The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-06
HIGH BOOKS AND
LOW BOOKS
MRS. FLORENCE MILNER

Daddy, is that low book or high
book?" Six-year-old Caroline was
peering at small handsomely bound
volume on the table, but she did not
reach out her hand toward it.
"That's a high book, Caroline. If
you'll bring it to me I'll show you
why"
Caroline lifted the book carefully as
though it were a very precious pack
age and carried it to her father, four
year-old Susan following.
"See what a nice dress it has on"
said her father, holding it up so that
both children could see it easily.
Opening the book and turning the
leaves, he added, "You see it has no
pictures, but the lovely print tells
stories for Mother and me, but you
wouldn't like them now as much as
you do Snow White and Cinderella
and The Three Bears Some day when
most of your books are high books you
will enjoy this one very much"
He then called their attention to
the illuminated initials and to the wide
margins and even remarked that the
print, while not SO large as in their
own books, was just as clear. He did
not talk down to them, but did keep
naturally within the range Of their
understanding of beautiful book.
Aunt Lucy, who was making her
first visit to them since Susan was
baby, looked on with puzzled interest
When the book was safely back on the
table, she asked, "What did Caroline
mean by high book and low book 2"
"We are trying to help the children
to gain real appreciation of books
and to know how to treat them," her
brother answered. "Come into the
book room."
In the library he pointed to the
two lower shelves in one of the open
bookcases and explained, "The lowest
shelf belongs to Susan and the one
above it, to Caroline. They keep their
own books there and Mary and | oc-
casionally slip in new and inter-
esting one as surprise. Each child
understands that anything on her own
shelf is hers to use freely-and they
lend to each other-but the books on
the higher shelves belong to the
grownups. The terms high book
and low book are the children's own
and, in their minds, based on this di-
vision. They respect the high books
as belonging to their mother and me
and take them only with permission.
Any book about the house they are
expected to leave alone until they
know whether it is high book or
a low book"
"And don't they ever touch your
books ?" Aunt Lucy knew a lot about
children.
"Well," said Father with a smile,
"the children are not always absolute
ly perfect, and sometimes temptation
is too much for them. They know that
Mary and | will show them any of
the high books they may wish to see,
and that helps lot At intervals we
put particularly attractive child
ren's book among our own, book
well-printed and illustrated by a real
artist This we show them, letting
oarOl1nC nave IL dlOnc lOI Il SlloIt
period, but it is to be returned to
our shelves. When, however, she has
proved herself capable of understand
ing its value, she is allowed to trans
fer the book to her own shelf. We do
the same with Susan, but with less
expensive books
"Well, that's an idea" said Aunt
Lucy as she took the illustrated copy
of "The Three Bears" from Susan's
shelf, Gwen Susan's books, | see
are NOT torn and scribbled over"
eve are trying to teach proper
respect for book, to arouse desire
for the books on shelves higher up
and to give them some sense Of mine
and thine. 1t takes time and thought
and patience, but we hope it will pay
in the end"
'I'm sure it will" Aunt Lucy put
"'The Three Bears" back on Susan's
shelf and thought of a certain ragged
and soiled childrens book in another
home where she had recently visited