The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-01-19
WHAT rHsv Ra Ap.



LATHE esspls.
"There 10 nothing too good for the
children" IL the rule OF the kinder.
garten.
Without . thought We buy . motley
array Of books bed in color, lacking
purpose. and empty Of interest whom
the novelty is worn OF.
We cannot too young lead the
child to the highest, and We should
do 1t without prejudice; or. Is some
one has said. with as few adiectives
as possible" Here are . few rules
for gift-book giving to children:
A git book should bear . "gift
thought"
Courtesy and friendship demand
that gilt be preserved and cher.
ished; therefore give books worthy
of 1t. especially to . child.
Give o book that shall embody
your peculiar interest or ideal; in
thus giving you give yourself some.
what
Give oil the worth and quality you
can afford to give, and no more. and
let the receiver feel that you have
chosen with care and love; it may be
the single seed for the planting Of Q
library.
A child's book should be simple,
joyous. and full of living truth, and
such q book when found cap be de-.
scribed Us good from the earliest
years forward, and the mother will
enjoy each word Of it as much as her
youngest listener,
There are few books but are the
better tor being lovingly read in
communion with mother. and books
prepared from the kindergarten
point ofview are deep enough. sweet
enough. aud true enough to- enqross
the old as we'll as the young.
What Is the difference between
kindergarten literature and other
literasure? 1t is simply this:
Stories and verses ordinarily
"dished up to child ore OF quail.
ity which covers over the young i'm.
questionable mind with q haze OF
sentimentalism and weak purposes.
The usual story is about other chill.
dren who are especially charming or
witty. and the precious listener must
sit and envy his bright story boy and
wonder II he too could ever be put
into story. The bulk of all so.
called child literature serves as q
blanket to cover and chill the facul-
ties. and often worse than that
plants a craving for sensationalism
which is unsuitable. and which the
usual author and publisher ars only
too glad to foster if parents are
blind enough to help them. What
we call q pure kindergarten story.
draws out the child himself, uncov.
ers his latent wonderment aud i'm.
agination. shows him how every
truth contained in q certain phase Of
life or science Ito which he is listen.
ing), is unfolded over and over again
in q myriad different ways; every.
thing he touches prophesies story
IL he but put the right question to
his mother or kindergarten instruc.
tor Each sorry Of to-day has o
dozen tendrils. by which it clings to
the story of yesterday and suggests
an unto.d wealth OF pleasure for to.
morrow when story.hour comes.
We recommend special books OF
authors for many reasons. says the
Kindergarten Magazine. In the first
place, we seek out such authors as
have had the actual contact with
children and their needs. One who
merely writes for pay because some
publisher thinks she has graceful
pen ard her stories take. is hardly Q
producer OF such intellectual food as
is to form the lasting taste of the
coming generation. One might
almost be forgiven in saying: "When
you hear OF anyone spoken OF as an
author for children. let snspicior
overcome you; such are mostly de.
lnsion and u snare and mere dlluters
OF language"
OF bible stories the same may be
said. look out for their interpreter.
Children do not need their truths di.
luted. They can take %hem stronger
than even one who has grown away
from the simple and real. It is o
hAuch oCotSi Piuu W feuu inc CnflSG'
story directly with the children and
have little talks together concerning
those passages which seem obscure.
And pray let us beg of you never tt
draw the moralistic conclusions fol
the babes. lest they learn the pratt.
ings of the lesson rather than the i'm.
prcssive deeds OF their greatest ex.
ample. Remember, even Christ gave
them credit for q greater discernment
than ours
Again this same rule holds good
with the classics also Never fear tt
give children the direct contact will
them. Great me the results, often tc
an older person who has the patience
to carry with him a babe as he pc,
ruses perhaps for the twentieth tine
the rare simplicitics OF Homer.
After all we must confess that the
home reading and atmosphere Of
thought is OF the most Importance.
DO we always realize that our daily
household conversations are fargely
the first literature of the child! thai
our everyday reverence is all II
knows Of religion? that the purity O.
our love, tho righteousness of on,
common deeds is all it knows of Godl