The Dolores star., 1905-01-13
THE READING HABIT.
CONTINUED from first page. ]


ing about the Civil war; do you net
think that the pupil ought to read that
story in order TO see just how and why
It did so? 1t is well known that many
OF the greatest reforms in England
werc brought about through the In
| fiuence Of Dickens's books.
"Ramona," written by Helen Hunt
Jackson, although not q matter-of-fact
book, has done more to secure justice
for the Indians than all other agencies
put together. We are not arguing that
all books are good. Some are not only
bad, but very bad. Reading needs to
be properly directed i'm order to build
up the taste for the good. The bad
must be tabeoed. We wish to state
most emphatically that there Is no one
thing in the common school course
that we regard as Of so far reaching
| Importance as the habit of reading
good literature.
Now, what is literature and with
what does it. deal? We remark that it
Is criticism of human life and must
at all times deal with human life.
There is an objection that it Is not
matter-of-fact. BUTT treats of idolized
truth which, In the formation of char
acter, is Of vastly more Importance
than matter-0f-fact truth, as commonly
understood. No progress is made ex-
cept as movement is made from the
real to the ideal, nor can any be made,
or ever has been made, except In this
way. 40 o."
Suppose the pupils are studying
about the Indian, do you know OF any
thing that will throw more light on
the subject than one Of James Feni-
more Cooper's books about them? In
studying about the French do you not
think it advisable to have collateral
reading Of such books as pioneer
to furnish the text and the whole
sermon too? Not many educators that
we know of would take such n view
unless they have outgrown their use
fulness. Suppose the pupils are study
ing Asia In the GEOGRAPHY class; do
you not think 1t would be helpful to
put flesh on the skeleton to have them
read the travels Of Carpenter in that
or "Zigzag Stories," or II 1T
tie Journeys to'Other Lands'?
Do you not think that every man or
woman will be the better for having
read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables,
Ben Hur, SeyeH Oaks or Ramona?
When we'know the purpose of books
and how they are to be read and used
there can be no objection to them.
School must not be all grind. We
must of necessity sweeten 1t Us much
as possible, and by doing SO we need
not lose but make positive gain. The
writer can remember when the devil
is supposed to have taken up his abode
in the violin; since that time this
noble instrument Is being used in the
worship of God. / heard a gentleman
once explain the situation by saying
that they had taken the fiddle away
from the devil and were now serving
the Lord with it. If there are those
who think that Q good romance is the
work Of the deyil ! am very much in
favor Of taking 1t put of his catalogue.
In fact 1 think that, by putting all
things to their proper and legitimate
uses, we can put the devil out of busi-
ness.
I have discussed this reading habit
thus at length because think realize
its necessity. We have number of
good books and they ought to be read
by the school children and by the peo-
pie Of this community. We have
spent considerable time in making the
selection and we have undertaken to
see that they are rightly used. Let no
fear arise that this reading will inter
fere with the regular school work. 1t
will suppliment and enrich it. 1t is
my business to see that purposes are
worked out in this reading process. !
expect to get more and better work
because of these books and / shall not
be disappointed. ! have been along
this line before. I desire the parents
to trust me and help me along all these
lines. Not only will we give the boys
and girls in school a richer and better
life but reflexively through them the
entire community. Every thing in
connection with this matter has been
carefully thought over many times and
a definite and well understood purpose
has been kept steadfastly in view.
J. w, DENNEY.
oAAAAkAA AA A.6k1kzAk1A9