New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-24
JALTE or FAIRY TALES.
MRS HERRICK TELLS HOW a GROWING
CHILD MAY LEARN MANY THINGS
,y1TItOI-'r REINC WEARIED.

Me- Christine Terhune Hcrrick. who has MADE
sc,a, s,udv of methods Of home development for
volny children. said to Tribune reporter Sester-
dav that in her judgment. a great deal oepenaen
on the careful selection OF the little one earnest
reading She explained: Here in America We all
Of us have a unitarian tendency; we pesh 10
think early in life of hard work and OF study ana
of learning something that is going to be OF prac-
teal benefit TO later on. We don't take ume' or
We are not able to take time TO develop our I'M
aginatior With children 1t is different They usu-
av have two or three happy years before they are
Obliged to begin to study. and even after they nave
entered school they have great deal OF time FOR
reading that has nothing 10 do with their lessons.
In such time as that should turn the child loose
among fairy books and let him become familiar
with all the dear old favorites that children have
loved for generations past. Such volumes as Haw-
thorne's Wonder Book and his Tanglewood Tales;
Iang's story Books Grimms Fairy Tales Hans
Andersen's Fairy Tales and others OF the same
kind can do him harm.
AT the same time that he reading these l
should take advantage of his taste for stories, 10
make him familiar with the tales from the liiad.
from the Odyssey and all those old myths the
knowledge of which Is part of a mans classical
education Acquaintance with these will add great
" 10 his enjoyment Of literature as he grows older
IT don't wish to have il understood that ! would
confine a childs reading altogether 70 fairy tales
think that modern kindergarten work has shown
that they are really studying believe in all these
books on the fairy tales of science that tell OF
birds and beasts and insects and flowers, and all
forms Of out-of- door life. child reading such
books becomes familiar with natural history al
most without knowing II. and he will find 1t an end
less source of enjoyment TO him as he goes through
the world All this doesn't hinder him from Guilt
waiting the imaginative side OF his nature.
ITO A child the wonderful accounts OF the habits
of SQUIRRELS and OF birds and of dragon-fies nd
butterflies and beetles just as much fairy tales
as the doings OF Jack the Giant Killer or of
Puss in Boots 1t is only as he grows older that
he finds out that one stories belongs entirely
TO the realm of fiction, while the other deals with
facts.
"Of course. one will find that almost any child
is quite ready to have his tastes in literature per-
vcrted. He will be just as eager, probably. TO read
stories of the blood and thunder order the literat
that Is published by sensational weeklies as II
he bad been familiar with the tale of the
Nbelungen or with the story of Roland. or with the
epic of Homer: and. although | believe in allowing
"A child much liberty in the matter of reading. do
think the parents should put in prohibition there
Certain writer's for boys introduce 10 their readers
the most remarkable young heroes, with whom the
only essential TO success seems TO be the want OF
liberal education. | don't think that 1t is well to
feed boys mind upon the stories of phenomenal
lads OF sixteen seventeen. or even younger. who
started life with no capital but box Of matches
armfu of papers and became bank presidents,
or the least, successful business men, within
fifteen years. | think that such narratives give
boys only false but also pernicous ideas OF life.
The fairy tale deals so largely with the realm OF
the pure Imagination that child cannot be In
jured by making an application Of its in ,i"nts 10
real life 1 do not. however. disapprove Of books of
adventure for boys. believe in giving them Cooper
and Stevenson and Scott soon they old
enough to read them. 1 do not disapprove even of
such books as Hentys. because while their heroes
do pass through succession of astonishing id
deal of historical knowledge and the reader takes
this in almost by absorption. The adventure may
be only the sugar-coating to the pill. but so long
the boy swallows the information, don't quar-
rel with the sugar-coatinS
Il would not omit poetry from a childs library.
but any mother who chooses judiciously IN
troduce him 20 stirring ballads that will form his
for really good verse. For instance there Is
one small boy in whom | am especially interested
who read with great enjoyment Matthew Arnoids
poem Bladder Dead after reading Mr.. Hamilton
Bladder. The same small boy revels In Telnyson's
Ballad Of the Revenge and Sir Richard Gren-
vile is one of his heroes. He loves Scott too The
Lady of the Lake and 'Marmion. and he de-
lights in Chevy Chase and ballads that tell OF the
Percy and the Douglas and all the other old
fighters.
IA child may enjoy all such books and yet not
b., a prg. II will be natural to him 10 read
The Boys Percy and The Boys King Arthur
and the story OF Roland and stories from Homer
a it Is to other children. who have no, been
well directed 10 ind their enjoy in the PAGES
OF wild West stories or tales OF astonishing md |
shipmen young pirates such a boy has secured |
an Introduction to English literature with out know
Ing II: an introduction of more value 10 him than
any school training he could have acquired"