Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-07-24

WHAT SHOULD OUR BOYS
READ.
BY HON. b. O. NoRrHRop.

home, in which they read little every
day. In school they should be invited
to tell what they have read. To give
an epitome of ones reading is an admi
rable school exercise. The pupil will
peruse book with ten fold greater in.
terests, when expecting TO epitomize
his author before the school As a
drill of memory and in language it is a
most useful exercise, and is one that is
sure to interest as well as profit the
school. Having experienced these ad-
vantages in my own teaching and wit
messed them in many schools, | strongly
recommend this pratice, already adop-
ted by some, to all the teachers OF Con-
necticut. Instead of giving here a list
of books Tor all the youth Of the State,
| advise teachers to recommend well
known works in adaptation to the age,
taste and advancement OF individual
pnpils, usually those which they them
selves have read, that they may the bet
ter appreciate and criticise the epitomes
of the same by the pupils.
An eminent teacher recently asked
class Of tiity.seven boys, What is the
last book you have read ? One an
swered 81 haven't read any lately !"
another, "I don't remember Cant
tell, said third. But the great ma
jorty were able to give an account of
their reading which was most credita-
bic to their teacher, evincing his whole
some influence over his pupils outside
of the schoolroom. Twenty. had
been reading works of history and bio
graphy, including Life and Times of
Benjamin Franklin, Life of Prescott,
Higginson's History of the United
States, lrving's Washington, Lives Of
Cicero Hannibal, Caesar, Xerxes, Alex
ander, Ferdinand and Isabella. Three
boys were reading Dickens History Of
England and one was enjoying Ban
croft's ten volume History Of the Uni
ted States, another had Just read three
volumes of Macaulay's Essays, Shakes.
peare, Bunyan, Bulwer, Defoe, Jules
Verne and Oliver Optic had one reader
each. What Career, Avis, Marble
Faun, History of Propellers, Manage
ment of Horses. Seven Oaks. Miss
Muhlbach's Empress Josepbine. Wavs
of the World. HalfHour Natural Sci.
ence Series. American Explorers. Iii.
tie Men, Speek's Sources of tho Nile,
Wide Wide World, Waverly, Fortunes
of Niqel. and Quentin Durward were
also named.
/ invite our teachers to tea, their
scholars IN the same wav duripg tbe
present year, and to send me lists of
The books read bv their pupiles. with
the cooperation Of teachers and school
officers we NAV learn what the voutb
of Connecticut are reading. This eE.
fort will enlist the attention of parents
and secure their aid in the selection Of
better books and periodicals for their
children and thus check growing evil
and accomplish great oood7 Teachers
should foster a taste for such choice
literature. that travels. histories and
biographies. books of science. oennine
poetry ESSAYS and choice romanoes
shall take the place of the oblood and
thunder stories and other empbatical.
" ,ceekly noyelettes of the dav.
Social reading should also be encour.
aged. The industry in many a sew.
ing circle has been enliyeped by well
selected reading by one of their mum.
ber. The same genial influence should
often cheer the circle around tho fami-
" hearth. aReading oiroles'' ongbt 10
be maintained in every town where
seleotions IN nrosa or noatrv or,en a
plav of Sbakesneare The severaI nar,s
having been previously assigned and
made the subject of careful private
stpdy and drill are rebearsed together
These reading clubs where each thor.
ouphly studies his mart or selection I'm
he becomes 80 nossessed Of its tbongbt
and spirit as TO render n in The best
style he can command not only culti
yate the art of elocution but imnrove
the taste and develon a bigher annro.
c,ation NJ The best antbors Aside from
the educational value Of this class of
evening schools. their social influence
is bappv Divided as tho rcsidence of
our ri d;str;cts ,oo os,an 90 h., nar
tv or sect bv nrejnd;co or ns;ghbor
hood difficnli;es sverv ;na,once ,end
inc TO fraternize the neonle should ma
welcomed every assocIa,;on where
thew meet ON common ground for nm
tuaI Improvement, and where kindly
teolinc and social amen,t;cs are cnl,j
yated sbould he encouraged
The teacher cannot awaken love of
books unlesss be bimself continnes ~
be a student, Anv one who thinks be
knows enopob 70 teach even tho hnm
blest class sbonIa never nro,sna ,ha
school room bv his nressnoa 0ns ,rSo
has ceased 10 (, a leornsr co,no, ss G
oood teoe6,r Tho moro ono [ ~ d,s
covered the mora he wants 20 rnow
The trnlv learned nan & saa,s ~ ~ anw a,reo,
meas Of b;s ,anoranca % and All, ,he n, i;,,tsnas. foa
of bis knowisdge as bnt a dron ont os
the boundlcss Ocean oS ,ru,h 7, hss
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