The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-12-17
Cheap Reading for Juveniles.

flow from the pcru>al Of trashy novels
of the ycllow-colored stripe have been
the theme of much moralizing, cSpcci-
ally after some eScapade on the part OF
a Youthful admirer OF such heroes rs
- ItattleSnake jim, Sleepy sam and
1" Bic Jack, the Ranger has called at
tcntion To- the subject. Every few days
we hear of adventurous boys, fired with
an ambition to win renOwn rs an "ln-
j~un-Slayer,' and perhaps have their
deeds chronicled in the pages of a"Dimc
Novel" leaving their homes to 90 they
really know not whittier, except that it
is somewhere in search of danger, and
this while they have no conception of
what it is to be in harms way. A night
or two from home and from the care of
their natural protectors is generally
sufficient to appeaSe, temporarily, Ju-
venile longing for thrilling encounters
and hair-hreadth escapes. The seeds
that have found lodgment in the youth
full brain, however, are not killed bythis
experience. They terminate, and from
them grow vicious propenSities and
habits. The character of the reading
which is engaged in in youth has Il
mighty influence in molding the char
acter. 1t is about As reasonable to eX-
pect that the boy who has gorged his
mind with unnatural stories of impoSsi-
bic beings, written in a sensational,
highly-colOrcd style, and usually in exc
cradle English, has received good pre-
paration for the ordinary pursuits of
life, as it would be to expect him to grow
up physically strong, hardy and vigor-
Gus on the most unwholesome food.
1t is natural that in childhood. with
its vivid ima@ination>, there should be
delight taken in tales of the marvellous
and in highly wrought pictures. If there
were not this natural craving, the trash
which is condemned by maturer minds
would not he marketable. Children
who can read will have reading matter,
and, a> they cannot command the means
to purchase works which are rrcog-
nizrd rs standard and healthful, they
save their pennies for the purpose of
procuring such Is they can ret for 4
tritle. 1t is but very recently that the
necessity of providing the youth with
good. wholesome and cheap reading has
been appreciated in any thing like de
served measure. The Dime Novels"
took possession IF the field first. and it
is a hard matter to di>loigr them from
their position.
Parents often drplore the passion
which their children have for reading
workS-if We may dignity the trash by
that namc-which do not have the least
beneficial tendency. but which, on the
contrary. are exceedingly mi>chicvou> in
their influences. 1t has never struck
many of these, perhaps, that they, and
not the children. are really to blame.
1t is part of their parental duty to sup
ply. as far As they are able. the mental
cravings Of their sons and daughters,
just rs much As it Is To provide them
with bodily comforts. If they devoted
proper attention to the mental training
of their offspring, there would not be
such a demand for the cheap, worthless
literature which now finds such a ready
sale. Ifthcre We're, it would indicate that
the Youthful mind prefers what is unqucs-
tionably bad to that which is good-a
proposition to which We by no means as
sent. If parents would consider the
benefits which are sure to follow from
judicious reading on the part of the ris-
ing generation, we are sure that they
would pay far more attention to the
matter than they do. Ii tends to make
home pleasant, to bind the family cir
Gle together, and TO rcpreSS the i~nclina-
ton SO often manifested to leave home
at the first opportunity. The long win
cntS who can should exert themselves
to provide their children with suitable
material for recreation.
In this connection there is something
we'll worth the attention of firms en-
gagged in the hook-publiShing business.
There is at present, thanks to the indie
fatigable labors of many well known
writers, no lack of books Of Il character
which will both please and instruct the
youth, while in magazine literature the
interests of the boys and girls are we'll
looked after. But the books are gener-
ally too high-priced-a fact which pre-
Nnnts their nttnininm the Slln MLich thny !