The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-10-30
READING FOR CHILDREN.

READING FOR CHILDREN.
Charles Dudley Warmers Views ON Juvs.
nile Literature.
Charles Dudley Warner, in a re-
cent address before the Public Edu-
cation association, said:
"When l went to a district school
a a boy, l got more bad air than
good in the schoolroom, and the in
struction was of the same order. It
is as bad to put weak thought into
the mind of a child as it is to shut
him up with bad air. The idea Of
beginning the young mind with
something worth while is growing
among teachers. There ire always
persons ready to give us what we
want. So soon as literature for the
young was wanted our shelves were
covered with books about Little
Johnny and the Pig Did the Pig
Have a Curly Wig2' and Did John
ny Love the Pig2' Finally we dis.
covered that we needed something
else. and at the same time we made
the great discovery that the teacher
himself must know something, q
revelation to many people. The
teachers are beginning to under
stand that they must themselves be
jn %ho o<roo~o ~ 1:<n~o<r~o - o~Io~
to teach it properly. Rather than
all the dates in history ! would have
a child learn to love one sweet
poem, even a minor poem, that
made him want another. Teachers
are beginning to understand that it
is as we'll to open a door that goes
somewhere instead of into hole in
the ground. The door should lead
into the world of ideas. which il
the world of history also.
Literature is not an accomplish
ment, something to round off an
education, but it is the vital sub
stance of the child's mind. The
sympathy with real literature
should be put into the child's mind
very early, for it is marvellous how
apt the child is to take the wrong
thing. How easy it is when the
child is from 6 to 10 to turn its mind
to what really develops and calls
out the natural capacity. A child at
that age is interested! in any real
story, and. any real story is good lit.
erature. never knew Il child in an
intelligent family wLo was lot ab
SO bcd in the story "f the Mysse.
and who did not take all TIE GEM
i-n things with ea*el1lcss Wh,,
1. ~ Little Fig is nowhere. AID .Ji-
,'y. com!arerl.wi, Ulysses. is
Were in ,he Interest Li :n orIin;.
l:uiId.
The nonIitcrary te"ching is b:
ut only for the child. hut for
f. cl;T We SHOULD all be iliati.
W. had to read ordinary tcAtloG
al yG.r The teacher. if lae Is
M. i"ust I: r1 OH real things. a:
I child ut =: y Knows the i~cful.
tony til. - lie then thinks vi ul =
f"prs as I.ii. and "Ly should
" he l~..nnur.> Let Ju..n EulrUusI
1. k, al LIE L. inH,Grs. re does IL
r!le iur sbilGlnn II. wish nnlmd
"a ev..r wri:.vn We. | tGr CHI
Ill II. The silly people who tryt
y :>e down 10 chil,.ren lad Le,te
t 80 write down to themselves. o
lll the worst Influences OF n1o!cr:
r.. Of Ut the most diluted is villa.
] called ch4luren's literature. .
would give 81 child no literature
did not like myself. Not that chill
drcn should read Kant, OF John Stu.
art Mill, or even Turgcnetf or
George Eliot, but there is plenty
that is full of life, that will strength
en- and invigorate the mind, that a
child can understand and that will
call him, as he goes along, into the
higher walks of literature. A word
about a kindred subject. WhileI am
. great advocate OF kindergartens,
there is too much babyishness there.
The child is quick to take impress
sions, and they mix colors dreadful.
" there. Detroit Free Press.