davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Choosing Books for the Child
The Yearning for Story May Be Put to
Good or Evil Use

tai development Of the young. The fer.
tile soil OF the garden Is as receptive
to the weed seed as to that Of the
choicest flower. In like manner the
cn'id mind receives error as readily az
truth.
Plain Facts Don's Stick
The story Is the natural medium for
conveying information, because it gains
at the outset two fundamental things
attention and interest. To try to cram
child's mind with dry facts ia az
useless as for a farmer to SOW his
wheat on unbroken ground. Thew will
remain In tho memory hardly lone
enough TO be forgotten. But present
those facts in such form as to arouse
interest, and at once the Imagination
10 stimulated to seize and feed upon
them, and they become as difficult To
remove from the memory as before
they were difficult to implant therein
Surround q child with good books
and you surround him with friends
companions, guides. You create about
him an atmosphere for good which will
endure throughout life. Give him books
OF doubtful or. at best, negative char
acter, and you create an atmosphere 90
harmful as the other is good.
"A good mother Is careful to the last
degree Of the kind and quality Of the
food she provides for the growing child
Alas, that all too often she gives no
thought to the kind and quality Of the
food provided for the growing mind
incapable Of choosing for itself and
with an Unsuitable appetitel
Mean Better Citizens
More good books in the homes of
America to-day will mean better citi-
zens tomorrow. Never has there beer
time whom there were 40 many good
books ss in tho present days. Never
Eave the allied srts Of the writer and
the illustrator been so beautifully pre-
sented. Also, never has there been a
time when there were so many books
OF little or no worth. And the pity Of
1t 10 that those are often as attractive
IN appearance as the books of real
worth, and sometimes more 80.
An attractive title and good illus
tratiens are no surety Of good book.
II you select books for the young
guided solely by these, you are gam
el'ns with the welfare Of your chill
dren. Know the contents Of every book
that goes into their hands. II you
haven't the time to read tho books
yourself. consult your librarian.
A good book 10 mental food.
4 bad book 10 mental poison.
4 nsgativs book, neither GOOD nor
bad, IL . mental narcotic,
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Heroes and Heroines

A TREASURY OF HEROES AND
HEROINEs, by Clayton Edwards
Frederick A. Stokes, publisher. con.
tains biography Of the great figures Of
history whose lives offer interesting
contributions to children's educations
A few famous fctional heroes and
heroines are also included in the col
lection. The illustrations are by Flor
ence Choate and Elizabeth Curtis.
Other books with an educational pur-
pose combined with that Of entertain
ment are The Boys Life Of Lafay-
cite. by Helen NicolaY (Harper &
Bros.); Boy Heroes in Fiction, by Inez
McFee fCrowelD; Girl Heroines in
Fiction, by Inez McFee (CrowellD, and
Boys Book Of Sea Fights, by Chelsea
Curtis Fraser (CrowelD.
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
rusting to the Child's Taste
Within Certain Limits Individual judgments
Should Be Considered

absorbed by the listener His sense
of humor, his penetration of human
psychology, will be keener. though i.
Will be many years before he calls
/ MS love Of The Elephants Child by
any analytical terms. At eight years
Old perhaps the Swiss Family Robin
son for q few weeks completed
obliterates all the myths, history
stories, fairy tales and poetry that are
usually delightful. And this book MAJ
prove pretty tiresome to the parent
who is reading aloud. But when its
/ joy has been exhausted temporarily
another book of adventure is de
manded, and parents must know ma
to suggest.
When boy starts to read to him
self he often will read nothing but
modern boys stories. They are easier,
less complex, perhaps, than books Of
biography or history. He'd rather
you'd read aloud to him, from Sir
Henry Newbolt perhaps, or some Other
author whose books you like too. You
can't understand his interest in the
stories that are to you trivial. He
tells you he likes them because ST.
five books in the series are about "Jm
and Dick the twins, and he feels Is
II they were real boys.
But you are relieved at his se't
for Palmer's Translation of the 0dys'
sey. He makes you reread many times
the sentence, GAS the early rosy-hn-
gered dawn appeared the men
took their places at the pins, sno
sitting in order smote the foamine
water with their oars" He likes the
sound of it. And you realize that De
knows Odysseus and Penelope ara
Telemachus; they thrill him far mois
than "Jim and Dick" He knows then
we'll, because of the myths you resa
him when he was seven and eight Blu
nine years old. In school, allusions 70
characters of myth and history naF'
always been familiar to him; 'ns
stories are part of him. He has iisea
with them through all his boynooe'
And he will go on into adult life WIN
feeling for good books, sense snS'
they belong to him.
A big responsibility this - tna'
fathers and mothers and aunts sn'
uncles and big brothers and slstei'
shall not only give children chah''
to love books, but also surround tnem
with a generous supply of variety u
books, so that the children may Ut
velop taste Of their cwn.
Children's Book Week, held annushs
in November, is an opportunity 10 Peg
special attention to children's readihs'
especially to the books of the chilois"
around us. The bookstores are na'ihs
special displays of the new books VIII,
ten for children as we'll as beausaS.
editions of the older books lovsc "
children for generations.
The public libraries are holding eS
hibits of books recommended for gil'''
ard the children's libraries are ohs'
ing their advice to all who would XIV
more about books for children. 'a'
women's clubs are taking up the SUI
jcct of chldren's reading at their Nv
vemher meetings, in many cases "a
ing discussions Of the books chlIofsA'
love.
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Many Fairy Books
EAIRY books have been numerou

EIAIRY books have been numerous
this fall. The old ones have been
reprinted in beautiful editions. Fairy
tales by authors known for other than
children's writings have been brought
out, and some Of these editions have
been mentioned in The Tribune earlier
in the season. Among the most at
tractive books are The Happy Prince,
by Oscar Wilde, and Princess Pirlpa-
tine. by Alexandra Dumas, both pub
lished by Brentano, and Grimm's Fairy
Tales, published by Scribners. The
Children of Odin, by Padraic Colum,
published by Macmillan, is another Of
tho best Of those collections Of folk
lore. 1t tells the Morse legend In
simple style, and is a clear arrange
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
BY Thornton w. Burgess

by thornton w. Burgess
ASthor of The Bedtime Story Books.
Mother West Wind Series, Tho Bur-
CESS Bird Book for Children, etc.
TINE worlds greatest asset is In
its children. This none will
deny. AS they arc taught to
think, SO will the desti-
ries Of nations be shaped. To this
end is the purpose Of all edu-
cation. But all too often there
Is utter failure on the part Of the
guardians Of the child to realize that
education 1s not confined to the schools:
that it begins long before the thresh-
old OF the schoolroom is crossed for
the first time and is continuou. from
the moment the mind receives its first
Impressions.
1t to In the homo that education be-
gins. 1t Is in the home chat the erow-
ing mind receives It's deepest and most
lasting Impressions. And Il ia In the
home that destiny Is shaped for good
or i'll. The potter 1T his wheel haa Ia
his absolute control the future Of the
lump OF clay. Not all the art Of the
decorator can make Of the potter's
handiwork thing of beauty be it mis-
shapen, nor, though he strive. can he
make 1t less than work Of art 40 be
the potter has nodded true to the
lines Of beauty.
Plastic IS Potters Clay
The mind Of the child is as plastic
as the potter's clay. The Impressions
Ct youth will be retained to tho end.
And most invariably the earliest i'm
rressions are through the medium Of
stories. first through the spoken word
and then through those read from the
printed page.
And this Is because in the heart Of
every child is never satisfied yearn-
ing for q story. 1t is simply an in
born craving for mental development.
stimulated by the Imagination. which
is its birthright and the key to the
mind. Recognizing this Fundamental
fact, it at once becomes apparent how
vital 1t is that stories for children be
wisely and carefully selected. The i'm
press Of error is taken ~ readily 40 the
impress Of truth, and frequently, be-
cause II stimulates the imagination to
a greater degree. 1t is more lasting.
The all too common csrelessness in
regard TO the character and quality Of
the books children are allowed TO
read is. I believe. largely due to fail
u1s TO understand rightly and spprs-
ciste at its true value the Importance
Of Imagination ~ IN active force. pos
sibly the most active foree, IN the mon
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
More Books IN the Home Is the Object
Aimed At IN the Book Week
for Children

~ ANITA CLAUS comes twice . year
- for children whose families are
interested In Children's Book
Week. And tomorrow the big
week beginA
II pareAts feel the urge 70 enter into
tho spirit Of getting good books for
their children they certainly will have
no complaint to make against the pub
fishers this season. A few years ago the
accusation might have been made that
good reading for children was hard to
get in the books being published, that
the old stories we're all that there was
to turn to. Whether this was true or
not, Il cannot be said Of this season.
Both quality and quantity are great in
the offerings this fall in children's books.
And just what is Children's Book Week I
What the Week Is
"A Joint, annual effort to encourage
the love of books among children and
the discussion of children's reading in
communities"
The attention which Is being given to
chiIoFen tne6e days, as to their cduca-
tion. their health and their recreation, is
extended to their reading. Child well
fare includes "more books in the home, !"
especially more books for children.
To parents who throw up their hands
over the proposition of finding out what
their children want in reading matter,
of selecting the right diet for them in
books, The Publishers Weekly suggests
that librarians, booksellers and teachers
are near at hand for consultation.
New shops and departments, exclu-
sively given over to the handling of chill
dren's books, have been springing up on
every hand. These are especially at
tractive, and the goods they handle
would be sufficient to make them so if no
effort were made beyond stacking these
out for buyers to see. Grown-ups will
find new editions of the books they read
when they were children. in more gor-
geous bindings and with better illustra-
tions. They will also find that there is
better variety in new books than there
was when they were little.
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Children Right Along the Path of Reading

and pets play . large part in helping
him out. and tho doctor really doesn't
have to worry . great deal whom he
mas his sagacious parrot. his sensible
donkey and his clever monkey to de-
pond upon In emergencies.
Mr.. Lofting knows how to write for
children. He sees his story with their
eyes and just tells 1t to them in their
own language, never in any way in
sulting them by talking down to them.
II he has to use Q word which NAV
be new to some Of his audience he ex-
plains 1t without spelling the narrative,
and goes on.
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14

NeTe fC0S chttn tCenC JOfIn eCefy
day;
And the first object he look'd upon, that
object he became;
And that object became part OF him for
the day, or q certain part of the
day, or for many years, or stretch
ing cycles of rs."-Walt Whit
man.
URING the years of childhood
| decisions and rules made br
n grown people surround a child
pretty carefully. Certain
kinds of food are best for hir-they
have been tested and proved best; GER
tain studies are necessary; in well
ordered households, fixed bedtimes and
rising hours for the children are in
variable. A certain code of manners
for children has been worked out by
fathers and mothers. This must be
observed for the sake Of peace-if not
for the sake Of the future and society.
In fact, children have little chance
for the exercise of individual choice
except in their games and play, which
are to them the most vital part Of
life. Games are indeed often taught bv
older people, or "led" by directors. but
those that are most fun are really dis
coveries of the children themselves.
Sliding down haystacks Ca farmer usu-
ely stops this irately because of your
| destruction); playing hide-and- in
a eorntield, where you almost get lost;
II you are city child, "catching" rides
on sleighs. sometimes "hitching" with
your sled and rope, sometimes jumping
on, both full of danger; skating on
rubber" ice under the bridge where the
ice is thin. No grown-up could have
watched your recklessness without at
least fiinging out rope to save you
from drowning.
But you didn't drown. You were
pretty close to the edge, but children
have an unaccountable sense of the
line between the fun of q little danger
and destruction. With plenty of out
of-doors and few restrictions in re-
gard to playmates most children can
be truSted to discover the best fun
for themselves.
And so with reading. Books have
unlimited possibilities as children's
friends and as recreation. Children
lucky enough to have many books
around them, to hear stories, folklore.
poetry, history, read aloud, grow up
with this literature part of them.
Many children miss this experience
either because they have not enough
books or because their reading is too
closely limited by parents or teachers,
and they do not have chance to exer-
else their own choice, to develop and
follow tastes Of their own.
A mother may tire Of reading The
Elephants Child over and over to a
five-year-old boy every evening for
month, but If she is wise she will
sacrifice her impatience to the child's
delight, realizing that he is sure to
know when he has had enough of it
and that by that time appreciation of
the fun. the exaggeration, the play of
words and caricature Of youthful
egotism in the story will have been
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
For the Outdoor Bow

QUARTERBACK BATES, by Ralph
x Henry Barbour (Dodd, Mead &
Coz, is the story of seventeen-year-
old high school boy who has made a
reputation as a. football player on the
school team. Like most boys who put
something little out Of the ordinary
New-York tribune., 1920-11-14
Poetry and Jinples

A LII little people like jingles. Some
= a Of them may not care for poetry
but all Of them like jinges, and 1t is
we'll to let all OF them have access to
some poetry and develop taste for Il
The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-12

%oMPETIT1vE exhibits at KaPsas fairs
have materially bettered her live stock,
- breeds during the last few years.
This fall. for the nrst time in history. the
idea will be applied to the human family.
Contests to determine the attest" family
physically. mentally and eugenically- be
held at Topeka during Free Fair week, be-
ginning tomorrow. The winner win receive
silver trophy from Gov Henry J. Allen and
a medal from Senator Arthur Capper. The
contests are designed to awaken greater in
terest in heredity and to overcome some OF
its evils.
DIR. Florence Brown Snerbon, chief OF the
child hygiene division OF the Kansas Board
OF Health. and Mrs. Mary T. Watts OF .Au-
dubon. Iowa. who originated the better
babies movement in 1911. will have charge.
A special building has been constructed on
the fair grounds In which the examinations
will be made by skilled specialists and ply
sicians OF the state Board OF Health and the
State Tuberculosis Association. The meth
DDS to be used In conducting the examina
lions are:
/. Personal and family history. Y
g Psychological and mental condition.
O. Bodily structure and development.
A. Present condition OF health.
g. Special examinations OF sight. hearing
and teeth
All these points win be considered In
awarding the prizes The Federal children's
bureau Ia sending woman physician from
Washington to assist.
Mrs. Watts originated the better babies
movement at the Iowa State Fair in 1911
She perceived that tlN persons who were ex-
pressing great admiraNon for tho fine live
stock were dragging about children who ap-
peared frail. delicate and unhealthy. This
gave her the idea for applying the live
stock principles TO human stock. and to-day
there are few States In the Union which
have not held baby contests.
But this did not get at the root OF all
evil--heredity. In order to know what to
guard against one must know what has
occurred in ones family in the past. So a
whole department will be devoted to ascer-
tainin5tthe family history Of the contestants.
The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-12
Marvels of Skill in Ivory Carving

The artist works in his own studio. Al the
bottom Of the piece when II ia finished the
E,aker carves his name. initials or sign. In
Cue time this distinguishing mark comes TO
have commercial value with art dealers
Just as the name Of a great writer has with
editors and publishers.
In Toxic there ls an art school In which an
average OF about 500 pupils year study art
under different masters. In ivory carving
there are native teachers. >but In this the
japanese are but following out the rule which
governs their conduct In all matters Of edu-
cation and progress. That is, the person who
ls best fitted for the professionally Il given
tie chair.
In other branches Of art taught In the Toxic
schools European and American masters are
employed. but for ivory carvings the Japan
cse for the simple reason that they have no
equals at that particular work. Moreover. the
best ivory carvings. even In Japan, come from
Toxic and It's envlrons.
IL would be well for all those who are not
ronnolsseurs in ivory to purchase those costly
Tits Of a well known and reputaole dealer.
for near-ivory carvings are sometimes made
OF the bones OF an enormous fish which Is
caught In the waters about Japan. This fish
the Japanese call cA0cM The bones Of the
chdcM are not ,as hard a. ivory. and conse-
cuently the finest. the most valuable carvings
are not attempted on them. although they are
rsed for coarser grade of work.
The bones Of the cAacM win take on a fine
olish, and where articles made from them are
sitting on the same shelf with others made
OF real ivory the resemblance Is 80 close al
10 deceive all except experts.
The length OF time which a japanese artist
must give to his apprenticeship work upon
ivory before he can become sufficiently
skilled to earn living at his chosen profes.
sion depends upon number OF things. such,
for Instance as natural taste and industry
In this as In other arts, but few ever be-
come great. but II q carver, after he shall
have been under his masters instructions for
five years. has reached the place where his
works viii sell. which by no means must be
taken TO imply that ne can sell enough OF
item to live on the proceeds he has no rea-
sen to be ashamed Of himself or feel dis
couraged as 10 the progress he has made
But the man must be made OF that kind OF
STUFF which loves art for arts sake. for his
labor will always be but poorly paid Though
a little piece not more than four inches high
may retail In American and European art
ttores at a price ranging between $50 and
$3.50. but small part Of this sum ever
ruches the japanese artist.
Those 'hair-flne carvings tell their own
story OF the weeks and months Of patient
labor expended In their making.
The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-12

rr%HE finest ivory carvings In the world
are made in Japan II your treasure
should become broken and the pieces
are not Lost they can be repaired. The dis
membered fragments must be fitted in place
and held there by using cement which is not
affected by moisture. cement which can
not hold It's own IN spite Of moisture Is Of no
Use. and for this reason: ivory must have
water in order to preserve It's beauty. Ex-
posure to the dry air any length OF time
causes fine lateral cracks to appear. and
when once they come your masterpiece ls
ruined forever.
BY wettmg a bit OF canton flannel and
wrapping it about your ivory carving YOU can
close the cracks, but once the piece is exposed
10 the dry air again the cracks open. AMI
just here Ia a case where ian ounce Of pre-
vention Ia worth a pound OF cure" Keep
your ivory carvings In a glass case in which
there should always be a wet sponge or n
saucer Of water.
BY way OF Illustration as to the possibnl-
ties Of the Japanese expert repairer. suppose
your ivory carving represents hunter his
gun and game bag. A dead bird. too large
for his game bag. Is slung over his shoulder
while a wounded live bird is held by cord
tied around Its leg.
The wounded bird is saualling with fear
ana pain. The skilful Japanese artist has
h.en able to separate the upper and lower
bills Of the bird, showing clearly that the
mouth is open. although the bills are not
much thicker or wider than the point OF
tub steel pen.
II by any accident one or both OF the bills
Lave been broken off and lost the japanese
importer can send the piece back to his own
country. perhaps to the very artist who made
the carving. and In due time have the treasure
returned to its owner In all itA former beauty
Now. this Is what the Japanese carver has
done He has carved out new bill and with
the tiniest dowel-pin attached It. A corre-
Spondingly small hole has been made In the
birds head and q joining OF the two parts has
been 30 skilfuly done that the keencst eye
e1nnot detect the break.
No American or European -restorerr would
have either the ability or the patience to do
tnIs, but even n his patience and skill should
ne found equal 20 the demand. IL he Ia an
honest and well informed man he would not
undertake the work for you. He knows he
could not live on the price for which you
culd ret the work done II you knew where
to send IT, II is only In Oriental countries
where living is cheap, that this is possible
In Japan no carvings arssmade IN factories
The Sun and the New York herald., 1920-09-12
Subway Excursionists

NN hundred and two small East
Siders were shooed into the subway
az Times square a few days ago
by two young women. The youngsters were
marching in step and singing Daddy" one
red headed lad with as many freckles to the
which exposed some loose teeth sought an
interview.
"Dyou write in the papers?"
The reporter admitted IT,
Il sch em. Say. this here is a cheap
gang. I'm savin' m money TO so TO the
Fay picnic Monday. Y kin go TO Bear
Mountain fer 7s cents"
He was asked where he had been that
dsy.
Bronx Park fer nothin' Subway bosses
gives passes fer one hundred kids DAY
only the same kid kin only go once week
X han yer name In on the roof E@s'
Broadway an jefferson street. in the morn
in Then y kin so the next day
The reporter asked him II they went "
Bronx Park every day and who went VII"
: them.
Them two girls does. One day they 'aSs'
KIDS to Prospec' Park. one to Van Coruapu"
one TO Bronx an one to Central. Monua;s
y pay an 70 on excurshun. We seen iou
CT animals an snakes thatd Kill y II tne.
sot out think maybe y kin go t-morI.,
&c Central Park. Wait. I'll ask" Ana wv
six-year-old paper boy. eager TO provide g"
ttrtainment for any one else in the news
paper business. arranged II. -,
Such groups OF children are sent AN Vv,
every day by the Educational Alliance, wiz
lofiices at East Broadway and Js', Jeneis',
street. The Interborough Rapid lISps, .Ioh
Rives 100 passes day on the subway "'1.t4 Tss
are used outside OF the rush hours -,Ss
children play games in the parks ",ay say
their own lunch and are given napp.
in the open without danger Of aeciaSA~