The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-10
TEACHING THE YOUNG IDEA.
The silly Singing-Books that Find
Favor in Public schools


Everybody knows that they teach
singing in tho public schools all over
the country. and every parent has at
some time or other devoted part OF
his income to the purchase of singing
books for his children. OF course it is
beneath the dignity of the head of
family to look into these books himself.
so not one person in a thousand knows
anything about the songs. But there
is just where the grown people miss
lots of fun. Some of the verses tho
children sing are as funny as anything
in minstrel show, and reveal intrica-
cies of meter and weird phases of life
that would make the romancer of the
arabian Knights hang his head in
shame.
Throughout Westchester county and
in most Of the schools about New York
the children use ''The Song Wave"
In a beautiful little ballad that infests
the book and has lodging-place on
page Is, the following touching appeal
appears:
wish the whole world was park,
With ice both in winter and summer;
Astonishing every new conner!
The only regret one feels in reading
this is that the book is not illustrated
with wood cuts. The picture of lark
skating would be at least novel, aud
would serve to inculcate new and orig
ina ideas of natural history. Some OF
the sentiments expressed in the other
verses of the song are almost equally
touching. For instance, it goes on to
say:
wish the whole world was a school,
ana nall oil the year was vacation.
Dear teacher, I'd mind every rule,
Then visit my country relation.
u wish the whole world was tree!
How nice it would be in hot weather!
'Twould shade us SO beautifully
And make US feel good altogether.
So through nine verses it runs, while
the children successively wish that all
the world were wood, a ball, book.
brook, and gate.
A little furthr on, page SO is devoted
to telling how much superior a black
cat is to any other kind of a cat. 1t
recites at length the delights of a sim
cere love for truly black cats, and con-
cludes with the following stanzas. The
chorus is omitted, as it sings only Of
the virtues of cats in general, and does
not seem to do full Justice 10 the black
ones:
Some will choose the tortoise SHE'LL
Others love the white so well;
Let them choose of this or that
But give me the old black cat
When the boys to make her run
Call the dogs and set them on;
Quickly put on my hat Y
And fly to save my old black cat
But The Song Wave" doesn't con-
tlne itself to cats or even to the broad
field OF natural history. Hear its con-
tribution as to boys:
When Johnny Poole first went to school,
He was but scarcely seven;
He knew as well to read and SPELL
AS most Toys of eleven.
Geography, too, comes in for fair
share OF poetic praise, and the gifted
authors tell in simple language how
Water and land upon the face
OF this round world we see;
The land is mans safe dwelling place,
But ships sail on the sea.
The youngest child, after learning all
about ships that way, would know at a
glance that something was wrong if a
big vessel came sailing down the stone
sidewalk past the school-house door.
So every song teaches some new truth
Perhaps the only fault in the book is
on page "a. where the song-writer,
telling of his family, says:
A sister and five brothers were
OF that our household band;
| Though five remain yet one has gone
| To try the spirit land.
There is plain intimation here that
| the party merely meant to try the spirit
land, and if he did not like it he could
return at will or go elsewhere. just as
fancy dictated. This is so evidently at
variance with the general experience
| that comment is unnecessary. If any,
body believes that a public school is
without fun. let him drop in some time
when the children are singing. .-Nes0
| York World