Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1916-08-31
STORY HOUR
BY Mrs. J. C. McDearman

1t is indeed great pleasure to tai
to you for little while on a subjec
so near my heart as the one assigne,
me-Story Hour. The very word SUI
gests a beautiful picture; a group O
happy, interested listeners and al
animated lover Of children, an artis
as it were painting pictures of limo
cence and beauty on the canvas o
the soul.
The reason stories have such
great place in my heart, is becaus,
II love children, and children Low,
stories. l will not say that I have
hobby, but if someone should sa,
that my hobby is children / am sur
that I would not be offended
Committed to my own personal car,
and training / have four precious
charges. The whole world of child
rem is mine to help to make happy
and to bless.
God in his wisdom and love ha.
given to mothers special and very
sweet privilege of selecting and plac
ing the first pictures that shall adorr
the human soul. These mental pic
lures which will either brighten an(
bless or mar the happiness of the
child are made, often unconsciously
by the mother or the child's attend
ant.
Building character. upon which 2
life is to be founded, is not altogeth
er unlike the erection of a structure
Of wood or stone-we must look well
to the foundation. Education is a
lifelong process and must be begun
upon very broad principles. Old
methods are inadequate. In order to
acquire a broad, thorough, and prac.
tical education many subjects must
be introduced early in the process
Stories of the proper kind may be
very effectively used. not only to pre-.
sent many of these subjects, but
much valuable information pertain.
'ng to the subjects will be eagerly
grasped and retained by the child
Stories should be part Of the equip
ment of every primary teacher, and
of every mother. The great craving
which children have for stories is
universal and does indeed place a
responsibility upon us. Every race
has its heritage Of folklore and
NY luS WulCu 10 uduuCu uOWA lIOuu
generation to generation. Scientists
study these stories with painstaking
care because they reveal the habits,
and religion of the people.
Children of two thousand years ago
loved story quite as much as do
our children of today. The mere fact
that thing has existed for SO long
Is no proof that it is worth preserv.
ing, but the fact that stories still po-
ssess a perfectly fresh attraction for
all is indeed proof that there is some
thing in them Of imperishable worth.
G. Stanley Hall has very fittingly
called stories the natural soul food
for children. Mable Lee Cooper, one
Of the South's best primary instruc-
tors has said that stories are the
avenues through which the grown-up
comes in closest contact with child
life.'
1t is a grand and beautiful thing to
erect monuments to our distinguish
ed and beloved dead, but to me 1t is
/ grander and more beautiful thing
by far to erect monuments in the
hearts Of children. Kate Douglas
Wiggin so beautifully expressed the
Of my own heart when she
.aid that she would rather be the
shildren's story teller than the
Queens favorite or the Kings counsel
or. ~.
"Give me not scenes more charm
inggive me eyes,
TO see the beauty that around me
lies;
TO see the shine Of souls, see an
gels shy,
Among the faces Of the passersby.
do not ask for sweeter music than
The common. daily, symphony OF
man
(The above words were spoken BY
drs. McDearman before the recent
convention held in Cooke
'ille.-Ed.)