San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-30
Boys and Books.

Boston Courier.
"You have done great thing
when you have brought up a boy to
have entertainment from book, " OBJ
serves DR.. Johnson, and whoever has
the training of young folks, especially
of youths and who did not naturally
take kindly to reading, is likely to
agree with him most fully. There lie
a story to the effect that the superin-
tendent of a mission Sundays school
was one day shocked TO discover
that teacher in whom he had the
highest confidence was engaged in
reading arabian Nights" to the
small boys under his charge. When
called upon to explain this rather
unusual method of instruction, the
teacher replied that he had tried all
sorts of things, and that the only
thing to which he could induce the
boys under his charge to pay any at
tention whatever was the book he
was reading. 81 detirmened that at
least they should pay atten ton to
me-" he said, land am certain that
once l get them tn do that, can lead
them from one thing to another until
1 get them where L want them" The
chances were that man who was
able to take so sensible a view of the
situation would be able to carry out
his programme, and that in the end
lie would do more good than dozen
of the sort of teachers who refused to
lead the beaten paths of conven-
ton.
1t may be laid down as an anxiom
that the book which influences boy
is the book which interests him.
There may be trickled over him a
stream of pious or instructive or i'm
proving literature without end, and
unless il is of sort which amuses
or at least interests him, it will in the
end have been as effective as a stream
of water running over a ducks back
and so often alluded to in the prov
erb. 1t is through is interest that the
is reached, and it is an immense
gain to convince boy not naturally
fond of reading that there is that in
books which will interest him. In
the case of the street arabs it was OF
| the highest value that their thor.
ough conviction that they cared fol
| nothing whatever that was to be
found IN books. II was of less Inn
portance what the book YVES accom-
plished this, provided that it was moi
vicious. The "Arabian Nights ha:
not, it is true, held light place
among the textbook suitable for ust
in Sunday-schools, but 1t would per
haps he batter for tle schools if i
had.
The beginning OF the reading habi
is of the greatest Importance in ;
bows life. If it is not made in hi
youth it of course, is not likely tina
the habit will ever become fixed
With their zest in outdoor life, tn,
thousands things which attract thei
atten ton, their natural tendency to
ward action rather than towards
thought or study, there are stFoni
odds against the formation of tn,
reading habits in lively and health.
boy. Of course the atmosphere o
his home has much to do with tn
matter, for children learn more b.
imitation than they learn from in
struction; but certainly the mos
essential and often the most Difficult
part of boys education is just thi
point of teaching for reading. Ono
this is done the hardest of the battl
is over. 1t is a careless or a dul
parent who can not do much for
boys mind if once he has got him
be fond of reading. 1t Is after that
nuestion of guidance, and If they al
not driven there is little that can
done in the way of guidance whe
one is training bows.