The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-21
The x Problem x of x Children's x Books.

| There are stories quite az bad in their
influence as the border-zufian type,
but more refined in their setting. The
boys and girls more in good society,
but they are always getting into the
most Impossible situations and having
the most startling anventures-hair
breadth escapes, encounters with bur
| glars, and all that sort Of things. These
stories appear in reputable childTen's
magazines, and are interpreted with
items Of useful NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
history, and biography. The story is
inserted TO make the magazine popU-
lar; and it answer it's purpose. In
the family of my friend A, three we'll
known children's~ periodicals re taken
and read. Several days before the
time for the appearance Of each issue,
the children are in q fever of excite
ment; and when the paper at last Rp-
pears, everything is dropped until the
fate Of the hero Of the continued story
is as ,ertained. In this family there is
no library worthy Of the NAME. The
periodicals already referred to supply
all the reading matter for which the chill
drsn care, or for which they have time
after their school duties are fulfilled. "
The writer thinks that there is anoth-
er species OF juvenile literature still
Worse than this su~gar-coatel sensa-
tionslism, to wit, 1.-The sentimental
stuff which ia written in the name of
religion and morality, but which is
effective only in vitiatiUg the taste,
weakening the intellect and giving
false views of life" Hap ply the best
Sunday schools and religious papers
have now cast this out. Toe principal
thing is to teach the children to buy,
read, and take care of good books
books that will be Of permanent value:
1T is q of the most significant
facts OF modern life hat a surfeit of
periodical literature, both Juvenile and
! adult, is operating against the reading
OF books aud the formation of libra
ries. The magazine has it's place, but
it also has it's limitations; nd we
should lead our children to und erstand
that, after all, the vital and permanent
literature is that preserved tor them
in good books. Let every child have
his little book case in the nursery or.
better yet, a shelf in the library which
ne may call his own. Let him be en-
couraged to read good books and to
care for them. He will then come to
feel the friendship with them which is
the greatest j)y Of the literary life. A
good book presented to a child on each
succeeding birthdRy-a book chosen
wisely with respect to the child's tastes
and abilities, but of sterling worth
will o put him in poss 3ssion of q
library which will be a lasting source of
strength and satisfaction. It is a mis-
take to think that the child must be
continually supplied with fresh read
ing matter-that a book once read ia
finished. Indeed, the strong intellects
of the last century are those which
have been nourished in childhood upon
a few good books read end re.read
until the thought and style became a
part Of the readers permanent pos
session. Nor does a chill lose interest
in a good book after a single reading.
What boy ever tired of 'Gulliver's
Tr8vels'4
Such books Rs those Of Kingsley,
Church, and Jane Andrews, Lambs
Tales from Shakespeare aud 'Adveu-
lures OF Ulysses the fairy tales of
Anderson and G Imm, 'E ops Fables
Robinson Orusoe,' and the Swiss
Family r crimson, Pilgrims Progress,
'Frauklin's Autobiography Tom
Brown at Rugby and the stories of
Scott and Dlckens-all these are gen
u'ne classics, and they never grow old.
Then there is a multitude OF new books
written for children Dy men and wo-
men who love and understand the
needs Of chiid-lite. Never was there
q wider range Of section, aud never a
Time when the non possession OF chill
oren's libraries was go inexcufs ,ble. "
Literary Digest.