Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-02
Among the Youthful Readers
= of the Land.
THE WORK OF JAMES NJ. SAWIN
Told to the Massachusetts
Library Club.
BY w. f. Foster, Librarian of the Provi-
dence, X. L., Public Library-Successfu
Methods OF Developing Children's In
terest in Good Literature.

dence, II. l., was presented by William
E. Foster at the meeting of the Massa-
chusetts Library Club, on October I'd,
1S95:
1t somewhat tempers the disappoint-
ment felt at the illness which has made
1t impossible for Mr.. Sawin to be
present at this meeting, that am for
that reason able to speak of his work
in the terms of emphatic commenda-
tion which would not perhaps be fit.
ting il he were here. 1t certainly ap-
pears exceptional in the three particu.
lars of its gradual development, its pa
tient recognition of scientific princi-
pies, and its emphasis on the person.
ality of the individual child. Twenty
seven years--the period of Mr.. Sawin's
principalship in this single schools
long enough period for some teach
ers to have sunk inextricably into
hopeless ruts; long enough, also, as is
seen in this instance, for teacher to
have gone on strengthening his hold
upon his pupils. and his grip upon the
principles underlying their develop
ment, to an extent which is noteworthy
in its tangible results.
Among the earliest steps in the school
referred to were the formation of small
school library, afterward very matcri-
ally enlarged, and the establishment of
a weekly library hour" as a regular
feature. When in 1873 the Providence
Public Library was opened, no ono was
more quick to recognize the decided
advantage to be gained, in these same
directions through its corporation.
than Mr.. Sawin. The successive stems
which that library has been enabled TO
take, in accumulating collection of
more than LOCO volumes, duplicated
for use by the school children, and in
granting definite privileges in connec-
tion with their use, have been i'm
proved by Mr.. Sawin to their fullest ex-
tent and with rare intelligence. Both
in the case of the books in the separ-
ate school library and of those drawn
from the public library. it is noteworthy
that his choice OF book for a given
purpose has been made with as minute
care as surgeon would use in select.
ing his instruments. The weekly ex-
ercise referred to is of decided interest.
both for its oral and its written fea-
tures In its earlier stages the former
were apparently more emphasized than
the written features. The use, as has
already been stated in print, which the
child shall make Of the book placed
IN his hands is by no means optional
with him. He may not return it the
next day but must keep it at least one
week, and in certain cases an extra
week. He may not return it unread or
supertcially read, for he knows that he
must give satisfactory account of his
reading" At these weekly exercises
the pupils are called upon to state in
their own words the substance of some
book-not necessarily the last one''-
thus read. An instance which the
present speaker described in print som,
time ago may be here recalled, il
which the pupil told in her own wordl
nearly the whole of the story of til,
Vicar of Wakefield. +" "In lanuuap,
which was plainly her own, bearipl
every indication of genuineness. some
times, for single moment, at a las
for the right word, but never losin,
the thread OF the story, with name
so Interested that il carried with he
the interested attention of her class
mates who had not read it, this youni
story teller won't on from the begin
ming TO the close. .
Where the written feature has bee
employed, it has been with the purpos
OF cqltivating the pupils power Of stat
ing his Impressions of the hook wit
more deliherateness and eXactness tina
IN the verbal account. A work sue
as Scudder's "GeorgeW geWashington, I" fo
instance. is taken home by the pupil
After returning it he writes out frul
memory his abstract of its contents
IN temporary form. After these hav
all heen handed in, u limited numbe
are selected to be read aloud at til
weekly library hour, by their writers
and to be criticised by other pupils
Atterward all the pupils rewrite thei
abstracts in ink, prollting by tn
verbal criticism received and generall
condenaing them about one third.
Some OF these written abstracts are {
great interest as showing the anne;
which some work of the highest orde
has made to the child's interest. Dul
ing the year each child in the rool
presents four such abstracts in histor
cal and biographical works. and tw
in other Glasses, such aa Literature Z
science since the direct motive whic
originally led IL tho Undertaking ,
this series OF measures WIS not sn nluc
positive one as the negative ono
dlverling the attention nf tho nun
from 4 pcrnlciuus class of reading the
prevalent il would be marked orr,
sion for gratitude even If nothing no
than the accomplishment of this mn
pose could be reported But il ia n "A,
niiicant fact that the positive side
bthe subject has now for many yc
seen the predominant one: and n lon
succession Of tUngihle instances II Il
diyidual pupils brought TO take A vii
interest ia literature, and TO experlen,
to the full rhe enjoyment which noh
prose or matchless verso can awnl,e
testiiins to the remarkable efYretiy
ness OF thcse measures. In any surh M
dertaking i is the instances whore II
conditions We're most unpromisi,
which have the greatest signiiiranr
One such instance may he cited, who
thefe was most determined resia
ance on the part Of 1ur boy IL aiyi,
ms attention to any but the most wort
less reading, by patient study II
teaeher possessed hinstHi Of thu l;Ry
the boy tastes and interests, and |,
MN steadily upward, until The bt
formed INC habit Of coming Ia h.i5 T
suggestions Of books To htIy for mir
self, We is now HtmoWhrre very De
Inc mead Of his profession III hi4 ~
citN, has been abie To- ruulcr the sta
marked services, npt is altoaethrr.
man OF So inbred u fastr for tha +,
that 1t is hala 10 think Of him MS az
Otherwise. This wasa cose whore h
boy was reached, along one 81 tho MI
OK thr literature III knoNiedge''
use be 9uinry,a expression. Let h
cite significant instance where I
same result Was reached; in this ca
through the medium Of the "lifer
lure OF power, Tho boy. IL usa /
own language, had been reading 'dir
detective stories, sThesc, bc sny