The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-06-13
New LIterature for Children

important was that Of a new educa-
ton for the young, as well as the
creation Of a modern basis for the
bringing up of children.
In line with the new educational
principles 1t became the chief aim Of
the school system to inculcate a scien-
tific view Of life in the children, to
facilitate the full development of the
child's individuality and to help it to
become an active and conscious mem
Der of the community.
It therefore became necessary to
undertake complete revision of all
the existing literature for children, as
well as to create a new literature
along these lines. The Section for
Juvenile Literature of the State Pub
fishing House was created toward the
end of 1928 for this purpose. First
number OF representatives of high
er pedagogical institutions was charg-
ed with this work Peoples Commits
sariat for Education, Moscow Educa-
ton Department Institute for Juven-
lie Literature, etc.,, as we'll as a num-
Der OF writers, educators, and work
ers in juvenile Libraries. New pub
LEGATIONS in the field Of children's
books, as well as manuscripts of such,
received from the authors were sub
mitted to them to be judged. Gather
lngs OF reviewers were held, in which
judgments and decisions were pro-
nounced concerning the publication of
new books.
THE next step toward the creation
= of a new Juvenile literature was
the reading aloud of these manu-
scripts to an audience of children of
the age required in each specific case.
Educators and librarians read the
books in their respective schools, kin
dergartens, children's literary circles,
and subsequently Transmitted to the
education department the views Of the
3 children, as well as a report of the
children's reactions to various pass
ages in the manuscript as whole. AS
the work went on, two commissions
were created to encourage the produc-
ton Of a new juvenile literature: the
first of these commissions is con-
cerned with the books for children of
pre-schOol age, while the second con-
siders the needs of the older children.
The commission includes the best
writer's for children, those who are
trying to meet the demands of the
present day, artists who have special
lied in the illustration Of children's
books, teachers and librarians. Each
of the commissions meets twice a
week. At these sessions a manuscript
is usually read which has already
been submitted to the critics and to
the young readers, and which is fur
thermore considered to be in some
way typical. A general discussion
of the manuscripts follows. which aids
in the fixing of definite principles that
have already been elaborated during
the year in which the commissions
have been at work, and have been
used as guiding lines in the selection
Of new books to be published.
TNHE following subjects were consid-
l. cred during the past year by the
commission for pre-school children's
books:
1. The study Of the work of the
women in charge Of kindergartens,
touching upon various phases Of the
life, the work and the play Of the
children in the various establish |
ments of this kind. 1t was found ex-
tremely desirable to continue and de-
velop this work still further, in which |
connection three Of the books OF the |
American educational writer Lucy
Sprague Mitchell were published, as
wen as a collection Of notes made by
the women teaching in the Tver kin
dergartens.
2. Books on Productive Industry