The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-02-26
Mothers Congress Hears an
Interesting Paper.
SAFEGUARDS FOR READING.
Delegates 20 the Fifth Annual Scs-
sion Greeted Mt the Opening of the
Conventiop-Nauy Reports of In
tercst Submitted.

paper on the programme was by MISS
Mary Runyon, Of the Teachers College
Columbia University. who presented at
considerable length her views on Chill
dren's Literature"
At the close of the session, anxious
mothers crowded around Miss Runyon to
ask her advice on this all-important sub
ject. and one worried lady begged that
the speaker would give her list of good
children's books right there and now. The
advice which was thrown out in reply 20
all these queries was caught up as eager
Iy as if it were marked down at a bargain
sale.
Newspaper Literature.
The warmest arguments in the discus
ION came out when newspapers were men
,ioned The Sunday newspaper colored
supplement served. as often before as
Sindling to a mighty fire. Several dele
gates declared that the only way to pro-
tect children was not to have the objec-
tionable newspapers in the house.
One lady arose and with a manner full
of suppressed emotion. declared that
friend Ct hers had had great trouble with
her children on account of the Katzen-
iammer--
general laugh drowned the end of the
sentence for. however the congress had
happened TO hear of those historical char
acters. it was plain that they had heard.
r. Forced 10 Read Papers.
Another delegate enquired anxiously
what could be done with a teacher who
insisted that all the children in her school
should read the newspapers every day,
and marked them down if they didn't.
Miss Runyon suggested that the Moth
ers' Congress take action tending to sup
press the frivolous and demoralizing fea-
lures of many Sunday papers.
The question was then raised, What
gocd reading is there for children" The
absence of a classic Juvenile magazine was
dcplored. Miss Runyon endorsed one or
two of Miss Alcotts books. though she
said that the style was not all that could
be desired. She said there was something
about them which seemed to satisfy a
want
should Have Guidance.
But she was of the opinion that chill
dren should never be given reading in
advance of their years. as this tended to
develop Juvenile precocity. They should
have reading rather below their intelli-
gence than above it. They should never
be allowed free access TO the public
libraries without responsible guidance.
A quiet little lady in the back of the
room rose.
May l ask how this guidance is to be
given? / have noticed in our public Ii
hrary some pretty little bulletins giving
net oF for
and one day / thought / would go in
and get some of them for my own chill
dren. / had no trouble. Every book was
on the shelves. It looked to me as if not
child had paid the least attention to
the bulletin
Alter the Adjournment.
Miss Runyon thought that in spite of
this the reading OF children could and
should be guided
After the adjournment, when seven
ladies at once were giving their views
about newspapers. big. blonde, genial
man, who stood somewhere near the mid
die of the waves of sound. remarked in a
casual tone:
why buy five Sunday papers every
Sunday for my children to look at the
supplements"
Miss Runyon's Paper.
Miss Runyon's paper was in part fol-
lows
Our attitude toward the literature of
children. and our choice of reading for
them. depends upon the meaning which
attach to literature as whole. It is,
therefore. necessary to define to ourselves
cative power of true literature. By true
literature We mean that which portrays
truthfuIly human nature and relations,
which expresses ideals and thoughts which
are true for all men and in all times.
Fiction for Little Ones.
Many people have mistaken con-
scientiousness about the stories and read
ing they give their children. feeling that
they should have only literal fact and in
structiye Information. But children have d
right Of admission 10 the magic and fasci-
mating realm OF the imagination.
Let Us endeavor TO spare our children
IS long we may from the commonplace,
and sordit view of life which they sooner
or later encounter by terrifying them be
hind the bulwarlts of idealism. Let us tc
that end fill ourselves with the riches o.
the Arabian Nights, OF Grimm. Andersen
Kingsley, Lang, Jacobs, Homer. ant
Aesop.
The stage OF thinking which is ex
pressed and appealed to by myths, foil
tale. and nursery story is not that which
makes the moral distinctions we do. bu
sees truth and morality in beauty and tn
crude large relations and simple situa
tions of life.
Short-sighted Objections.
THE objections made to myths an,
fairy tales by many conscientious people
because they do not teach truth, is YER
fhort-sighted and shows an inability Il
distinguish between the literal and TIL
true Certainly we Know that there neve
lived such creatures as the giants, elves
Eoblins. dragons. fairies, and witches her
encountered, and if we could look upol
them as willful lies and inventions will
the intent to deceive We should not b.
justified in teaching our children sucl
falsehoods
Many Truths Taught.
But We find here in childish form sucl
permanent truths as the freedom of tn
human spirit. and its conquest over spac
and time, the triumph of good over evil
the kinship between man and nature, tn
assertion of inner worth over externa
appearance, the duty Of service to one
country and many other truths.