Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-06-05
CHILDREN,S HOME READING.

n II cannot he questioned, that the
parent who leaves to the care OF he
teacher or servant. the entire re-
sponsibility OF acuurntng his chill
dren with tho masterpieces OF litcls,-
turc. is missing one OF the finest OPP
portunitics Of life. There is nothing
that so develops confidence and SYM
pathy between the parent and child as
tho habit of reading aloud Just before
bedtime. II is not only a proitabls
but an extremely delightful exercise,
aud the habit once cultivated will linz
ger in memory, as 4 sweet incense of
childhood long after the parent is gath.
cred to his ancestors.
1t Is not only one of the ways of
keeping boys and girls OF active minds
occupied, but the parent can in this
way watch the mental development OF
his children. note their points of inter-
est and inclination, and give them
timely assistance when the children
stand in most need Of it,
The average child must have some
thing to read. and If left to its own
selection. is as liable to poison it's mind
With sensational bandit stories and
tales of dark scene in great cities as TO
feed upon the wholesome matter that
makes for Il better and larger life.
The Wise parent ever keeps uppermost
in his mind the tastes and interests
&C his children. and follows the line
of least resistance by goiii.; where
they want to go;= and while the children
select the subjects the parent uses his
best writer's who treat upon those sub
jects. He avoids the goody~goody
stories or books, that round off every
paragraph with n moral. because he
realizes that the children do not en-
Joy being preached at any more than
he does.
With proper direction. children can he
led, by gradual steps, to enjoy books of
history, biography, travel science. in
ventions, discoveries, literature and
even theology until they become par
takers of the richest treasures of all
ages and develop an increasing thirst
forit with each succeeding draft. They
will learn how to appreciate the best
society Of MI ages, mingle in lnalloyed
pleasure with the wiscst, wittieSt ten
derest bravest and purest characters
that ever adorned hunianity and in
that way compare their renl selves
with their better selves and fill their
souls with refreshing, invigoratinS tom
les.
HOME READING.
Home reading should be regarded as
n nutrimcnt, as Il mental food. and not
as a memoroy developer The lack
! of recalling what IS read should no
more be regretted than the lack Of
! power Of recalling just what tissues OF
| the body were nourished by the food
eaten one month ago, or what muscles
We're benefited by the invigorating
morning walks of last summer. Good
| books read with interest are never read
without benefit, even though in six
| months the child cannot recall any
thing about them. Good reading Is
| bound to have Il wonderful effect of de-
| vclopinG purity of tone and language,
| delicacy of feeling and high moral pur-
| pose. 1t is the intellectual atmosphere
of pcrson's life and being; and the
| child who is rightly directed stands at
| the door Of learning the gateway in
| to the garden of Hesperides where hang
the golden fruit ready to be plucked,
| dragon guarded, it is true. yet within
| the reach OF him who has the will to
| take and eat
In books as in persons, the child
| makes n hero of the traits ii admireS,
of the things that it hopes for. and OF
! the results that it cherishes and loves
deeply and purely therefor admir-
alton, hope, and love are the best
| guides to follow
The great purpose in reading Is to
! prepare the mind to pass through the
simple experiences Of human nature. to
| assume the responsibilities, the hopes,
| and griefs, as well as the joys that
fall to mortal lot, to taste them in
their pureness, to bear them with QUIET
ness and courage, and to do ones work
with all ones heart,
LEARNING WHAT no READ.
Learning what TO read is really Of
more importance than learning how to
read. Rare is the person who under
stands great book the first time he
reads IT, 1t requires a broad compre-
| hension of human experience and his
! tory to fully enjoy such works as the
| Bible. Homer, Virgil Dante, Goethe,
Milton. or Shakespeare. But taste in
reading. as in everything else, must be
| cultivated. Children can be developed
I into good judges of literature in n
| short time by feeding them on the
| masterpieces II they develop a liking
| to read the best books they will have
! no relish for the poor ones and happy
| are the children whose hearts are in
after years wleathed by 4 garland OF
| memories where every fair fancy and
noble thought CLEANS like the flowers of
| fairyand Surely the Joy such reminis-
| cences afford is worth the sacrifice OF
| a little of the parents time and
/ thought.
Interesting fairy tales Will open the
| young child's eyes to the beautiful pic
I lures and musical words of great writ
| ers, and develop deeper syIDpathies and
| larger appropriations.
FAIRY TALES
The fairy tale develops the moral
| sense by giving q clear cut distinction