The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-23
BY NEWMAN MATHEWS.

One of the most serious handicaps
10 the study OF literature or even read
ing in general is the absolute ignor-
ance OF the average CHILD OF the stor'
les and characters OF the Bible. For
instance. In class consisting OF
eighth and ninth grade pupils, no
one could explain The lines from The
Lady OF the Lake.
The tower which builders vain
presumptuous piled on Shinars pam.
In the lower grades still more APP
palling conditions prevail a sixth
grade pupil reading the story oil
SANDY the Good Smaritan by VIII
liam r. Curtis, was asked 10 tell why
the dog was called the good Smaritan
and admitted that the expression
meant nothing 10 her. The same pupil
when reading John Boyle O'Reillys
Dying in Harness., did not know
who taught in parallels, and The
seed on the rock IS wasted awoke
no slumbering memories in her mind
There is little poem in one OF the
school readers about the Song Spar.
row. one line OF which, in describing
the color OF the ORD. reads thus. He
does not wear Josoph's coat" But
the children who read IL are like the
one-time king OF Egypt who knew
not Joseph
Ii has been said that the modern
orator does not refer TO the Bible as
frequently as did those of former
years Even IL this De so, il Will avail
us nothing, as We are not called upon
10 study from a literary point or view
the stump speeches Of the campaign
orator. and the average child We
think, is apt TO give Webster more
credit than he deserves in thinking
original with him such expressions
Tin the supposed speech OF John
Adamsl. as: One jet or title, and
May my right hand forget her cum.
ming and my tongue cleave TO the roof
OF my mouth" Equally lost to the
average grade pupil must be that fine
| figure of speech in which Webster eu.
! logiZes Hamilton. He smote the rock
of the national resources and aban-
dant streams OF revenue gushed
| FORTH"
II is common in schools now for
teachers TO hold up 10 the pupils the
/ life OF Abraham Lincoln not only for
! his admirable character but his sue
cess in getting an education under
difficulty. Yet as look over the rec.
ord OF his life and education. notice
! that he read the Bible many times
as well as Pilgrims Progress and
Aesops Fables. Which of the pupils
of the average school have read the
| Bible even once? Can we not say that
at the best they are filled up Wit
| Henty. Otis. etc? The worst we Will
| not attempt to describe
The ignorance in this line can not
| be laid TO the schools, as. until re
Gently the reading OF the Bible i'm
school was discouraged. and in some
cases absolutely forbidden. While.
J | believe, public feeling in this mat
/ ter has changed considerably. still 4
| has not arrived at tie point where
| Bibles are placed in the schoolrooms
| Tor reading or reference. The teach.
er wishing TO read must generally
! furnish the book Even i'm the high
schools and college preparatory
schools a Bible Is not always avail.
able. Encyclopedia and diction-
aries, and standard works are consid.
cred Indispensable, but the Bible.
4 which is probably without exception
the most quoted book, is tabooed az
| undesirable and why Is this? In school
! life this is storytelling age. The
| popil is filed with stories from kin
dergarten TO high school He is told
all the stories OF the northern and
/ southern mythologles. which are WOW
len from the imagination OF ignorant;
and superstitious peoples and
some of which are so possible as Ger.
/ tainly to have no refining influence
on the mind. Why not take out OF
our readers the horrible story Of Pro
crustes, the Stretcher, and replace II
/ with the beautiful and far more in