the significance of air raids. They all recog-
nise the noise of flying aeroplanes; they dis-
tinguish vaguely between the sounds of falling
bombs and anti-aircraft guns. They realise
that the house will fall down when bombed
and that people are often killed or get hurt in
falling houses. They know that fires can be
started by incendiaries and that roads are
often blocked as a result of bombing. They
fully understand the significance of taking shel-
ter. Some children who have lived in deep
shelters will even judge the safety of a shelter
according to its depth under the earth. The
necessity to make them familiar with their gas
masks may give them some ideas about a
gas attack, though we have never met a child.
for whom this particular danger had any real
meaning.

The children seem to have no difficulty in
understanding what it means when their fa-
thers join the Forces. We even overhear talk
among the children where they compare their
fathers' military ranks and duties. A child,
for instance, with its father in the navy or
air force, will be offended if somebody by
mistake refers to the father as being "in the
army." As far as the reasoning processes of
the child are concerned, the absence of the
father seems to be accounted for in this
manner.

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