St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-08

What boy reads is very important
matter, so we present the following
from the New York Times ON that
matter:
Following a late reply to request for
suggestions for girls reading comes a
similar question concerning the boys of
the family. An article taken some
months ago from Chicago weekly. and
kept i'll mothers scrapbook, Is so per-
tinent that extracts are freely made
from it.
''It is saying of Bulwer," begins the
writer, THAT if boys are fond of read
ing. the less any particular books are
forced upon them, the better" Perhaps
this is true, IN regard to advice; but
there is one way in which good books
may be pleasantly forced upon the at
:ention of boys. This is by reading
them aloud in the family circle. 1t is
surprising to find how little reading of
this sort is done among even cultivated
people.
In one family the father happens to
dislike" it. He wants to "loOk at the
paper" and he can't have "a noise;" so
the children are hushed up, the mother
sits and sewS meekly. and nobody dares
to speak. In another there is nobody
who eXcelS in elocutiOn. The fathers
voice is not adapted to it, and the moth
er is made nervous by poor read
ing" In another it is impossible to
agree OH book.
These are only specimens of the num-
berless excuses which are presented in
different families when they are asked
why they do not have reading aloud.
Yet all households who have tried it
testify to its charm and its benefit, for
1t is not only pleasant way of passing
the time and of acquiring information
and culture, but it brings in new COLL
mon interest and affords topic for ele-
waited conversation in the family, often
too apt to be lacking.
Even II The Father or mother objects
to reading aloud, still, if one of them,
or an older brother or sister desires it,
and has force enough to plan for it,
can be done. Then be sure that all the
children in the family are trained in
reading; not in head or throat tone,
but in the full, deep chest tone. BY
using the voice properly person of
ordinary strength can read aloud for
hours at time without fatigue.
Do not neglect the poets in your selec-
ton OF books. There are few long
poems which will keep the interest OF
the young night after night, but ScOtt's
ringing verses always please them.
From good anthology selections should
be read aloud several times each week.
Save from the books that you read by
yourself the best passages to share with
your boys. They will doubly appreciate
choice literary morsel if prefaced by
some such remark as, II knew that you
would like this, so l saved it on purpose
for YOU"
Discussion upon the books read quick
ems the critical faculty and whetS the
literary appetite of all.
A boy brought up to enjoy good read
Ing every day will not be tempted by
the "penny-dreadtul" and other per-
nicious literature of the day, which lie
i'll wait for Our youth, as the iceberg for
the helpless vessel
swimming full upon the ship it founders,
Hungry, with huge teeth of splintered crys-
taI'-
but he will loathe such reading, as
child accustomed 10 good food loatheS
that which is ill-cooked and unSavory.
There's no surer way of making boys
love their home, and of giving them
right impulses and ideals, than to read
with them the works of the great mas
tiers of thought. If you never tried it.
and have boys of your own, make your
plans to begin course of reading with
them at once. Get an interesting book
and read 1t in an interesting way, and
you Will be surprised at the results.