps he will help you to surprise mother by
having a white passepartout frame put on it.
It will be nice to give to her at some particular
time when you wish to make her very happy.
It is such fun to surprise both mother and father.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 33
There was a little girl;
She made her scissors whirl
Right in the middle of the morning.
She cut the dishes out ;
They're good without a doubt,
So she really didn't need a warning.
34 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
A PAPER BABY,
Who ever heard of a village without any peo-
ple in it ? Of course we must have people there.
Let us begin by cutting out some babies. Our
first one will be very easy. Take an oblong
piece of paper about three times as long as it is
wide. Cut the head and the outstretched arms
from the top of it. Tinder the arms of the nice
long baby dress, begin with a slanting cut that
will end at the two bottom corners of the oblong.
When you try this again, make the baby's head a
little longer, let the sleeves have some wrinkles
and round the skirt off at the bottom.
Perhaps you can draw a face on this baby.
Look at the babies that you see. I think you
will find that their eyes are halfway down from
the top of the head. Dots will do for eyes at
first if you make them large enough. A baby's
nose comes halfway down below the eyes and two
little dots for the holes will show that little nose.
One larger dot quite near to the nose will be a
little mouth. Sometimes we make this a little
longer than a dot. Be careful not to make it too
long because we wish our baby to have a sweet
mouth. Babies are cross sometimes, but we love
to remember them best when they are happy.
Bend this paper baby so he will sit down on
the edge of a chair. I think you will have to
"WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 35
bend him twice. Perhaps you will like to have
him stretch out his arms so his little mother will
take him. All babies love to hold out their arms
to those they love. If you have a happy time
cutting this baby's picture out, perhaps you will
want to cut a good many and play you are having
a baby party.
At first our baby wears long dresses. As he
grows we shall put him in short clothes. Can
you cut the baby out when he is wearing short
dresses ? Perhaps the toes of his little shoes will
just peep out below his dress. As he grows a
little older we shall shorten his dresses still more.
How grown up he will feel !
36 WHEN. MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
Can you think of some things that a baby does
sometimes*? I have cut out some babies doing
different kinds of things. They are on the oppo-
site page. Can you guess what they are doing ?
By using your scissors see if you, too, can show
something that a baby does. Cut out a dear lit-
tle baby (use white paper for this), paste it on
a piece of colored paper if you can find some,
write under it "Baby loves you," and send it to
someone you love who may be lonesome, tired or
sick.
Baby Plays.
38 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
There once lived a great artist, named Millet.
He loved children very much and drew many
pictures of them. One of his pictures was called
< ' The First Step. ' ' I have tried to cut it out for
you.
The mother with arms so strong and tender,
Holds the small baby whose two dancing feet
Would gladly go to her father's big arms,
Stretched out so straight his own darling to greet.
I've adopted little Teddy,
But baby is my own ;
I love them both already,
So neither feels alone!
Shoes.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 41
A DEPARTMENT STOKE.
Now for your shoes ! Do you know how they
look*? Try to make a cutting of one of them.
After you have done this, place your shoe in
front of you and look at it. Look at the straight
heel, how it curves in at the ankle and curves out
on the higher part of the shoe. Look at the slant
on the top part of the foot. See what a long
toe there is on every shoe. If you wish to make
a very nice looking shoe, you will be careful to
cut the toe long. Look at the cutting you have
made to see if you have made it long enough.
"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe;
She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
To some she gave broth, to some she gave bread ;
She kissed them all round and sent them to bed."
Beady to "Wear.
"WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 43
Try to cut different kinds of shoes, low shoes,
high shoes, and slippers. It will be fun to have
a shoe store. If you wish to play store, take
colored crayons and color some of the shoes that
you have cut out. <You may have every-day
shoes, Sunday shoes, and party slippers to sell.
One little child who cut some shoes out sold each
pair for a pin.
I think you are able to cut a story now. In
mine, I am cutting, I am playing that the old
woman has gone to market. How glad the chil-
dren will be when she comes back.
Let us be dressmakers and tailors to-day.
First, try to cut out a little girl's petticoat and
some boy's trousers. The little girl's skirt is
not straight across the bottom. The fullness of
the skirt makes it seem a little longer in some
places than in others. In cutting a little boy's
trousers, you will notice that if he has worn them,
there will be wrinkles around the knees and that
the pockets will bulge.
When you try to cut a little girl's dress or a
boy's suit, put one on the bed or let it hang
from a hanger. Are skirts and waists of the
same length ? Sometimes they are, but often the
waist is shorter. This is true of these cunning
short-waisted dresses that little girls often wear.
Notice how far up on the waist line it will be
necessary to cut before you will begin to show
44 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
where the sleeve joins the waist. Watch the
shoulder line when you cut across the top of the
neck and be careful not to make it too wide. If
it is wide it will do for a little fat girl. Be care-
ful to have the opposite sleeves and the oppo-
site sides of the waist of the same length. If
you are not careful to do this, the dress will not
fit a nice straight child. Try several little
dresses, jackets, long coats, trousers, Eussian
blouse suits, and hats. If your shop is a real
dressmaker's shop why not print a sign?
"Very little children's ready-made paper suits
a specialty."
A Little Tennis Player.
46 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
BOYS AND GIRLS.
Before we begin to do much story telling with
our scissors, let us look carefully at boys and
girls to see how they are made. First of all, a
head, round at the top and pointed at the chin.
Next comes a little short neck that joins the
head to the body. It is that little neck at the
back of a baby's head that mother loves to kiss.
The slanting shoulders, the arms and the trunk
of our body are the things we must next look at.
It does seem strange to hear any part of our
body called the trunk. Perhaps it is because so
many of the precious things that help to keep
us alive are inside of this part of our body, that
we have such a fine, strong name for it. This
trunk curves in at the waist line a little and if
we press our elbows in here, we shall find that
the upper part of our arm ends at about this
waist line, while the fingers come about halfway
down to the knee.
Now you will be surprised. Look at a roily-
poly baby and you will find that his head is so
big, and long, and round that often it is almost
as long as his trunk. As he grows, his trunk
grows longer and still a little longer, until, when
he is seven or eight years old, it is often twice
as long as his head.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 47
If you will look at the length of a little boy's
trousers or a little girl's skirt, and compare them
with the length of the waist, you will find that
they are about equal. That part of the leg above
the knee, we call the thigh. If you look at the
length of the leg below the knee to the floor, and
compare it with the thigh, you will find they also
are about equal.
The main things to remember in our cutting
are, that the trunk, the thigh and the leg are
equal in length, and that the head is half as long
as any of them. This is the reason why it looks
funny if a back is cut very long and a thigh or a
leg very short.
My Friend.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 49
Another surprise that we have is that the foot
is about half as long as the leg. Do you remem-
ber that I warned you about making it too short?
If you remember you will have very little trouble
when you try to cut out children.
Let me tell you how a little friend of mine
looked one day. Her mother had just finished
making her a new dress and she was wearing it
for the first time. As I went into the room, she
was standing straight and proud, and was look-
ing in the glass at her dress. At first I caught
just a side view of her. I saw only one foot and
one leg, the skirt stiff and new, a sash with a big
bow coming out at the back of her waist, her back
straight, her hair bobbed and tied with a big bow
on the top of her head.
Shall I tell you how to cut out a picture of
her? First, I shall think of her standing on
the floor and cut a strip for the ground. Be-
fore I begin to cut the back of her shoe, I shall
think of the line of it, straight at the back of
the heel and curved in at the ankle. After I
have thought about it, I shall cut it. In the
same way, before I do any cutting I shall think
of the curve at the back of a little child's leg,
because it is not straight like a lead pencil. Then
I shall think of the bottom of her skirt. It is
full and made of soft material and is not straight
like a piece of paper.
Up in the air so high we go,
[Well touch the leaves first thing you know.
No, little birdie in your nest,
We'll ne'er disturb your quiet rest.
Cut our pictures with skirts afly,
And friends to push as we go by;.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 51
The next thing to think of, is that this skirt is
gathered in at the waist. To show this my cut
must be a slanting one. Then I must think of
the big bow of the sash and cut it. The back so
straight and proud, the bobbed hair that stands
away from the neck, and the bow so high on the
top of the head, must all be thought out before
they are cut.
In the same way, I shall think out all the
changes before I cut down the front side of my
little girl, remembering to leave a floor strip for
my child to stand on. Perhaps it will be easier
for you to make a cutting of this same child be-
fore you try to think of one yourself. After you
do this, think out a picture of your own and
cut it.
Up in the World.
WHEIST MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 53
Almost always the two legs, the two feet, and
the two arms of a child are seen. Sometimes
only a part of them are seen. You must be
watchful and when you cut the picture be caref id
to show only what you see. When a child is
standing, if his legs and feet are spread apart,
the paper between them must be cut away. In
doing this, put the scissors through the middle of
the piece that you are going to cut away and
carefully think out each cut before you make it.
If you press the point of the scissors in just
where you are going to cut, it may be very hard
to keep the paper from tearing there. Some-
times it is necessary to cut here because the space
is so small. Then you must be careful not to
tear the paper.
Before we go on with our story-telling, let us
think of things that a very little boy or girl can
do. He can creep, stand, sit, swim, walk, bend,
stoop, run, jump, kneel, on both knees or only on
one, and, strange to say, he can even stand on his
head.
Our Indian Cousin.
[WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 55
Compare a child with a little bird. A little
bird can hop, stand, sit, and fly. A kitten can
walk, run, jump, sit, lie down, stoop over to eat
her food and climb a tree. A dog can do what a
kitten can do, but he cannot climb a tree. How
sorry he is sometimes! Pussy isn't sorry I A
dog can swim and he is glad.
Think how many things a little child can do
that these pets of his cannot do. Of all living
things he should be the happiest, because he is
able to do so much, and is loved and cared for
best of all. He has someone to love him, to work
for him, to think of and for him, and to take care
of him. Let us cut out a picture of some of
his happy times. Watch his body as he makes it
do different things. Watch him as he marches.
He keeps his back straight, stretches out each
leg, first one and then the other, and steps first
on one foot and then on the other. Stand up
yourself. March! How can you cut the pic-
ture of a marching child? Will the picture say
" march'' if you cut both legs straight down with
the feet standing on the ground? I hear you
say, "No." Watch the children on the street.
Look at the pictures of walking children. See
what the artist has thought of when he has
drawn walking children.
One leg does go down straight sometimes, while
the other one slants out. If the child is walking
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 57
With my shovel and pail I go
To make me a house in the sand.
Ill cover up my foot, you know,
And there'll be the cave that I planned.
58 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
fast, both legs sometimes slant and must be cut
so. What does a child do with his arms as he
walks ? He can do anything with them that he
chooses. He can keep them perfectly still or
he can swing them.
Cut a picture of a little boy walking. Let him
have some fun while he is doing it. If the
little one keeps his arms still and straight, it will
be necessary to cut them straight down. If they
bend at the elbow, cut down to the elbow and
across to the coat; perhaps one arm will swing
and the other one be straight. The swinging
arm will usually be shown with a slanting cut.
One reason that we are able to do so many
things is because our body is made in a wonder-
ful way. Move your hand back and forth, and
up and down. How easily it moves! Try the
arm in the same way. Try the shoulder, too.
It is better than a hinge because it moves in more
ways than back and forth. The same is true of
the joints at the ankle, the knee and the hip.
What a strange body it would be if it was all
made of one stiff bone, like a door ! We couldn't
do many things then, could we ? Someone would
have to move us.
Watch a little boy as he makes up his mind to
run. How these joints help him! What does
he do with his back? Does he keep it straight?
No, it slants in the direction toward which he is
An Aide-de-camp.
60 !WHEff MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
running. The forward thigh stretches out in the
same direction, but at the knee the leg bends
back, the ankle helps, the foot slants down and
touches the ground. The other thigh slants
backward and this back leg, if the child is run-
ning fast, stretches straight out from the knee
and does not touch the ground. Sometimes if he
is running very fast, it slants up, and the toe of
the shoe points to the ground.
One day, a little boy in cutting a picture of
a running child, cut the toe of the back shoe
as if it were pointing to the sky instead of the
ground. You have no idea how strange it
looked. A little girl made the joints go the
wrong way, and the poor little knees of the paper
child clung together, and the legs spread far
apart. If you ever make a cutting that looks
funny (and we all do sometimes), think it out
to see if the joint could act the way you have
made it act. Take the position that you have
shown in your cutting. See whether your body
can do what you made the body in the cutting do.
If you wish to cut stories of children, you must
watch them doing things. Think what a child
can do when sitting. I hear you say that she can
play with her doll, swing, hold her pets, rock the
baby, read, and fish. What a good time she has
in doing all of this.
Watch children. You will find that they sit
WHEN" MOTHEB LETS US CUT OUT PICTUBES 61
very often when they work or play. How many
sitting children do you suppose you can cut?
Watch bending children. They pick flowers,
play marbles, stroke their pets, help mother
sweep, pull the weeds away from the flowers,
and are quick to pick scraps from the floor. I
believe that bending children may be called
mother's helping children.
Be gentle, oh horsie so proud !
Baby so wee rides behind you !
She cooes so happily aloud.
Mother so lovingly takes her,
A dear little sister named Cloud.
A Willing Messenger.
In the Play Housg.
64 WHEN" MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
I shall leave the dear children with you now.
Watch them at work and at play. Cut them out
carefully and make them as beautiful as you can.
They are your chums and friends. Of course,
we shall meet them with their animal friends,
their playmates and protectors.
Flower Lovers.
66 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
ANIMAL ARTISTS.
Before we begin to cut pictures of animals, let
me tell you something about animal artists.
They are always animal lovers. They take the
best care of their animals. They feed them and
watch over them to see that nothing hurts them.
The animals love them. Do they love you?
How can you tell when a kitty loves you? She
will rub up against you as you sit in your chair.
If you listen when you take her in your arms,
you will hear a little purring song which means,
"I am happy. I love to be with you."
When a dog likes you he wags his tail, and if
lit*
My Chum and I.
68 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
you look into his eyes, you will find them to be
kind and friendly. Little chickens will run
after you. When you feed her little ones the old
mother hen will say, " Cluck, cluck." That
cluck means, "Come babies, the children are car-
ing for you." I am sure it also means, " Thank
you."
Not many of you have a horse but if you ever
do own one, I am sure you will be kind to him.
When you cut his picture, you will leave his tail
long and beautiful, because it is that tail that
helps to shoo away the flies that bite him.
When you cut out your animal pictures, re-
member that, like all other animal artists, you are
animal lovers. Because you do love them, you
will make them as beautiful as you can.
First, watch the little kitten as she sits up in
front of you. You will have to be quick, because
she is so playful and is still only a minute.
Often, as the kitten sits there, one ear comes
up higher than the other. This is because she
holds her head on one side. Perhaps she thinks
you are coming, and is listening. Between the
ears is a little short curve, while down the front
side of her is a long graceful one. On my kitten,
that curve went in quite a bit, and the little foot
that for a wonder was still, poked its way out
just a little. Her back slanted down and made
me think of a nice furry brush.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US OUT OUT PICTURES 69
Dear little pussy,
Sitting up so, BO!
With my scissors
I'll make you grow, grow-'
Dear little pussy,
Sitting up so, so!
Hide and Seek.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US OFT OUT PICTURES 71
When you cut the kitten out, perhaps you will
enjoy playing that she is asleep in a box. For
this, cut out a big piece of paper, a little longer
than it is wide. We see her first when she wakes
up and lifts her head out to look around. Re-
member to begin the cutting nearer one edge of
the box. You will then have room for the back
and the tail. If kitty likes what she sees, she
will come out of the box and you will finish her
picture.
Look at your kitten. Have you made her
head too small? When I watched my kitten as
she sat in this position, I found that her body
was about twice as long as her head. How many
kittens are there in this family? Does the old
mother trust you to play with them? Watch
them to see how they play, how they sleep, and
how they eat. Give them some milk and while
they are drinking they will be still. Run for
your scissors. See whether you can cut a pic-
ture of one drinking milk. If the kitten that
you are cutting changes her position to drink
from another place on the saucer, change your
position to get the same view you had at first,
and you will be able to finish your cutting. See
how many kinds of things you will be able to
make the picture kitten do.
Watch other pets in the same way. Look at
a dog. Is he like a kitten? He has four legs,
72
MOTHER LETS US OUT OUT PICTURES
but they are not shaped like a kitten's legs.
Their heads also differ in shape. The lines in
dogs' heads are much longer than in kittens'
heads. The line under a cat's stomach is quite
straight and her legs are not very long. The line
under the stomach of a dog is quite slanting and
his legs are apt to be long.
In your first cutting of a paper dog try for
the main lines. Imagine that he is standing so
that you see the side only and that the two legs
on the far side are hidden by the two nearest
to you. What a strong watchful animal a dog
is and how faithful he is to his friends! Out
WHEN MOTHER LETS ITS CUT OUT PICTURES 73
pictures of him doing different things. Can he
beg I Can he sleep? Cut one for big brother
or for some other person who loves dogs. I am
sure he will like it.
Another thing to enjoy thinking about and
cutting, is the squirrel that you often see in the
parks. Does he ever come to take the peanuts
from your hand, then run up the trunk of a tree,
sit on the branch, crack his nut and nibble at it?
Do not forget the birds who sometimes rock
their babies in the tree tops. Will you cut a
picture of Tree-top Village where the birds sing
WHEN" MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTUKES 75
to the flowers and to the children, as well as to
each other? Perhaps your picture will be of an
empty bird's nest that is to rent. Here is a pic-
ture of a bird's school where the class is on the
line. Which is the teacher ? These birdies are
having a music lesson and the wind is playing on
the wires. They are bright and happy. They
have just had a shower bath that they took in the
pool by the roadside.
A robin is a nice bird. Try to cut a picture
of him. Have you seen him run along on the
grass and stop a minute to see whether you are
looking at him? Watch the little sparrow, too.
Does he look like the robin. Cut a picture of
each. Take them to mother to see whether she
thinks they are natural.
WHEN MOTHER LETS US OUT OUT PICTURES 77
MOVING-PICTTTBE SHOWS.
Before cutting out pictures to show happy
holidays, how many animal friends will you be
able to cut ? Have a moving-picture show. Cut
first one animal, then another.
At one time, when I was visiting a farm, I
saw, not a circus procession, but a procession
that was slow and stately. All at once there was
the sound of scraping a dish. How my proces-
sion did turn to run! Can you guess what it
went for? By and by I followed and found a
mother hen taking care of her babies. As they
were still and sleepy, the picture did not move
any more. I went back on tiptoe because I did
not want to scare the baby chicks. Just as I was
turning to go away the proud father walked up.
He, too, was careful not to disturb his little fam-
ily, because he knew that the mother hen often
has a hard time when she tries to put her baby
chicks to sleep. Can you find my moving-pic-
ture show?
Get up a moving-picture show of your own!
Suppose a little boy is playing with his dog.
Can you cut out each act in his play? Try it!
Invite your friends to see the show. You may
charge grown-ups an admission fee of two pins,
78 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
but of course children will pay only half
price.
Little chicks, little chicks, fie, oh, fie!
Who'd fuss for worms? Said the dog, "Not I/ 1
Little chicks, little chicks, do be fair;
Who'll be judge? Said our boy, "I'm there."
Best of Friends.
[WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 81
BIRTHDAY WISHES
If a brownie sees a fairy
Hop upon a chair,
Then a brownie asks a fairy
To be brave and dare
To make a wish on every candle
For things that children care.
So a brownie and a fairy
Speak their wishes there.
>
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTUBES 83
CHHDRENS' HAPPY DAYS.
Truly this world seems to be a place for chil-
dren. Not only are all loving children happy
day by day, but there are many special days
made on purpose for the little ones. First of
all, comes the birthday. You do not remember
when the stork brought you. You were too tiny
to look around, to think of yourself, or even to
play with your little pink toes. Mother and fa-
ther remember, and are happy every time they
think of it. Because they are happy, they cele-
brate (big word, isn't it) this day with you.
What do you do on your birthday? Next
time it comes, put something beside mother's and
father's plates. Perhaps it will be a flower, a
little shell or just a loving note that big sister
will help you to write.
Cut out some happy birthday times. I believe
the best things that you have cut will be some
birthday stories.
84 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
How this young Cupid swings in glee!
As fairy of love, he thinks of me.
WHEN MOTHEB LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 85
What day shall we celebrate next in our cut-
ting? Does someone say " Valentine's Day"?
Did you ever hear the story about Mr. Valen-
tine? He was an old man who loved children.
He used especially to visit those children who
were sick or poor. There came a time when he
did not go, the children missed him and won-
dered. They went to see him and found him
sick in bed. Dear Mr. Valentine remembered
that he could write if he was not well enough to
go out, so he used to send greetings to his little
friends.
Let me be your valentine. ;
86 WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
After he died, these children celebrated his
birthday by sending loving messages to one an-
other. We still keep the custom.
It will be well to plan the valentine that you
wiD. cut several days before you send it. You
may spoil it and need to try again, and this takes
time. I wonder to whom you are going to send
it. You will never tell, will you? That is your
secret.
Next comes jolly old Hallowe'en! Who is
to have a Hallowe'en party? Try to find some
black paper, and cut out the pictures to paste on
the invitation that you will send. These pic-
tures will surely tell your friends that the
witches, brownies, black cats, and fairies are to
be there. At the bottom of one little girl's invi-
tation was printed:
''The goblins won't git you
Ef you do watch out!"
Haltywe'en Invitations.
Has Santa Glaus Forgotten?
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 89
CHRISTMAS DECORATION.
The nicest day of all has been saved until
the last. Christmas Day ! Even very little peo-
ple will find something to do for this day. They
can cut out apples, nuts, and balls. In olden
times when these were hung on the tree, the peo-
ple made believe that they stood for the sun,
the moon, and the stars. Other children may
cut out candles for the lights. Here again, in
olden times when the tree was lighted, the lights
were a make-believe for the flashes of lightning
overhead. If the older children help, the little
ones can color these lights. They will trim
the tree. Cut paper dolls for trimming, too.
Clothe them in pretty party dresses and cunning
little slippers for this happy night. Here,
again, your colored pencils will help.
Get the tree all ready for Santa Claus. Dear
old Santa Claus with his eight tiny reindeer.
What a jolly old fellow he is, and how tired he
must be after his many trips to I don't know
where Cloudland, perhaps. I think I do not
want to know where his home is, do you? We
have happy times thinking about things we never
see. Most real things are not seen. Who sees
the fairies who dance on the lawn or sit perched
up on the toadstools I
Little gifts are precious
If a loving heart
Helps the busy fingers
As they do their part."
WHEN MOTHER LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES 91
CHRISTMAS SECRETS.
Christmas is a happy time and is full of sur-
prises. It is one of the times when we share our
candy with the child who has none, when little
children and big children find what a blessed
thing it is to give happiness. Gentle words are
spoken and love shines in our eyes.
The gifts that have the most value are the
ones on which the most thought is spent. Fa-
ther and mother are loved best. Cut out a story
telling what your home is to be when you are
grown. In this, have pictures of your children
with their pets, with their horses and carriages
or autos. Perhaps the yard will contain a little
pond where the children may wish to sail their
boats.
Easter Flowers.
WHEN MOTHER LETS- US, CUT OUT PICTURES 93
Experiment ! Try first one arrangement, then
another. Where will the trees look best, grow-
ing in rows, or in bunches where tables may be
set for a picnic dinner? If you intend to have
a swing in the yard under what kind of tree will
you place it ? If you wish the house to be shady,
how near to it will you plant your tree ?
After you have placed all of these things as
you wish them, look at the whole picture. Do
you like it? Are some of the spaces too
crowded? Do others look too empty? Arrange
this picture so it will make you happy to look
at it.
At first mother and father will think nothing
of it if they see you cutting pictures. Now,
when you cut, find a spot in the house where no
one will hear you even if you whisper your se-
cret. Choose white paper, look at the picture as
you have it arranged. Try to cut the whole pic-
ture out together.
You will not mind trying many times. Artists
never mind trying again. When the picture is
finished, mount it, on paper the color of things
in mother ? s room. Use thin library paste. Take
it to a picture f ramer and ask him to put a white
passepartout frame on it. This will cost you
about thirty cents. If you haven't saved up that
much money, put a little white string through
94 WHEN MOTHEK LETS US CUT OUT PICTURES
the top, tie it so it will hang, and mother and
father will be just as glad.
When it is ready, and has been wrapped up,
ask someone to give it to Santa Glaus to put with
the things he has for mother and father. I am
sure he will be glad to do so.
As dear old Santa finishes his work in your
home, and is ready to go on to another, I am
sure, as he looks around to see if everything
is left as he wants it, that he is thinking, "God
bless us every one."
THE END
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