The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-01-28
FEATHERS DO Nor COUNT MUCH
James Russell of Teachers College Tell,
areStiuD EaCtS.

oonoS RUSSELL OF 1eachers' college Tells
Interesting Facts.
The dainty, white auditorium of Bar
nard college was well filled yesterday aft
ernoon by a representative gathering of
the members of the League of Parents
and Teachers. Above the green thing of
the fireplace were a series of charts
illustrating by zigzag lines, after the ma
ture OF temperature chart, the compare
boys and schoolgirls from the Third to the
Twelfth grades. This was illustrative
OF the address given by President James
Russell of the Teachers college on Lit
crature for School Children
This important subject is one to which
President Russell has given much time
and research: While professor in the
state university of Colorado, Il number
of syllable were sent throughout the coun-
III determining the source of the most
potent influence exerted on the plastic
minds Of children from 8 to IA years
OF age. The personal replies from col
lege professors, principals of schools,
teachers and others, established the aston
ishing fact that schools and teachers were
seldom mentioned by the children ques-
toned; that fathers in the family did not
count for much; that over and over again
~ was Sdiu, NY 1dlucI uOcSu SS lllpd-
thze with me-" and that the mother, al
though the mentor of the family, ofttimes,
by lack of sympathy, sent the child else
where for the sympathy it craved and
must have. Books, it was found, exert
ed the influence of all. Not always books
as whole, but over and over again a
particular character was followed and i'm
itated until it dominated the child.
As result of Prof Russell's investi-
cations hn fhn Fol-
tons: First, that the habit of reading
reaches it's maximum with children when
about IA years of age; that girls at all
stages read more books than boys, but
that boys read more short stories than
girls; that before reaching the age of II,
children are OmLiyerous in their TASTE
reading everything they can get their
hands on, taking it on faith, but that
after that time the taste is formed, and
books in one special line are chosen.
This is shown by the fact that children
up to 10 or - years will take the books
provided by the school library. but after
that age they are apt to want a wider
range, and call ON the larger libraries.
Quantatively, about as much reading is
done in one town as in another, but the
quality varies with the library patrOnized.
showing that it is possible to guide the
reading by creat ting a right taste in litera-
ture.
This trend in the right direction must
begin early. as the taste is formed before
the high-school period In this connec
ton it was interesting to note that Mrs.
Alcott's Little Men and Women and
Robinson Crusoe' were still the most
popular of all books for children.
Prof. Russell called attention to the
fact that in many otherwise excellent
home libraries there is scarcity of books
appropriate for children from 10 to -
years of age. In conclIsifoohr, he declared
that teachers and parents should unite in
taking care of what the children read,
and that ideas of the books most improy-
ing to children's minds should be studied
so that the best literature may be select
ed.-New York Tribune.