The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-01

The truest tendency Of the human life
is TO reach forward TO the unknown.
The invisible fairy tales sharpen the
chifd's imaginative power and cause
him to live in world of his own-
zone night mother showed her little
girl Mary the great dipper and the
Milky Way. The next day Mary, talk
ing to her doll, wondered il the dipper
SO nigh in the sky, belonged TO the man
in the moon, and that If when ne was
thirsty he brought MS dipper down ana
drank from the briny deep. she afso
supposed that when he grew tired OF
water ne drank from the Milky Way
What dull world this would De II
the children were cut off from ali mag
inationi Children live in an ideal World.
In playing they imagine row OF DOCKS
TO be a train of cars, a brOomstick to be
a horse, and doll live baby.
'If our study of literature is rightly
conducted it wild unlock for a teacner
many a childish heart, unlock many
lips. and make little eyes sparkle with
pleasure Our fifteen or twenty MN
utes a day viii be looked forward 10 as
the brightest time in all their daily
rounds Of duty.
"Ouy course for the first year should
be fairy tales, Bible stories, and stories
Of Greek and Roman heroes. Such
stories as Jack and the BeanStalk,
Red Riding Hood and 'CinderaIia
should compose fancy's fabric for every
well taught child
Among the very libIe folks, stories
can be used to q better advantage, II
they be told. Story telling is gift, and
whenever tlnaE treasure is discovered in
the teacher she is at once taken posses
sion of by the children. To sit among
a group OF eager children with their
wide-open eyes and expectant faces, is
an inspiration within itself. You are
filed with ambition, and to faiI would
be disastrous. You feel like muttering
a prayer before this shrine Of fancy be-
fore you dare say to any child. Come
let me tell you a story
Stories are valuable as means OF
discipline. There are few wrong or
meak spirits among cur pupils that may
not be reached by a story skillfully pre-
sersted. How forcibly are such teach
ings presented in the Bible. There you
will find parable and story, song and
poetry. All appealing to the heart and
conscience.
While some object to the reading Of
the Bible as a devotional or religious
exercise, it can be used as literature,
and even as a means Of literature it
will result in a moral force which We
can III afford to deny our pupils.
"One way to arouse an interest in
the study of different poets and authors
is 10 give each class one author for a
term, cali this their author, have them
find all they can about him, study his
pieces and recite his poems If passi-
BILE nave his picture hanging on the
wall of the school room.
I'm our grade we are in. the midst of
Six Weeks With Longfellow.' Early in
the fan we had what we called a Long
fellow box for the children to contrib
ute their pennies as they felt able. In
less than three weeks we had enough
to buy each pupil a small portrait of
Longfellow, and a note book. The note
books were made by removing a num-
ber sheets Of paper from a tablet, TAX
ing for a cover two sheets of paper and
tying them together with ribbon. The
books We're made in this manner in or
der that if a child spoiled a certain page
il could be removed. The first two or
three pages We're left vacant for facts
about LongfeHow's life, which were
given to the pupil from time TO time.
Selections from Longfellow are
copied on the board, discussed, learned,
and copied in tine note book. Memory
gems are treated in like manner.
The poem The Children's Hour was
one day taken for language lesson.
The poem mad been learned and discuss
ed and the most difficult terms explain
ed We wanted the poem changed into
prose, and with a few suggestions the
children succeeded in doing SO.
'The Village Blacksmith is great
favorite with THE children and they
never grow weary listening to the story
of the presentation and construction cd
the chair made from the wood Of the
spreading chestnut under which the
smithy stood.
From My Armchair the poets re-
sponse to the gift, is highly appreciated.
BY studying the poems written for the
children they feel that DongfeIlow. in
reality, is 't91e chidren's poet
'gThe children do not weary of the sub
ject. On the contrary, the interest in
creases more and more. Old copies OF
Longfellow's poems are hunted UP al
home and read.
Whether the time so spent is the
most profitable is hard 10 decide. but
know it is the most enjoyable and the
children are becoming acquainted with
L0rgfellow. The mere mention of his
name makes their lietle eyes sparkle.
Let us read the stories OF Jupite,
/ end mis- mighty company; OF the Won
/ derful weaver, Arachne, who was chang
! ei into niTf5le spider. AMI OF Perseus
and his encounter with the dreadful
| Gorgons.
'In nature lessons, teach the pupils
! in Toe words Of poet; have them wftcl
I for the stars AS ilss svE1 iissym 4 p
" Silently. one by one, in the infinite
meadows Of heaven.
| Blossom the lovely stars. tre forget
me-nots of the angels
''One morning few weeks ago
passed a group Of scnooi children stand
ing before 2, frosted window, VINO wer.
reciting the poem % the Fairy Artist.
'' That paints in the cold night hours,
Pictures for little children,
| o. wonderous trees and flowers.
The moon is the lamp he paints by;
His canvas. the window pane;
/ IIsS hr-rSs, fS a F~1zSr <--DD-v-eol-s