The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-14
Reading in Home and School.
lCoNCLUDED.]

1t is evident, then, that it is not
enough to learn to read, in the usual ac-
ceptance of this term. A child may
learn to read and use his knowledge in
good way or a bad way. or not use it
at all. He may in school not only learn
to call the names of words, but he may,
while there. learn to love good litera-
ture-classical iterature-may become
acquainted with the best authors, may
Law the foundation for broad culture,
and all this be done in the reading
classes in the common school. Now |
believe one great lack here in YER
mont is a lack of information concern
ING the best educational methods. We
have got into certain ruts, and even if
we get out of them for a little we re-
turn again to the old ways. And why?
Because we do not know what rapid
strides the world is making in educa-
ton. There are two ways of leading
people into better ways. One is to
scold them for being where they are;
the other is to show them better way.
A combination of the two is perhaps
the best, about two-thirds of the latter
to one-thrd of the former.
We are compelled by law, l suppose,
to 90 on in the ruts in reading, and shall
be compelled to go on in those old ruts
till the people get their eyes opened to
the need of change. Meanwhile many
parents would like to learn all they can
about educational progress. A great
deal can be done in forming taste for
good books by the parents at home.
Few realize how cheap good books are.
Many people never buy book unless
it is forced upon them by an agent.
There are others who have liking for
books, but they cost so much" Yet
how many men pay out from fifty cents
TO dollar or more month for tobacco
and cigars. How many families could
save dollar month in their table eX-
penses and invest it in books. Too
many of us starve our minds and surfeit
our stomachs. And the children!
Books are a necessity to them if they
are to make the most of their oppor-
tunities.
How often, for instance, do children
have to hunt for pieces to speak. They
don't want an old piece, they have
nothing to select pieces from, and
what might be pleasure and help in
language-training is irksome drudgery.
There is a book of selections called
Open Sesame" published by CHM &
Company, Boston, which would be a
blessing to thousands of young people
if their parents would only put it in
their hands. 1t contains many pieces
and yet is low in price. 1t is to be fol-
lowed by two other volumes, and the
whole will make one of the very best
collections of poetry for children and
young people.
Poetry for Children (Houghton, Milf
lin & Co.. is another excellent colec-
ton, and commend it TO parents as a
far better Christmas, New Years or
birthday present for children than the
cheap trash so often bought at such
times. The best collection of poetry
for older readers that l have examined
is American Poems, edited by Horace
E. Scudder. Longfellow is represented
by Evangeline, The Courtship of Miles
Standish, and The Building of the Ship.
Whittier by Snow-Bound, Among the
Hills, nd several shorter poems. Then
there are selections from Bryant,
Holmes, Lowell and Emerson.
One difficulty in providing children
with classical literature is to find books
which children in the lower grades can
read. In Literary Landmarks (Hough-
lOu, hlllllu N W. du dll6IupI mas Decu
made to grade literature for young
people. While the book has some
faults, yet it is valuable in many ways,
and may be consulted with advantage
by parents and teachers. CHM 81 Co.'s
Classics for Children is in some re-
spects the best series for chidren's
reading, but is mostly from English
authors. For American classics, the
Riverside Literature Series is the best
For reading in home or school they are
unexcelled by any literary issues.
(H ughton, Mifflin & Coz. The same
publishers issue in the series of Mod
ern Classics collection of the worlds
best literature in beautiful and mex
pensive volumes. The school edition
is the one to get. By all means get cata-
logues of these three series, which cost
nothing, then buy specimens, and you
will be surprised to find how much good
literature can be purchased for little
money, and trash " will be banished
from your home. j. w. NEWTON.