SIR,--I confess I cannot share the anxiety of the "Bewildered Parent" who
complains of the child of two and a half years who addressed her learned
parent as "Old bean." As a convinced Montessorian I recognise in the
appellation a gratifying evidence of that self-expression which cannot
begin too young. Moreover there is nothing derogatory in the phrase; on the
contrary I am assured on the best authority that it is a term of endearment
rather than reproach. But, above all, as a Vegetarian I welcome the choice
of the term as an indication of the growth of the revolt against
carnivorous brutality. If the child in question had called her parent a
"saucy kipper" or "a silly old sausage" there would have been reasonable
ground for resentment. But comparison with a bean involves no obloquy, but
rather panegyric. The bean is one of the noblest of vegetables and is
exceptionally rich in calories, protein, casein, carbo-hydrates, thymol,
hexamyl, piperazine, salicylic dioxide, and permanganate of popocatapetl.
This a learned parent, if his learning was real, ought to have recognised
at once, instead of foolishly exploiting a fancied grievance.
Yours farinaceously,