INFANTILE COURTESY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 11

INFANTILE COURTESY.

In every school in Paris, primary or lecondary, the last few days before the new year see a new lesson added to the pro- ; gramme of each class, from the infants to the finishing classes at the lycees. This lesson is ;'le compliment," as-it is called, and it "consists of a quaint little address to the parents, generally in rhyme, whjch the children learn to declaim with great earnestnoss. _ It is rather curious that notwithstanding the entire exclusion from both primary and secondary schools of anything like religious studies, these "compliments" invariably call upon the Deity to pour down blessings of which He is in these lines recognised to bo the fount. Thus you will hear the tiny babies of four, five, or six years lisping a solemn speech running something like this:—"My dear parents:

So many days as thou hast fondly kissed me, papa; So many days as thou hast taken care- of mo, mama; Bo many happy days I hope Heaven will frrant yon on earth, And so many delightful New Tear's days."

This m the French original makes a kind of doggerel easy for the infant brain to recall. A lad or girl of fourteen will recite a compliment" in these terms: I love dearly my parents. My pleasure is to tell them so not once, no, but every day and to satisfy my heart eternity itself could scarcely suffice. So I pray that God may grant that ever my work and my obedience may mako my parents happy, and that He will spare you to mo for very many New Year s days.

Can you imagine tho effect of these little speeches on the children's public? They will bo.recited in the presence of "grandma'am" in v her salon, and again with oven more parado at the homo feast, after tho roa3t turkey and salad have been eaten, when tho dessert is placed on tho tabic. Then a bottle of champagne will bo opened; the servants will come in to receive the "bonne innce," or "Happy New Year," from their irnployers and to return with infinito digoity their own.good wishes; and then the Jon and daughter of the house each in turn rill spe-ik the little "compliment," to the treat, delight of their parents and to their »wn immense satisfaction if an 'encore" be givei, the speech will be repeated with sxactly the same inflection, the samo accent, as before, showing the careful coaching of the'teachcr and tho aptness and doMhty of the pupil. A small glass of champaguo mixed with water rewards the young person, for wine is a common drink of the little French child.

It is in this'way tho French preserve and hand down the family tradition. Just as on All Saints' Day overy French family visits en masse tho tombs of- deceased membors of tho clan, so on New Year's Day all tho jiving raombcrs who aro within reach must be visited, good wishes bo exehanced, and Iho family bonds drawn closer; the feuds Dr'differences of tho past 'year are forgotten or bridged over, arid the'new year-is sti=*«d with' a clean family book.