The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-02-07
Poetry For children.


III. B. W., in National Daily.
~0~~~~-O-0.~-~-~-G~~~~-~~-
Poetry For Children,
The Japanese, it is said, give their
children only the most beautiful and
artistic objects for playthings, that
their eyes, trained TO love beauty, may
learn TO look with distaste upon the crude
and the ugly.
Minds early imbued with the beauti-
fnl thoughts of others will maturity ac-
duire. even If they cannot express,
beautiful thoughts of their own; and,
az poetry. Is one of the highest forms Of
EXPRESSION of mans most sublime
thoughts there can be no better method
6f identifying and enrichng the minds
Okchildren than by giving them free ac-
cess 70 those WOnder-bOOks of the
WOrid-the works of the great poets.
The love Of poetry is inbOrn-it is as
natural az taste for pure water. De-
priYed of natures drink; one is apt 10
acquire an artificial liking for it's substi-
tnttB; deprived of poetry One,is apt 70
consider il distasteful; even inclining
b the belief that the taste never ex-
isted.
The rhyme and the beauty of poetry
will appeal TO the ears of children long
before their minds are able to grasp the
meaning conveyed in the words. Read
the best verse to children before they
can read II themselves; when that time
arrives, see that they have the wonder
books at their command-when they
are old enough TO read childish rhymes
and jingles they are old enough to appre-
eiate the best poetry of the best poets.
True, they may not understand the
meaning, but their minds will absorb
the beauty.
=. limited supply Of water cannot be
heh benefit 10 the system; nature
ands that it be taken freely;
her can limited amount of poetry
lty benefit the mind. At school the
ld must of necessity, be limited as 10
Nntity, and the poetry thus read will
IN che form of lessons. Lessons are
ka, and set tasks are apt to be irk-
ele. Therefore as quail on toast,
zen on compulsiOn, becomes ObnOx-
s, even the finest poem, taken as
a lesson, proves distasteful. As one
cannot drink too freely Of water,
neither can too much poetry be hurtful
--the more the kDtteT.
AZ ~ school, this becomes impractie-
sablo, scenes the plain duty Of every
parent that the home supply Is
ploptifo Az your boy Maculay'g
',kay1 Rome" instead Of
+ some gIn and OVerdFaWn
$50 Get for your girl
tad Of the inane and
I'd ''StOTy for Girls"
usually buy.
M hough 20 underEtand these
dear parent, pray don't
children By yOurselfl Be
s g0a the door TO the House Of
~ Ihinge b locked, do not
ht that your children will find
81, ed entering, possess them
tOf priceless ieWels-treasures
hone can take away. t.fI
fd0 not htOp &C the Lays" and
loe You, may not be able
HtnDed Paradise Lost, bat
has not your limitations.
not appreciate the stately
~ Pores verse, the rich. imagery
yfoa. thesWift rhythm Of Scott, the
I'D 1helooy Of Poe, but the Child-mind
still unsealed-it Il in the Spring
me az life, when good seed soWn on
ood ground, will sprout and bring forth
"a harvest Of high idcase and hne
00uEhts, and en- abiding love, Of the
od the true and the beautiful
|roi % the bread 81 the mind - neces-
poetry iH It1 00Wct o1traro ng the
with boauty and fragrance. There
SOW IN this receptive soil good
e 0f Che soeos 81 poetry. FOR man
I'VE 81 brad alone era also
a1rAne'II. - al..rrt nlqCsrnras 4,