What are three ways Calpurnia influences Scout?

Calpurnia is the maid who has been with the Finches since their mother died. Jem knew his mother, but Scout did not. Calpurnia is really the only female figure close to Scout before Alexandra comes to live with the Finches during the summer of the Tom Robinson trial. In the beginning of the book, one of the first things Scout learns from Calpurnia is how to be a good hostess. On the first day of first grade, Jem invites Walter Cunningham, Jr. home for lunch and Walter pours syrup all over his meal. Scout vocally questions her guest's choice and Calpurnia scolds her in the kitchen as follows:

"Hush your mouth! Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house's yo' comp'ny, and don't you let me catch you remarkin' on their ways like you was so high and mighty!" (24).

Calpurnia thus teaches Scout her first lesson on the guest-host relationship, which is not to say anything rude about your guests--ever!

Another time Calpurnia influences Scout is at the beginning of the summer that Jem turns twelve. He's not wanting to play with Scout as much and Calpurnia explains to her that he will want to be alone sometimes. Cal offers Scout love and companionship by inviting her into the kitchen with her whenever she feels lonely. Scout's impression of this experience influences her to think of herself actually doing things as a girl for the first time, such as in the passage below:

"Calpurnia would do until Dill came. She seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl" (116).

Later, Aunt Alexandra wants to let Calpurnia go when she comes to live with the Finches. Alexandra feels she can teach Scout to be a lady without Cal's help; but she doesn't know that Scout has been learning to be a girl as cited above. Atticus tells Alexandra that he won't let Calpurnia go because she is a part of the family and the only mother Scout's known. Atticus shows how Cal has also influenced both Jem and Scout by saying the following to Alexandra:

"Besides, I don't think the children've suffered one bit from her having brought them up. If anything, she's been harder on them in some ways than a mother would have been. . . she's never let them get away with anything, she's never indulged them the way most colored nurses do. She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal's lights are pretty goo--and another thing, the children love her" (137).

Calpurnia has been more of a mother than other hired help, and that is priceless. Add love into the mix, and that's the best influence a person can have in a child's life.