The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-28
WHAT SHALL THE CHILD READs

In nearly every normal child's life
there comes a period, say from u to
IS years of age, when reading is almost
a passion. Before 10 the child is anus
ed most through the senses of sight
and taste. A ludricrous picture, the
physical contortions of a man or a
dog, or a stick of candy, will arouse
more interest in the child than any
thing else. Then the mental nature
begins to be developed, and by the
time u years is reached the child's
mind is ready to absorb whatever en-
tertaining literature is placed within
reach. And from that time until the
instincts of manhood or womanhood
become paramount there is a desire to
read. read, readl When maturity is
reached reading becomes less a matter
OF amusement and more one of intel
lectual pleasure. The child reads for
the action of the narratives; the adult
(who reads intelligently) for cause and
effect, for information, and for beauty
of expression.
The world is full of books. but the
store is made up principally of those
designed for Juveniles" under IL years
of age. and for adults, who are more
than 20. The most eager, greedy read
ers are to be found between those two
ages; and yet, oddly enough, the few
est books are written for them. 1t is
source of more or less concern to
every parent of child of more than
10 and less than IS years to answer the
query, What shall the child read ?"
And the problem is greater in the case
Of girls than of boys. The time for
fairy stories has been passed. If at
IS, IA or 10 the child is, still addicted
to fairy stories, and will be satisfied
with nothing else, the case is about
hopeless and time spent in making
selections of books is wasted; the child
will never amount to a great deal, no
matter what mental pabulum may be
fed to it. But the normal child along
about those ages begins to demand
something more solid; something rea-
sonable; something that is not solely
make-believe, but has a foundation at
least of possibility notwithstanding it
may be fiction. When the parent is
called upon to supply this, then comes
the rub. Between the Juveniles" and
the adults of literature there is
space but poorly filled. 1t has some
occupants, to be sure, but they are
relatively few: and the most of them
are dun and commonplace. Book writ
ers and book makers, it seems, have
failed for some reason or other to pro-
vide adequately for the connecting link
between juvenility and maturity. The
literature provided for the one is too
simple and for the other too complex
to meet the requirements of this great
and inquisitive class passing from ado
lescence to the full flower of life. The
classics must be expurgated and con-
sequently weakened before they can
be placed in their hands, Some of the
poets are dangerous propositions, I'M
edited. Many of the works of the great
est authors are not to be permitted in
the hands of the young, lest embar-
RAISING queries result. Hundreds of
books that are regarded as standard
and are TO be found in household book
cases are kept from the hands of young
daughters of the household. Free ac-
cess may not be had even to Dickens
and Mark Twain, not to speak of more
modern authors and of problem" and
psychological" novels.
Meanwhile the children are clamor-
ing for something to read. And they
are being largely served with milk
and-water.