Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-04

"HStii.NN ioN. ~. u, september a.
IF the truth were known. the Pied
Piper probably did not pipe at ALL"
declared visitor to "a social settle
mcnt center recently. "fnstead he told
story"
Her glance swept circle o. nearly
100 children gathered around a young
woman who WAS relating the adven-
lures Of the noble Cordclia. daughter
OF King Lear. Among her listeners
were youngsters OF almost every ma
tionality and descriptions: small bare
footed Poles; ragged frockcd little Ital-
ian girls: several decidedly soiled Sy-
rians. and numerous American children
easily disting Unstable by their patron
izing manner due 10 n superior ac-
quaintance with the English language.
Every other day In the week these
children come to specified spot In
this NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. street
corner. sometimes church yard--to be
told stories. which they dcvour with
all the starved imaginative appetite
of the tenement.
storytelling classes are now popu-
lar in every large American city. Not
only have the social settlement cen
ters taken IL up as means Of cducat-
ing as well Az entertaining the chill
drcn. but the public libraries arc en-
ployinG professionals TO tell stories
several afternoons week to the chill
drch who patronize their bookshclvcs
The storytelling movement liz attain
ing tremendous proportions. Most OF
the colleges are advertising tho course.
as part Of their curriculum: IL il the
most talked bou, feature Of the nor
NAL classes. and even the high schools
In many cities have added bclatcd
storytelling course to next years
work. But the movement has not
., No.. l..
education Of those who are TO tell
stories to children. In all the larger
cities there arc now story-tcllinc
leagues which are combined under the
head Of one big national league. These
usually comprise a membership Of from
twenty-five To fifty members who ar
range to meet on "A certain night each
week and tell storFcs-cithcr stories
they have read or stories Of their own
creation. OF course, SO far as these
are concerned their benefit is merely
one OF amusement. being something In
the nature of "a fad but in the case
Of the children tho story and the story
teller are here To stay.
Once Used ms discipline.
The influence OF the story on the
child has been generally recognized
throughout the ages. and varied and
numerous have been the clever inven-
tions OF parents for the purpose OF
discipline. For long time In the
opinion OF modern psychologists, the
American child not only was not
spoiled. but was neglected. He was
regarded az matter of course as a
pernicious little animal with very little
intelligence, who must he seen and
not heard" and whose naturally wicket
instincts must be repressed and
crushed Therefore. when parents in
duiged in creative flights OF the imagi-
nation II was almost always TO the
point. The stories dealt with bad little
boys who disobeyed their parents and
thereby got struck by lightning or
drowned or eaten by bear.
Then came the biologist and the
psychologist. who discussed the lido
syncracies OF the child Mt great length
destroyed all the carefully built IN
traditions Of the proper way TO raise
children. and insisted that the child
be heard" Not only must he he al.
lowed to talk, but he must be coaxed
and wheedled to talk. since the chic,
aim OF existence was self-cxpression
These reformers even went SO far a.
to criticize the public school system
and the use of textbooks. You can;
expect children TO master history by q
list OF dates" they asserted with .
| complete disregard for the past gen.
erations. who had been learning theirs
that way. Fell It TO them in stories
and they VIII never forge. it," Parents
| who had been telling their children
| stories to scare them into discipline
| were the subject of scathinE rebuke BY
these men. who painted out that a grea
| many nervous diseases and affection:
| occurring In later life were directly
attributable to this cause. The story
was an admirable means of education
| both In teaching facts and self-eXprcs
! sion. but its influence was entirely tot
| great to he used carelessly or indif
! ferently.
Kindergarten Adopted It.
Perhaps the first department of edu
cation to adopt the story In its system
| was the kindergarten, and here to-da!
| nav he found tho best example OF IL
! use in the education OF children.
! The dramatic instinct in the chil'
was recognized by Stevenson as VITA
| factor in his education and bringing
M. In writing his Impressions oil M
own childhood. he said: when m!
| cousin and ] took our porri'lGe OF
| morning we had n device to cnlivcn tn
course of the meal. He ate his Will
| sugar and explained IL to be u countr.
continually buried under snow. tool
! mine with milk and explained 1t to b
! a country suffering gradual irundntlon
| The food was of altogether sccondar
| Importance, and might even have bcel
nauseous so long as we reasoned
with dreams" Many mothers to-dh
! are kra tcful to this tip from Stevenson
and are making up stories of the mos
desperate and Adventurous characte
about n plate of shredded wheat o
mush for which the young son o
daughter Of the family cherIshes
loud-voiced antipnthy.
When the child leaves the kinder