The herald., 1895-12-15
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Interesting Meeting at the High School
Yesterday
Professor Edward Shepardson on the Subject
of Fairy Stories for Children, Fol-
lowed by General Discussion

The Los Angeles County Educational as
ISOLATION met at the high school at 10
a. m. yesterday. Prof. j. II. Strine pre-
sided. After the reading and adoption of
the minutes of the previous meeting Pro-
Everett Shepardson of the normal school ,
spoke Oh the subject of fairy stories and
folk tales in the first and second school
grades. He said in part: ITO the child
mind nothing is impossible. The physical
world has been very little explored by him,
andlhisimagination is peculiarly active. At
this tim Q fairy tales and folk lore are heard
with the keenest delight and will never be
forgotten. Our literature teens with beau
tiful imagery taken from fairy tales. One
who is not familiar with the latter can not
enjoy the former.
Fairy tales should not be used merely to
fill up time, but to interest and delight the
learner. The child should be so familiar
with classic figures that he could use them
for illustration on the play ground and
elsewhere.
The stories should not be read to the
children but by the children. For those
who are too young to read the stories
should be told in the most entertaining
manner.
DIR. J. H. Hoose of Pasadena said: I am
ity of the imagination among children. but
| also believe that in many cases the minds
of children have been seriously injured by
fairy tales and folk lore. l once asked
Bayard Taylor why it was that oriental
people were SO much in the habit of lying.
He stated that the oriental mind was
usually lazy and did not care to go into de-
tails or explanations, and that surface APP
pearances were usually given as facts.
Children are usually we'll taught; that is,
they are taught to love high ideals. In my
opinion, the children should be taught that
there are wicked as we'll as good people in
the world, and that they should keep their
eyes wide open at all times or be prepared
to suffer because of the actions of evil
men.
Professor Shepardson stated that no
teacher who cannot carry out the purpose
of this work should attempt it.
Professor Hutchison stated that no one
could know what effect such stories would
have on the mind of any child, to say
nothing of the minds of a class of fifty or
sixty pupils. He wanted to know what was to
be done in the case of an irate mother who
objected to the teaching of fairy tales to
her nervous and sleepless and highly ex-
citable children. He was opposed to the
impersonal plan of teaching that there are
rascals in the world and that there are also
some good people. He did not think it
wise to give children the idea that all good
looking people are good people, or that all
wicked people live long way off and are
of hideous aspect.
DR.. Leroy d. Brown of San Luis Obispo,
spoke in favor of the earnest::study of the
classic and mythical tales. He considered
that the beautiful fancies and delightful
imagery of the ancients was priceless
heritage. and should be carefully preserved.
He believed that all books treating of such
things should be in school libraries to be
read at will by the children.
Mrs. Byram of Los Angeles believed
that fairy stories should be taught by the
skillful teachers, but that many teachers
are incompetent to handle the subject.
The association adjourned to meet at the
same place on the second Saturday of
February.