Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-18
The Art of Reading

succsSs In all branches Of study. aud is inds-
pcnsable. Reading must be Intelligent the
and readily. without effort, without hesitation,
without stop stammer, and with clear
distinct pronunciation and with the proper ac-
cent.
Reading should be done in a natural, CONVEX
satiOnal tone. with the infection that VIII IN
dictate a question. OF an exclamation a pIaln
statement. or whatever other meaning the words
may be intended to convey, just as they con-
vey II when people talk. Reading should leave
IN the mind OF the reader the sense OF what
he has read clearly impressed as il IL ha-
been heard instead Of read. In order 70 be thus
useful. the reading should be in words that
are understood by the reader or made plain 10
the reader by definition and use. Hence the
mere reading OF a lesson or page In any hook.
II IL contains words with meanings unknown
TO the reader Is Of no service. To pass these un
Known wOris causes vague and imperfect I'M
preston which becomes effaced from the
mind. resulting in the loss OF the lesson almost,
II not altogether. Hence again, the habit OF
reading Il lesson by calling the words with
little attention to punctuation and no atten
zion to the meaning Of unknown words and
difficult and closing the lesson with these ex-
ercses. can be OF but little use I'm educating
a pupil. IL will do hut little in developing the
mind. increasing his intelligence, awakening his
curiosity. charging his vocabulary, improv
ing his powers Of expression.
Let Che reader begin with simple and easy
reading. Let him know clearly what the read
ing means. and require him TO repeat the sub
stance OF IL fully. even II he must repeat il
new word means. IL he reads that stock
/ raising is a great industry in Texas" Tor In
{ Georsisl let hlm tell that an industry is
great line Of work In which many people are
Engaged, and require him 20 mention other In
I Mig the lesson nm by the roots. even II that
. lesson has 20 be confined 10 twenty lines in
, stead OF several pages. II he read that Little
! strokes fell great oaks" ask him what fell"
means in this maxim. Require him to read the
sentence by putting tue words bring down." IN
the place Of fell. then cut down" etc. This
passing through books without knowing what
! they arc intended 20 teach is largely waste
Of time and IL is failure as an educational
I effort. Yet IL is one that only be remit
I died by the cooperation OF superintendent
/ teacher, trustee and patron.
As in reading. so in everything in the course
7 am in favor OF thoroughness IN oil studies.
shall advocate particularly. no method Of teach
ing the mere art Of recognizing and calling the
words OF a printed page. | shall he no stickler
for the old way Of teaching the letters. COM
/ Inning them into svllables and smelling the
words ont when unable to read them otherwise.
Nor shall I champion ;hc word method and
claim that It IS the only correct way to teach
reading
! Teachers will achieve better results in urg-
/ ing their choice Of the two methods. ! have
the two for myself and have utterly failed 10
zee that better reading results from the new
/ In fact. from some cause there has recently
! come under my observation at least. a greater
than I noticed ten. twenty thirty years
| ago. The different method may not account FOR
] this II may be inst reading. as n study Dy
either method Is less emphasized than former
Il II. I shall dismiss them both and venture 10
give you my ideas TO the best manner OF
| securing results.
| To know clearly what the reading means and
to do this. patient. persistent practice is re-
quired, as IL Is in anything else that is valu-
! able and difficult.
| How can this requirement be met? How can
| the teacher enlist the pupil in this undertake
/ ing. this persistent work OF becoming a ready.
| easy. and delighted reader? But before I state
4 FMS I think this patient
! and perseveriug labor. I will ask another ques-
lion. Why. as we pass among our schools, do
| We find 50 manv homes, many OF them com
| Portable and well appointed. almost utterly des
/ titutc OF bOokS2
why do we find so many fathers and mothers
| who have never read dozen books In their
lives7 Why do the families have so few sub
Iects that they intelligcntly hear discussed
l WHY do so many Of them belong 70 that class
OF whom a writer fifty years ago said. The
lneighbOrloOd gossip. the state Of the market.
the iClc Of scandal the idle report. the foolish
they have nothing TO say OF Importance because
;hey know nothing a Importance
| To make pupils good readers I believe II is
! necessary 10 create in them an interest IN the
| and magazines. kindling in them a desire tC
know tho many delightful things that oh
tainable from good books. And here is the place
where the attachments Of the teacher comes into
play. II his mind Is well stored with book
treasures ana great stores Of information. IL he
has read good literature as well az news, IL.
ilectual pleasures. he will be able TO fire his
pupils with such feast What human being is
II that does not desire delight 20 know? What
mind Is IL that is not painfully abashed by ig-
noraLce Of what IL feels IL ought to know
Yet. as I said a moment ago, many IL
rorsnt. densvly ignorant, Of the most useful OF
knoWahl things. Those fathers and mothers
hose young men and women who thus igno-
rant Of books. unused 10 reading them. 50
because they have never mastered the art OF
reading 10 make IL easy and pleasant
exercise. In their school days they not
fascinated and charmed into a desire for book.
facts and book-thOughts, through the influence
Of teachers. able thus TO lead and stimulate
them. Their teachers lid not know, or did not
icare to lift the veil that hid from their younA
eyes the glorious visions. They not drilled
md pra-ticed in reading. in understanding. in
remembering. and repeating the truths theil
reading had been designed 10 lmpart. Hence
they did not clearly understand comprehend
their lessons. They were not mentally nourlshed
by them. And reading was 90 them labor with
cut reward. which was always irksome and ahan
doned avoided possible. Pupils arr
| always willing 20 learn by oral instruction. but
they often hate reading because IL Is tollsonit
exercise. II sufficient skill and practice have not
made 10 easy.
| l close with love 10 all.
4 MRS. L. V. VISAGE.