Late Learners

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 42, 19 February 1937, Page 10

Late Learners

GROWN-UP PUPILS. Many women want to do things that they were not taught to do in early j life. They are attracted by music, paint ing, wood-carving, high-class cookery, and certain studies. But, anyhow, whatever it is—why not learn it now? “.Lt is never too late to learn while there is the desire to do so,” writes Maude B. Jacob in the Sydney Morning Herald. We have recently heard of a happily married young woman who lamented the loss, of music in her otherwise perfect home. She had never been taught music, much as she loved it. Perhaps school work had crowded it out. She tried to console herself by deciding that her baby son should be taught music as soon as he could sit at the piano. By i that means they would have home ’ music in the years to come. Tho child I might not bo musical. Besides, it would I take so long. Why should not the mother learn music without loss of time? Two hallhour lessons a week and some daily practice would soon bring some simple music into the home. It would also be a delightful diversion for the budding musician. This woman’s experience is not unusual; others are similarly placed. 1 know of three women who first learnt j music between the ages of 50 and 60. They got on well (wo can generally do what wo like doing), and they gained much happiness and satisfaction. Indeed, for all sorts of beautiful and useful occupations there might well be a larger number of grown-up pupils. An old lady once said that in her early home her father never allowed his daughters to learn painting, although one girl particularly wished to do so. Later the girl married a reasonable man. She soon joined some art classes, and within a year a picture of hers was hung in the Paris Salon. This is, of course, unusual. I did not hear, however, that the artist’s home duties were neglected. It seems, indeed, that, while we are training one sense, such as seeing or hearing, we are improving all our senses, and are bringing more usefulness and happiness into everyday life. ' We certainly are never too old to learn if we wish to do so. Shyness or false shame sometimes hinders any serious attempt at learning when our schooldays are long over. It need not to do that, however. Many noted persons have learnt late in life, and Queen Victoria celebrated her 70th birthday by taking her first first lesson in Hindustani.