The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-13

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On this single sheet appeared the
alphabet in small and capital letters.
ordinations of letters and the
Lords prayer, and through the han
die was a cord which could be tied
to the childs belt. Later in the sew
enteenth century appeared the chap
book, small pamphlets of from four to
"a pages Early in the eighteenth
century the New England primer ap-
peared and became a distinct part
of Puritan history in America. These
but they taught that the longest life
is a lingering death Fear instead of
love of God was In the text. Tor a
long time children's hooks were very
religious and moral affairs. have
several copies of these books; most
interesting they are. There Is one,
The Rosebud of Poetic Garian Of
Unfading Flowers This belongs TO
one of my own little girls. 1t was
given to Bettyss grandfather by his
grandmother published in the days
of the War of 1872. Another inter-
esting one, Little Lucy or "A Day in
the Life of a Good Girl This be-
longs to Miss Caroline Hewins, the
pioneer children's librarian of the
United states. Ministers of the nd
school and ministers wives usually
wrote them. Then there are the Pc
ter Parleys' of the early nineteenth
century-Samuel B. Goodrich; and
later the Rollo books of Jacob Alb
bott, which brings US down to about
the present"
las I shall soon begin to mention
many books for the child's library,
1 am first going to answer a question
which am sure will arise: What is
good book? and What is a bad
book% Every genuine book has a
reason for its existence in something
of value it brings to its reader. That
something may be information, CT,
ideas; IL may be something in whole
some emotions, or in gifts to the inn
agination. or to the sense of humor,
or to the humane sympathies, or in
definitely to the whole conscious
contentment of tbs absorbing mind.
1 believe the good and the bad can
be recognized by every person who
has tasted the good; but between the
good and that which is not bad there
are, of course, many degrees. The
only way you can draw the lines here
is by always getting the best, give
first place always to the great
wri y rs, the wise, the learned and the
PLEASE realize this: You may in=
troduce to children. bring into the
home for their companionship, either
the great heroes and heroines, :he
master minds and the wise philoso-
piers of all the past ages, or you
may give them the companionship of
a vast array of common ordinary, not
necessarily bad, but Just shallow
small minded people. choose, then,
which it shall be. Martha Finley's
Elsie books is an example. There is
Elsie's Girlhood, Elsie's Motherhood,
Elsie's Widowhood. Elsie's Woman
hood and almost 40 others. There is
Victor Appleton, Edward Ellis, Ruth
Fielding. Edith Van Dyne. Gertrude
Morrison, Alice Emerson and Laura
lie Hope. Example: For moment
Rosamond stood still, looking at the
two flashy actresses and wondered
what she would do. The boys are
in the auto and they'll take us IN.
She was in neglige, etc Edward
Stratemeyer Is an example of what
your boy should not read. Not neces-
sarily bad, but just shallow, small
minded stuff. Not yet an old man,
Mr.. Stratemeyer is at work on his
ent names, Capt. Ralph Bonehi1l, end
own Edward Stratemeyer."
Jessie Wilcox Smith is one of the
most popular illustrators of children's
books, her Mother Goose being
charming. Giving up her profession
kindergartening-on account of her
health. she began her lifework, study
ing under Howard Pyle, until today
she is the joy of thousands of chill
dren. I want to call your attention to
one OF the daintiest and sweetest OF
all editions of Mother Goose-the
Little Gosling' With As illustrations,
by Kate Greenaway, and to the
Fanny Cory Mother Goose. This
latter Illustrator of child life has
a fine sense of humor and magma
ton. While in school she was ever
cropped head with flowing curls. (She
often prayed to be a yellow haired
princess.D st. Nicholas bought her
work before she was out of her teens.
Hale's ',rhe Only True Mother Goose"
Is an exact reproduction of the first
American Mother Goose published In
1888. While some claim the original
to have been published in this coun-
try Ms probable this dates back to
Perrault in France, 1870, and many
of the tales much earlier. Personal
ly I like the English Mother Goose
Nursery Rhymes, edited by Walker,
with the Folkard illustrations 1t is
about the most complete, and has
preface for grown-ups. 1t is illus
trated in color throughout BY no