Evening star., 1925-11-08

A novel feature of this assem-
i blage is that II bears none of
the familiar insignia Of the
usual conVention-no packed trains
rushing toward one another upon a
common point; no bustling station;
no crowded streets; none of the enl1v-
ening business-and social blend that
for the time being turns overy conven.
ton town into scenes Of gayety and
fraternal good will.
In this case the meeting is that
or mind alone-that of many minds
coming together upon the children OF
the country at a single vital point.
Books for young folks-this Is the
core of the matter that has brought
thousands of men and women to-
eether in a single huge combination
OF interest and action. And here is
the week of their annual drive upon
their special scheme of education.
) Schools and libraries, clubs and shops
and newspapers, and the children
themselves, all over the country
stand as the enthusiastic and capable
medium Of this good enterprise.
a NATTER of small beginnings, no
doubt, this general organizing for
action on the subject of reading for
young folks. AS If two-two women,
maybe-were talking somewhat pride
fully of the education for all which
this country presses upon its chill
dren. Then the wiser of the two
may have suggested that only small
part of the responsibility in the mat
ter is met by the simple act of teach
ing children to read; that 1t must
not be left at so haphazard and even
dangerous stage. For beyond this
initial point there lie clearly two
others equally vital and obligatory.
They agree that the real objective OF
all reading is to create a passion for
1t. That this goal lies In the very
ab-ab moment of the whole bust
ness. For d reading love, deep and
lngrained, not only opens the way to
all knowledge, but 1t sets up also a
strong bulwark against the ills of life,
against the loss of friends and health.
against fhe fatal sapping loneliness of
mind driven in upon an empty
storehouse. And in a mounting en-
thusiasm over a truly exciting theme
one of the two may plausibly have
said: If one deeply and passionately
loves reading-why, nothing can real
ment. but more than half true, isn't
it? Such love is the supreme goal of
reading. they agree, an agreement
that faces them squarely upon the
means of achieving it. Nothing but
flaming interest can do 1t, one of
them says, an interest set a-going at
the start and sedulously nourished
throughout Let the boy and the girl
find that interest in a free use of the
best that has been written. Bring the
book and the boy together without
fussy Interference from elders who
only think they know better than the
sure instinct of the child knows.
They'll grow all right under this regi-
men, grow in strength and confidence
and happiness.
Such. brought together in the rough,
is the aim of the great ganization
which for the week at hand is bending
dom and personal self -effacement upon
subject of prime Importance.
+ \
\ WORD for the old books-books
that have been read in undiminish-
ing joy for a quarter of a century.
for fifty years, for century and
more. This. the seal of their suprem-
acy. Fable and folk lore and fairy
tale. travel and adventure-over and
over have individual books on these
themes appealed, long will they con-
tinue To appeal, to the nomad and
the hunter. TO the fabuliat and pure
make-believe that lives at some time
inside every boy and girl. Year after
year they appear. dressed up anew
in picture and print and cover, making
happiness for the children of that
year as they did for the grandfathers
of these children. Let's look at a few
of these old beloved books, along with
others not quite 50 old.
y
AESOP'S FABLES. Boni & Live
right. Illustrated in bold and entic
mood by Phyllis A. Trery.
Dressed gayly and beautifully be.
sides. Something might be said for
I the beauty of a book as the fitting
house for the beloved friends inside.
This is d book that tittingly houses
the wise ANIMAL folks inside it.
/ y x x
OLD WINE. BY Phyllis Bottome,
author of THE Kingfisher," etc.
New York: George H. Doran Com.
pany.
| A ROMANCE whose background
competes with the action itself in
it's striking effect. This background is