The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-29
I'D MN AW cH1zR

1t has produced Mr. Khalil Khayyot
hero of Norman Duncap's 'Soui OF tn,
Street" Poet. philosopher. Arabic student
graduate, lawyer and, best of all, philanr
thropist. he Is the quiet, reserved mar
whom everybody in the Syrian quarter call.
Mr. Khayyot." a courtesy rarely ever PAID
to one of their own race.
Mr.. khayyot is not a wealthy man. Fol
this reason is his philanthropy more to be
commended.
Mr.. Khayyot does not follow the old
stereotyped method of spelling book and
slate. He has been teaching these little fel-
| lows on an advanced basis. In the first
| place, he says that everything must be ex-
| planned to them in their own tongue for the
! nrst time. then little by little must be ex-
/ planned over again in English, dropping the
Arabic altogether for fear OF confusing tho
young mind.
In this little Syrian school there Is Q
| method Of teaching by object that would
not seem bad idea for our own schools
| It was thought out by Mr. Khayyot and
| put into execution by him.
Zone day 1t occurred to me-" said the
educator. that it was remarkable how very
| little boys and girls knew OF tho construc-
| ton of the commonest of things: how very
little they knew Of what many everyday
articles are composed and ! thought It
would not be q bad idea to begin with these
Syrian boys and teach them Just what
things are made of. Now. this object lesson
pleases them more than anything else. and
they learn rapidly. because there Is moro
interest in this lesson than the everyday
humdrum textbook"
1t was true. they did seem interested. and
even expectant. for those everest
less hands were folded-how marvplous-
when Mr.. Khayyos stepped In front Of
them. holding q small japanese lantern In
one hand.
"at..ntion S.r~ .s.,., Uh.s a. ~A,~
come. who knows. ehr' Ono little fellow on
the back seat waved his hand so vigorously
that Mr. -Khayyot nodded at him Had he
been on springs he would not have shot
up from that seat more quickly. and IN =
piercing. metallic little voics he answered:
Light"
."Oh. no." in the cool voice Of Mr.. Khay- |
yot: there is no light here. Try again"
Up came another hand. and another an |
swer. |
Lamp"
well. If we were playing hide the thimhls |
again"
Away over In the corner . little white
faced boy who had been very still all the
time arose and said in voice not 20 shrill
as the others:
"A lantern, Mr. Khayyot."
Good. good. Children. this II q lantern
All the children clapped their small hands
and the boy who had been thinking sat
down.
Nov, children, this came from Japan.
and Japan is very interesting country"
"Chinks, l know" from q small boy
with shining eyes.
Silence. John. they are no Cinnamon;
they are different; they are
Then Mr.. Khayyot explained what the
difference between Cinnamon and Japanese
was. He gave the children pretty sketch
Of the country, then began to tell them
about the lantern from beginning to end.
He told them how the bamboo that the
stays were made Of was raised. how the
soft wood was the bark Of q tree, how the
taste that held the bamboo together was
made. where the paper came from. how the
,aint that decorated 1t was prepared, even
where the little wire that connects II with
he other lanterns came from. He dissect- |
thew more OF Japan through the lesson Of