New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-11-11
Mrs. Wiggin Discourses
On Books for Children
Is Satisfied Young Folk Would Make Suitable
Selection for Selves From Adults Library
Deplores Efforts to Write Down To Youth

Lowell, Whittier or Longfeliou. and q
sheaf Of songs from the EiizahefhAn
poets. IT, indeed. you wou be dread.
fully bored. IL ia conceivable fnhf you
are a bit pcdantic. stiff ard academic
in your tartes, or biz gwen fo IferA-
ture of very high and game flavor.
SO that French made d shef' have
spoiled you for Angla-Ssson roast beef
But you may say you have no library
worthy Of the word. therefore yeu
must At least help your child 10 choase.
This IL. in point Of fact. &C great
delight that IL resembles n trmptaf on,
il is also a great respons biIfy al.
though | cannot discover that parents
are bent 10 the earth because Of tie
burden Of IL. When N ings come %
this pass, and we are Obliged 20 o. Tor
children what many OF them can do
better for themselves, a knowledge %
child nature and knowiedge Of whAt
really is iiteraturetheA two thirgs
are extremely handy 10 have ia ne
family. You cannot 80 much ae draw
comm onp'ace straight lsne wifro1'
knowing two points the one SOU sfsrf
from and the one you wish 20 reach
The child is your hrss point. dc you
know him =? What you wish - learn
think, feel. and be. is the second point
are you quite sure Of your know edge ~
10 preBupposc a kind Of nsycho-peda
gogcal wisdom eNtremciy rare To
which return that mmon tens~
makes fairly good substitute; and
when you crush me by asking how tho
parent not gifted with common ecrse
can acquire il, reply from 'ho ~
treme confines of the corner where
your logic has driven me that sup
posing the germ to be OK stort. reso-
40
VIII commonly assist ita growth 20 g.
point where at least il car be- seer p,
the naked eye of your neighrnrs. VITO
ny the way. generally use opcra glasret
big end for shortcomings tother Wa
round for virtues
Books Not Only Source
II makes deal 81 difference nor
only That a child reads. but how onI
when he reads II. Fortunately. books
are not the only mans OF grace
have seen children ms wei 81 grown
people who seemed to absorb ar5 as
till a wisdom from the world a. n4tarf
the mysteries OF earth. sir sty snc
sea. from sympathetic corfr.rf Nf
fellow human creatures. and IRON
some hidden sources Of power p5frtr
their own souls tina. PEE tho ,,tsdnf,.
of the books 20 shame r. I nof
prudent, however. to conclule fhaf CA
particular child is being rf fraf
rarefled sort simply becansr Fee DC
elincs 10 read. Synptoms af intel
lectual forwardness ar somotines
mistaken for the sberrs,ions 81 genius
Let us trv ard penetrate tre secret
CT the childish Indifference. remsm
bering that, young as he u.s. fhtfr Ar,
elective aHinities and antinatt |s- tha'
must be taken into acceuri and rer
hsps controlled and guided. And what
ever else we do. - we wish g. pffer
the spiritual horizon Of ouf enIitrrr
let US not close up the wlndoNs o.
the emotional and irag native sIdc b,
neglecting poetry. "Thert IS 10 ,vcrp
one Of us a poet whom the man has
cutlived." Don't le, the poet die
insritionl Keep II alive by feeding
the child's youthfui ardor. strengthen
ing his insight. guarding the s,naftive.
ness Of his early imprcsrlont. Hau
cherishing the fsnces that Hre III.
deed, the trailing clouds cf glory h
brings with him from God, ~ro A.
his home"
The rhythm OF verse W. charm hi.
senses even in hts baby dsss h-cr o.
he will feel the beauty Of -onr -
qu,site lyric phrase as keel as YOU
do. until At last he can enter upon nil
full birthright, the rich deposit
the centuries"
AZ 20 adaptations" ~ TIRE rrea
things Of literature by neaas of nhicf
The child may get hint OF -hc g'orie
which await him just 81 tho turn aI
the road that subject. toe. can b..
argued eloouently on both I.idcs D.
possible 10 expurgats sbh~eviAtc
adapt. some Of these books which fh..
reading world agrees 20 call "ciassics"s
II can be done. especially by word o.
mouth. in the form OF IN story iold
to groups OF eager iistenrfe and go
the written volume IL can bo SUCCESS.
fully done too, perhaps by Two persons
in ii million Ny own belief in this
form Of literature is n .rif'e theorcficni
and very weak on is lees. IN nv
heart incline 70 agree w. some bod
who said: "Wnat " the use of adam
ing the class.os 20 Children 81 hen 49,.
chi'dr 81" are ALREADY aoap.ed 10 ft.
classics >"