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diff --git a/old/63780-0.txt b/old/63780-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a187ea2..0000000 --- a/old/63780-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1918 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story Hour, Vol. I, No. 2, December, -1908, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this ebook. - -Title: The Story Hour, Vol. I, No. 2, December, 1908 - A Magazine of Methods and Materials for Story Tellers - -Author: Various - -Editor: Ruediger, William C. - Wyche, Richard T. - -Release Date: December 05, 2020 [EBook #63780] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: hekula03, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was - produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital - Library.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY HOUR, VOL. I, NO. 2, -DECEMBER, 1908 *** - - - - - The Story Hour: - A Magazine of Methods and Materials for Story Tellers - (Vol. I, No. 2) - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - THE STORY HOUR - - A Magazine of Methods and - Materials for Story Tellers - - ------------------------------------------- - - VOL. I DECEMBER, 1908 NO. 2 - - ------------------------------------------- - - Published Monthly (ten times a year) at Washington, D. C. - - Copyright, 1908, by M. E. Sloane. All rights reserved. - - ------------------------------------------- - - WILLIAM C. RUEDIGER, Ph.D., Editor - Division of Education, George Washington University - - RICHARD T. WYCHE, Consulting Editor - President National Story Tellers’ League - - MERSENE E. SLOANE, Founder and Publisher - - ------------------------------------------- - - Subscription: One Dollar a year (ten numbers), in advance. - Single and Sample Numbers, Fifteen Cents. - - Advertising rates given on application. - - ------------------------------------------- - - Address all communications to - - THE STORY HOUR, - 406 FIFTH STREET, N.W., - WASHINGTON, D. C. - - ------------------------------------------- - -Make remittances by money order, draft or registered letter, payable to -Mersene E. Sloane, Publisher. Sender risks unregistered money. -Manuscripts on story-telling, and of stories for telling, are desired. -When ordering change of address be sure to give the former address. - - ------------------------------------------- - - PRESS OF THE COLONIAL PRINTING COMPANY OF WASHINGTON, D. C. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL - STORY-TELLERS’ LEAGUE - - -------------- - - Honorary President, HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE - President, RICHARD T. WYCHE, 501 W. 120th Street, New York - Secretary, DR. RICHARD M. HODGE, Teachers College, - Columbia University, New York - Treasurer, MR. W. H. KEISTER, Harrisonburg, Va. - - -------------- - - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - - DR. P. P. CLAXTON, Knoxville, Tenn. - Professor Education, University of Tenn. Superintendent Summer - School of the South - MISS ANNIE LAWS, Cincinnati, Ohio - President Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs - MISS MAUD SUMMERS, Cincinnati, Ohio - Member of Faculty, Kindergarten Training School - MISS ANNA C. TYLER, New York City - Children’s Librarian - DR. RICHARD M. HODGE - MR. W. H. KEISTER - MR. RICHARD T. WYCHE - - -------------- - - ADVISORY BOARD - - DR. G. STANLEY HALL, President Clark University - DR. HENRY VAN DYKE, Princeton University - MISS ELIZABETH BROWN, City Schools, Washington - DR. JENNIE B. MERRILL, Supervisor Kindergartens, New York City - DR. A. FORTIER, Tulane University, New Orleans - DR. C. W. KENT, University of Virginia - WHARTON S. JONES, Assist. Supt. Public Schools, Memphis, Tenn. - DR. J. E. MCKEAN, Oberlin, Ohio - SUPT. B. C. GREGORY, Supt. of Schools, Chelsea, Mass. - MISS ELIZABETH HARRISON, Pres. Chicago Kindergarten College - MISS MARIAN S. HENCKLE, Kindergarten Training School, Charleston, S. C. - MISS PEARL CARPENTER, Covington, Ky. - MRS. A. W. COOLEY, University of North Dakota - MISS ELIZABETH J. BLACK, Greensboro, N.C. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE STORY HOUR - - ------------------------------------------- - - VOL. I DECEMBER, 1908 NO. 2 - - ------------------------------------------- - - - - - EDITOR’S AND PUBLISHER’S NOTES - - -WITH this issue THE STORY HOUR has the pleasant privilege of wishing all -its readers a Merry Christmas. That the Christmas spirit may everywhere -prevail, and prevail abundantly, is its sincerest wish; and if the -stories herein told and retold will contribute their mite in enhancing -this spirit, it will indeed feel that it is fulfilling its mission. - - * * * * * - -AMONG the many elements of cheer at Christmas time is the Santa Claus -myth. Belief in this myth adds greatly to the enjoyment of Christmas in -early childhood. The children who believe in it, and pass out of the -literal belief without a shock to their faith, are to be congratulated. -They never forget looking back to the time when they watched, waited and -listened for Santa Claus, animated by an expectancy tinged with a happy -fear. - -But this belief naturally cannot persist through life. Near the -beginning of the school period it must be replaced by a knowledge of the -literal truth, which the children get usually from their associates. -Whether the knowledge of this literal truth is to be more true or less -true than the belief in the myth depends upon the parents, teachers and -adult friends in whose care the children are. It rests with them to -transform the myth into a symbol filled with meaning. The best things in -life are such things as faith, love, kindness and generosity. These we -cannot touch, hear or see. They exist primarily as soul experiences, and -in order to make them more palpable and give them a base of reference we -symbolize them. Now one of these symbols is Santa Claus. He stands for -the cheer, good will and love of Christmas time, and every feature of -his traditional representation symbolizes these qualities. He is as real -as Uncle Sam, and his mission is no less important. He is the embodiment -of Christmas love, and even children of six can appreciate this -signification of Santa Claus. The fact that they previously believed in -the kind saint literally only helps this appreciation. And who would not -have a child believe in this kind of a Santa Claus, and believe in him -always? - - * * * * * - -FOR several years Mr. Wyche has told his original Santa Claus story to -audiences in many places. It has been in great demand, but has never -heretofore been published. The version given in this number of THE STORY -HOUR from a stenographic record will be a permanent addition to the -Christmas literature of the country. It will be noted that this and all -other articles in the magazine are copyrighted. - - * * * * * - -READERS are requested to write us freely regarding their experiences in -story telling, also to suggest stories they wish to have reproduced, or -stories they have found useful in their own work. - - * * * * * - -SUGGESTIONS of principles and methods contained in the notes from local -leagues are already becoming one of the most helpful features of this -magazine. It was so anticipated by the publisher when he planned the -local news department. It is desired to have such notes frequently from -all local leagues in the country. - - * * * * * - -MOTHERS are becoming interested in the new story-telling as a means of -home education and even discipline. They are making inquires as to -methods and materials. THE STORY HOUR will be a helpful counsellor for -them. - - * * * * * - -A QUERY PAGE will be useful to many, especially to those who live remote -from the cities and their large libraries. Any who desire information of -any kind regarding stories, or the literature of stories, or anything at -all related to the subject of story-telling, or the League movement may -feel free to write to THE STORY HOUR. Our best efforts will be made to -give suitable and helpful replies. - - * * * * * - -THE STORY HOUR invites contributions of articles on story-telling and -any topic related to the general subject, also stories for use in -story-telling. Both original and retold stories may be submitted. - - * * * * * - -MANY expressions of interest in and approval of THE STORY HOUR magazine -have reached us. All say that it will supply a real need—a long-felt -want. - - ------------------------------------------- - - - - - STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS TIME - - -The following selected list of Christmas stories is given in the hope -that it will prove of service to readers of THE STORY HOUR. The list is -suggested by Mr. Charles L. Spain, of Detroit, Mich. - -The Discontented Pine Tree—Anderson. - -The Fir Tree—Anderson. - -The Little Match girl—Anderson. - -The Golden Cobwebs, From “How to Tell Stories to Children”—Bryant. - -Fulfilled: A Legend of Christmas Eve, From “How to Tell Stories to -Children”—Bryant. - -Story of Christmas, From “How to Tell Stories to Children”—Bryant. - -Why Evergreen Trees Keep Their Leaves in Winter, From “How to Tell -Stories to Children—Bryant.” - -Yuletide Myth, From Old Norse Stories—Brodish. - -Christmas Truants—Fanciful Tales. Stockton. - -The Ruggles’ Christmas Dinner, From Brid’s Christmas Carol—R. D. Wiggin. - -Legend of St. Christopher - -A Christmas at Cafe Spaander. Scribners, Dec. 1902. - - * * * * * - -NEW subscribers who did not begin with the November number, but who -desire the special information it contains regarding the new educational -story-telling movement, including the Constitution of the National Story -Tellers’ League, can obtain copies by sending 25 cents to the publisher. - - - -------------- - - - - - HOW THIS MAGAZINE GOT ITS NAME - - [EXPLANATION BY THE PUBLISHER] - - -ABOUT the time the November number of this magazine was on the press a -letter was received from Houghton Mifflin Company saying that Miss Nora -A. Smith had complained to them about the title of the forthcoming -magazine, an advance notice of which had come to her attention. It -appears that Miss Smith and her sister Mrs. Kate Douglas Wiggin, some -years ago published, through the Houghton Mifflin Company, a book -entitled “The Story Hour.” Miss Smith assumed that this magazine was -named in honor of their book, and resented it. Lest others should think -likewise to our discredit, it is fitting to explain that this magazine -did not find its name from any book, print, writing, word or advice from -anybody, but was entirely original with the publisher, who had never -seen or heard of any book or other print bearing such title. - -In the course of the preliminary correspondence regarding a proposed -periodical, Mr. Wyche stated (last August) that among those interested -in such a publication would be the playground workers, who would find it -useful for their story hour, referring to the practice in some -playgrounds of setting apart an hour each day for story-telling. It -struck the publisher at once that THE STORY HOUR would be just the title -wanted, and he was delighted to have hit upon so excellent and -appropriate a name. That he was not familiar with the book bearing the -same title is not a reflection upon the book, which is undoubtedly quite -excellent in every way, and is said to have enjoyed a wide circulation, -but it is due to the fact that for several years he has not been in -direct touch with educational interests, hence is not acquainted with -current literature along such lines. - -The publisher has no apology to offer for adopting so excellent a title, -but does disavow any intention, inclination or necessity for “borrowing” -for this or any other literary purpose. THE STORY HOUR magazine is for -the benefit of a worthy educational movement—for the good of -children—and there is room for both it and the book of the same name to -be a blessing to the rising generation. In doing good, time and priority -are not factors, but the will and the deed. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - STORIES AND HOW TO USE THEM - - BY RICHARD THOMAS WYCHE - - PRESIDENT, NATIONAL STORY TELLERS’ LEAGUE - - ARTICLE NUMBER TWO - - -WHEN our forefathers grappled with theological problems and made -dogmatic statements as to their faith, such as we find in some of our -catechisms, they had in mind the church and theological controversies, -and not the child and his needs. The truth that they had suffered and -died for was contained in the catechisms, their articles of faith, -therefore he who committed to memory the catechism had the truth. But in -that reasoning they made a fatal mistake. To make children memorize -these dogmatic statements expecting them to grow religiously or morally -thereby, would be like feeding them on bone meal, expecting therefrom an -increase in the bony tissue of the body. The lime that the body needs is -there, but not in an assimilative form. Nor is there truth for the child -in dry-bone statements of religion. If the child asks for bread will you -give him a stone? That is what we do when we make him memorize -theological statements, the language and thought both of which are -beyond him. - -The writer recalls two teachers and two methods of religious instruction -in his childhood. One who taught him the catechism and one who told him -Bible stories. The catechism bored and wearied him, and so far as he can -see today was time wasted, while the stories charmed and uplifted, and -remain even today a pleasant memory. This is not arguing that the child -should not memorize some things. There are many selections from -Scripture and other sources that he can memorize both with great -pleasure and profit to himself. - - “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want, - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, - He leadeth me beside the still waters,” - -is full of beautiful imagery that appeals to the child. But theological -definitions of sin, justification and the like, have neither feeling nor -imagery and make no appeal to the child. The child is interested in the -deeds of man and not in his doctrines. Tell him connectedly the -life-story of Moses, Buddha, Jesus, St. Augustine, Luther or Wesley, and -you have given him the spirit and life of the great religious leaders -and the institutions which grew out of their work. No catechism could do -that. Gladly he would hear the life story of a great religious hero and -teacher, but his doctrines do not interest him now. Give him the -life-story now, and when he has reached later the philosophic period he -will himself raise the theological and philosophical questions, and -knowing the lives of the great religious leaders he will have the -historical background whereon to build his faith. Anyone can take a -catechism and have a class memorize and repeat the answers, but it takes -a teacher to so read the Bible that he can tell in a creative way the -story of its great heroes. That is what we must do if we base our -methods on true psychology. And the story should be studied connectedly -to the close and not by piecemeal, beginning as some do with one -character and before the life-story is done dropping him and skipping to -another, in order to conform to a certain doctrinal theme which may -interest the adult but not the child. That method may account for the -fact that Bible heroes have not always been as popular with children as -some others. If the story of Ulysses and Hiawatha were taught in a -similar way they would lose much of their charm and interest for the -child. - -The day school in its literature courses is incidentally giving the -child a comparative course in religion, greatly to the advantage of the -Sunday School worker. In Hiawatha we have an Indian Messiah who -worshipped the Great Spirit, and prayed and fasted for his people. In -the Norse we have the worship of Odin, and Balder, the God of Light, -Gladsheim and the Life Beyond the Grave. In the Greek we have the gods -in their relations to man, the upper and lower world, immortality, -rewards and punishments. Saint George was a protector of the faith, -while King Arthur had heaped upon him the attributes of a divinity, -until his life-story reminds one of the Christ story. - -The heroism and prowess in these stories is the main point of interest -to the child, but none the less does the religious life of the race come -out; and to have religion associated with physical strength as well as -moral heroism is an advantage. And none the less are we giving him the -great truths that are common to all religions, making him tolerant and -charitable, and teaching him that religion is as broad as life itself -and that it is natural for every human heart to go in quest of the -Eternal. With this broad outlook we can then better help our young -people interpret the old truths in terms of modern thought and -contribute much toward that larger religious life and thought which must -inevitably come. - -The work of story-telling covers a much larger field than the school. It -does not matter whether we are kindergartners, teachers or preachers, -every adult owes to the rising generation of children something of the -culture that has been given to him. The “Tell me a story” on the part of -the child is his cry for spiritual food, and to hear stories from the -great story-books of the world is, as Dr. G. Stanley Hall says, “one of -the most inalienable rights of children.” There is no better place in -all the world for telling a story than in the home, that institution -which is greater and more important than all other institutions -combined. - -It is in the home that we come into the sweetest and divinest relations -with children and with one another. It is here that we find the best -conditions for a play of those subtle and delicate psychic influences -which enter into the story, making it both a perfect art and an -inspiration to a noble and beautiful character. There are many homes -that cannot afford libraries and the rich adornments of art, but no home -is so humble that parents cannot gather the children around the fireside -on a winter’s evening or about the doorsteps in the twilight of a -summer’s day and tell them stories. A simple fireside is a greater -stimulant to the creative imagination than the wealth of a palace. - -To enter thus into the child’s world and into the joyous companionship -of children is one of the highest privileges of parent and teacher. He -who fails in this does not form the deepest and most lasting ties with -the child, and he also robs himself of one of the greatest sources of -perennial youth. - - - -------------- - - - - - JUNIOR STORY TELLERS’ LEAGUES - - ORIGIN AND GROWTH - - -ONE of the most interesting developments of the League idea was the -organization of Junior Leagues. The originators of the League thought -only of an organization for adults. But where the children have, under -the guidance of a wise teacher, had a League, the work they have done -and the interest shown reveals one of its greatest educational -possibilities. As the child likes to build with clay, sand or wood, and -in doing so educates himself, so he likes to build with words, voice and -gesture an ideal world, peopling it with life as he sees it. - -While we are training children for all sorts of skilled trades, it is a -matter of no small satisfaction to record an experiment that has for its -object the revival of the ancient art of telling stories—for it is an -art. - -The children of Corinth, Miss., under the supervision of Susie E. -Blitch, were the first to organize a Junior League. The League began -with the children of the fifth grade. They had the usual officers, and a -program of stories, songs and games, meeting out of doors when possible. - -Those who have had charge of Junior Leagues report the following -principles for the guidance of those who wish to organize Leagues among -the young people: - -(1) Help the children to make the organization thoroughly democratic. - -(2) The supervisor has no right to stop or correct a member in telling a -story. The speaker has the floor; the atmosphere and the spirit he -brings with his story is the essential thing, and not grammar or -pronunciation. - -(3) To hear other children tell a story is a better model for a child -than the criticism of an older person who cannot tell a story. - -(4) Reciting a story is not telling a story. - -Last December Miss Anna C. Tyler formed a “Junior Story-Tellers’ League” -in the children’s room of Pratt Institute Library, in Brooklyn. Out of -an audience of from forty to sixty children, two Junior Leagues were -formed. They all assemble regularly to hear the evening story, and the -leagues meet afterward. - -Each league elects its own officers and conducts its own meetings. The -president takes the names of seven or eight of the children present, -most of whom volunteer to have a story ready for the next meeting, and -of those so chosen there have only been a few who have not been ready -with a story when called upon. They know they can call upon Miss Tyler -for help, but seldom require her services. - -There has been but little attempt to dictate to them the kind of story -that they shall tell, the director’s only request being that they shall -not tell silly stories. Some of the best Norse, Greek, and Indian myths; -animal and nature stories by Kipling, Seton-Thompson, Charles Dudley -Warner, and John Burroughs; “Macbeth,” “Evangeline,” “The Lady of the -Lake,” “A Yankee at King Arthur’s Court;” stories of adventure, and some -of the most famous of the fairy-tales have been told—and nearly always -well told—by boys and girls from ten to fifteen years old. The children -are learning to read—the careful search through book after book for the -story they think will be the best to tell. The final selection is always -their own. - -“After the cycle of eighteen stories from King Arthur had been -finished,” says Miss Tyler, “the children asked me to tell them Indian, -detective, and ghost stories, and tales from ‘Arabian Nights’—to be told -in that order, and I was not to tell stories that they would read for -themselves. The Indian myths were not so difficult to find, but good -detective and ghost stories were another matter; at last I remembered -the delicious thrill of those wondrous tales of Poe. I began with ‘The -Purloined Letter,’ telling it, as it is written, in the first person, -but ‘skipping’ the parts that I knew would weary. Then followed ‘The -Black Cat;’ then Stephenson’s ‘The Bottle Imp.’ So fascinated were they -that they voted to change the evening of fairy-tales for another story -by Poe, and the story they chose was ‘The Pit and the Pendulum.’ By the -children’s urgent request these stories were told with the lights turned -low, as the best substitute for fire-light, and it is hard to say -whether the absorbed young listeners or the story-teller enjoyed those -hours most.” - -The leagues have voted that their story-teller shall tell them Indian -stories next winter, and she hopes, therefore, by beginning with the -Indian myths and folk-lore, then telling of their life, warfare, and -famous battles, to bring her boys and girls to a vivid interest in -reading history as told by Francis Parkman. - -The writer recalls with so much pleasure a visit to a young people’s -story tellers’ league. He happened once upon a time to visit one of our -smaller towns, and was invited to a meeting of the Junior Story Tellers’ -League that met on the day of his visit. He had never heard of the -organization among children before, and was of course interested in -seeing what the children were doing with such an organization. The -meeting was held out of doors on the lawn. It was in the month of May -when the weather permitted such a meeting. The League was composed of -children of the fifth grade, who sat in a circle on the grass. The -teacher of the grade was present, but the children conducted their own -meeting—a program of stories, songs and games in which all joined. The -stories told by the children were their own selections, and were told in -a creative way. One was especially impressive, being loudly applauded by -the children. It was told by a twelve year old girl and was one of her -own creation. Since then she has written enough stories to make a small -volume, and so popular is she as a story-teller that the children in her -neighborhood flock to her home to hear her tell stories. Several years -after that the writer saw this same girl, now passing into young -womanhood, stand before a thousand teachers and tell in the same easy, -natural way some of her stories. Not seeking this opportunity to appear -in public, [only in rare instances would the author allow children to -appear in public], it came to her because she had something to give; -something that she had for several years given every week to her -playmates and friends, as naturally as she would give herself to them in -games and play; something too, that had made her life a radiant one. - -Miss Elizabeth J. Black, teacher of the sixth grade in one of the public -schools of Greensboro, N.C., has been very successful with a League -among her pupils. Through the League she got hold of the children as -never before, and is enthusiastic over the results. - -We give below a program of one League meeting. Miss Black has laid -special emphasis on Norse stories. - - - PROGRAM. - - Chorus—Carolina, American Legend—The White Doe; Chorus—“I’m a - Tar Heel Born and a Tar Heel Bred;” Legend of Sir Galahad—“The - Bright Boy Knight;” Chorus—“The Watch on the Rhine,” - “Seigfried;” Rhine Legends—“Parsifal;” “Lohengrin,” Chorus—“The - Violet,” Icelandic Saga—“Burnt Njal;” Folklore and Nonsense, - “The Cat and the Parrot;” Chorus—“When I’m Dreaming;” - Impersonation of Uncle Remus, “Miss Sallie,” “Uncle Remus,” - “Little Boy,” Chorus—Dixie. - - R. T. W. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - A BOY’S VISIT TO SANTA CLAUS - - BY RICHARD T. WYCHE - - -ONCE upon a time there was a little boy who talked a great deal about -Santa Claus. He talked to his father, his mother, his brother and -sisters, until it was Santa Claus at the breakfast table, Santa Claus at -dinner and Santa Claus at supper. This little boy had been told that far -away in the Northland lived Santa Claus. He was sitting by the fire one -day watching the embers glow, and seeing castles in the glowing embers. -There is Santa Claus’ house, he said, the great building covered with -snow. “Why can’t I go to see him?” The little boy had worked and had -saved some money. He took the money and went down to the depot, bought a -ticket and before his father or mother knew about it was gone to see -Santa Claus. He traveled a long time on the train and by and by reached -the end of the railroad. He could go no farther on the train for there -was a great wide ocean, but people cross the ocean and so must the -little boy, or at least a part of it, in order to reach Santa Claus’ -land. There was a great ship lying in port soon to sail over the seas, -and along with many people who went aboard the ship, went the little -boy. Soon every sail was spread and out from the port went the ship -leaving far behind them the town. - -The ship sailed and sailed a long time, and finally land came in sight. -They had reached an island lying somewhere far out in the mid-seas. Some -of the people went ashore and so did the little boy. But what a funny -land it was to the little boy, all the people were little people. The -grown men were not taller than the little boy, and they rode little -ponies that were not larger than dogs. Then the little boy asked, “What -land is this, does Santa Claus live here?” And they said—“No.” - - “This is the land that lies east of the sun - And west of the moon. - You have not come too soon. - Northward you must go - To the land of ice and snow.” - -And so one day the little boy found a ship that was going to sail to the -Northland and in this ship he went. The ship sailed and sailed a long -time until it finally came to where the sea was all frozen over, to the -land of icebergs and snow fields. The ship could go no farther, so what -do you suppose the little boy did then? He was in the land of the -reindeer, and over the snow fields he went in search of Santa Claus. - -One day, as he was traveling over the snow fields to find Santa Claus’ -house, he saw not far away what at first seemed to be a hill, but soon -he saw that it was not a hill, but a house covered with ice and snow. -“That must be Santa Claus’ house,” he said. Soon the little boy was -standing in front of the great building whose towers seemed to reach the -sky. Up the shining steps he went and soon he was standing in front of -the door. The little boy saw no door bell and so he knocked on the door. -No one answered and then louder he knocked again. Still no one answered. -He began to feel afraid, perhaps this was the house of a giant. If Santa -Claus lived there, he might be angry with him for coming, but once more -he knocked. And then he heard a noise far down at the other end of the -hall. Some one was coming. Then suddenly the latch went “click,” and the -door stood wide open, and who do you suppose was there? Santa Claus? No; -a little boy with blue eyes and a bright sweet face. Then the little boy -said, “Good morning. Does Santa Claus live here?” And the other little -boy said, “Yes. Come in, come in. I am Santa Claus’ little boy.” He took -him by the hand and said, “I am very glad to see you.” - -Then the two little boys walked down the long hallway, doors on this -side and doors on that, until they came to the last door on the -left-hand side. On this door Santa Claus’ little boy knocked, and a -great voice said, “COME IN.” He opened the door and walked in, and who -do you suppose was there? Santa Claus? Yes, there was Santa Claus -himself; a great, big fat man sitting by the fire, with long white -beard, blue eyes and the merriest, cheeriest face you ever saw. Then -Santa Claus’ little boy said, “Father, here is a little boy who has come -to see you.” Santa Claus looked down over his spectacles and said, -“Well, how are you? I am mighty glad to see you. Yes, yes, I know him. I -have been to his house on many a night and filled up his stocking. How -are Elizabeth and Louise and Katherine?” Over on the other side of the -fireplace sat Mrs. Santa Claus. She was a grandmother-looking woman, -with white hair and gold-rimmed spectacles. She was sitting by the fire -knitting; she put her arms around the little boy and kissed him. - -Then the two little boys sat down in front of the fire and talked -together. By and by, Santa Claus’ little boy said to the other little -boy, “Don’t you want to go over the building and see what we have in the -different rooms? This building has a thousand rooms.” And the little boy -said, “who-o-o-o-e.” And Santa Claus’ little boy said, “Yes, and -something different in every room.” - -Then they went in a large room and what do you suppose was in there? -Nothing but doll babies; some with long dresses and some with short; -some with black eyes and some with blue. Then into another room they -went, and it was full of toys, wagons and horses; another room was full -of story books; another room was a candy kitchen where Santa Claus made -candy; another room was a workshop where Santa Claus made toys for the -children. Then they went in a long, large room, the largest of them all, -and in this room were a great many tables. On these tables were suits, -cloaks and hats and shoes and stockings for the children. The little boy -wanted to know what they did with so many clothes, and Santa Claus’ -little boy said, “We take these to the little children who have no -father or mother to make them clothes.” And so they went through all the -rooms of the great building, except one, which was away upstairs in the -corner. What was in this room no one would tell the little boy, nor -would they take him into the room. And the little boy wondered what was -in the room. - -The little boy stayed at Santa Claus’ house several days and he had a -splendid time. Some days the two little boys would slide down the hill -on a sled, some days they would hitch up the reindeer and go sleighing, -some days they would go into the candy kitchen and help Santa Claus make -candy, or into the workshop and help him make toys. - -But one day something happened. Santa Claus came to the little boy and -said, “I am going away today for a little while; my wife and my little -boy are going with me. Now,” he said, “you can go with us or you can -stay here and keep house for us while we are gone.” The little boy -thought to himself that Santa Claus had been so good to him that he -would stay and keep house while Santa Claus was away. So he said he -would stay and then Santa Claus gave him a great bunch of keys and said, -“Now you can go in all the rooms and play, but you must not go in that -room upstairs in the corner.” The little boy said, “Alright,” and with -that Santa Claus, his wife and his little boy went down the steps, got -into the sleigh, wrapped themselves up in furs, popped the whip and away -they went! The little boy stood and watched them until they disappeared -behind the snow hills. - -Then he turned and went back into the house. He felt like a little man -in that great house all by himself. From room to room he went. He went -into the game room and rolled the balls. Some of the balls were so large -that they were as high as the little boy’s head. They were of rubber, -and if you would drop one from the top of the house it would bounce -clear back to the top. The little boy went into the candy kitchen and -ate some of the candy. He went into the workshop and worked on some -toys, then into the library and read some of the books, then into the -parlor and banged on the piano. - -But after a while, the little boy was tired, and he said, “I wish Santa -Claus would hurry and come back.” He was lonely. And so he thought he -would go up on the housetop and look out to see if he could see Santa -Claus coming home. Up the steps he went. When he reached the top, there -was another flight. Up these he went and still another flight; up, up, -he went until it seemed he had gone a thousand steps. But, finally, he -came out on top. The little boy stood there with his hands on the -railing and looked out, but all he could see were the snow fields, white -and glistening. Santa Claus was not in sight. He could see the track -over the snow that the sleigh had made, but that was all. - -Then down the steps he came, and it just happened that he came by the -room that Santa Claus told him he must not go in. As he passed, he -stopped in front of the door and said to himself, “I wonder what they -have in that room and why they did not want me to go in?” He took hold -of the knob and gave it a turn, but the door was locked. Then he shut -one eye and peeped through the keyhole, but he could see nothing; it was -all dark. Then he put his mouth at the keyhole and blew through it, but -he could hear nothing. Then he put his nose there and smelled, but he -could smell nothing. “I wonder what they have in the room?” he said, “I -believe I will see just for fun which one of these keys will fit in the -lock.” The little boy had in his hand the great bunch of keys. He tried -one key and that would not fit, then he tried another and another and -another, and kept on until he came to the last key. Now, he said to -himself, “If this key does not fit I am going.” He tried it and it was -the only key on the bunch that would fit. “Now,” he said, “I shall not -go into the room, but I will just turn the key and see if it will unlock -the lock. It may fit in the lock and then not unlock the lock.” He -turned the key slowly and the latch went “click,” “click,” and the door -flew wide open. What do you suppose was in the room? It was all dark; -the little boy could see nothing. He had his hand on the knob and it -seemed to him that his hand was caught between the knob and key, and -somehow, as the door opened, it pulled him in. When he stepped into the -room, he felt a breeze blowing and, more than that, as he stepped down, -he found the room did not have any bottom; just a dark hole. - -Well, as the little boy stepped over into the room, he felt himself -falling, away down, down, down yonder. He shut his eyes, expecting every -moment to strike something and be killed. But, before he did, some one -caught him by the shoulders and shook him and said, “Wake up!” “Wake -up.” He opened his eyes and where do you suppose the little boy was? At -home. It was Christmas morning and his father was calling him to get up. -The sun was shining across his little bed. He looked towards the -fireplace and there all the stockings were hanging full. The little boy -had been to see Santa Claus, but he went by that beautiful route we call -“DREAMLAND”. - - -[Illustration] - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - HARALD’S CHRISTMAS TREE - - BY ANNA BOGENHOLM SLOANE - - -IN a little log hut at the edge of a forest in far-away Sweden lived -Harald and his widowed mother. The winter snows crept in through the -window cracks and the biting winds found their way between the decaying -logs. All the fuel they had was the dry sticks that Harald gathered in -the woods, and, indeed, nearly all the money used in their humble home -was earned by his hands. But, notwithstanding the poverty and -uncomfortable habitation, Harald was as happy as though he lived in a -palace; for he loved the fading beauty of his mother’s tender face and -the whitening hair under her stiff cap. And for playmates he had all the -elves and fairies about whom his mother had told him so many wonderful -tales. - -Harald had never seen a Bible or heard about the Saviour, but he knew -the Eddas by heart and he prayed to Odin and Thor with as devout -reverence as a Christian boy prays to the Lord Jesus, and he had firmly -resolved to live the noble life of a brave hero so as to be worthy to -die on the battlefield, and by kind Valkyrias be borne to the fair -gardens of Valhall. - -One December evening, when the wind howled dismally among the forest -trees and piled up snow in great drifts across the roadway, little -Harald, chilled and shivering, returned home from a hard day’s work. To -keep up a brave heart he whistled as he walked, looking earnestly at the -flashing flames of light which people now call the “Northern Lights,” -but which, to him, was the flickering of the helmets and shields and -spears of Odin’s maidens; for so had he been taught. - -Just as he turned into the dark forest he heard a faint moan, as of a -human being in distress. Hastening to the spot whence it came, he found -an ugly Dwarf lying in the snow nearly frozen. Although Harald was quite -numb himself from cold, he began briskly to rub the Dwarf’s hands and -face, and after a little while helped him to his feet, and Harald then -asked the Dwarf to go home with him where he might get warm and have -some supper. - -“Why should you befriend a poor wretch such as I am, who cannot repay -you?” whined the Dwarf as he leaned heavily on Harald’s young shoulders. - -“I don’t ask to be repaid,” replied Harald. “Have you not heard the -proverb, ‘Do good and throw it into the sea. If the fishes don’t know -it, Odin will.’” - -“Yes; Odin shall know about this, you may be sure of that, and although -I am only a poor deformed wretch, I know how to be grateful, and would -like to do you a favor,” replied the Dwarf. “I wonder if you have -happened to notice a little green ash tree somewhere near here.” - -“A green ash tree in winter!” exclaimed Harald. - -“It is an unusual sight, indeed,” said the Dwarf, “but in one of my -rambles, the other night, I saw one in this vicinity. Oh, here it is, -right before our eyes!” - -There, sheltered by a cluster of evergreen trees, was a small ash -sapling, with green leaves on its branches as in summer, while the other -forest trees stood about nodding in their slumber, their leaves all gone -and their hearts frozen within them. - -When Harald went and touched its branches, the little tree came right up -out of the ground. - -“Take home the little ash and plant it beside your window,” said the -Dwarf, and when Harald turned about to thank him he was gone out of -sight. - -Then Harald started to run home with the little ash tree, but had gone -only a few steps when he struck his foot against something. Stooping to -see what it was, he found a bag, glistening with brightness and full of -something heavy. Upon opening the bag, he found it to be full of pieces -of gold money. - -“I must go to town and ask who has lost a bag filled with gold,” thought -the boy. “Oh, I do wish I might keep it and buy mother a nice warm -coat.” - -But the next instant he loosened his tightening grip on the bag. “It is -not my gold, and stolen money is worse than a mill-stone about one’s -neck, says mother, so I think it would be too heavy for me.” - -“Keep the purse, little boy,” said a sweet voice at his elbow. Turning, -he saw a little girl as radiant as a sunbeam, dressed in shining gold. - -“I am your friend, little boy, and I tell you that a lady who wears a -fine cloak and a long veil, and who has more gold than she needs, -dropped that purse, and if she asks for it I will say it fell into a -hole in the ground.” - -“Poor misguided Angel,” said Harald, “you are a beautiful temptress, but -I must go to town and try to find the lady you speak of, who wears a fur -cloak and a long veil.” - -“Well, if you are determined to be so foolish, I will go with you to -show you the way,” replied the Fairy, for such was the beautiful little -girl. - -So Harald wrapped his jacket about the little ash tree, to protect the -tender roots from the cold, and tucking it under his arm, ran to town in -the footsteps of his guide. The beautiful fairy led him to the doorsteps -of a great mansion and then vanished from sight. - -The lady of the house was glad to get her purse back, and offered Harald -one of the gold pieces as reward for bringing it to her. But, much as he -wished to have it, he shook his head, saying, “My mother taught me not -to take pay for not being a thief, and she always tells me to be honest -without hope of reward.” - -Then Harald ran home with all speed to tell his mother of his wonderful -adventures, and while they were talking together about the strange -little ash tree they discovered a soft, unfrozen spot of earth near a -southern window, and there planted the green sapling. Harald cared for -it tenderly and prayed Odin to shield it from frost and wind. - -Next morning was the twenty-fifth of December, and was a holy day then -as now, though it was not called Christmas and was not celebrated in -memory of the birth of Christ, but to commemorate the death and -cremation of the pure and loving Balder, who was the Saviour of the old -Northmen’s religion. - -Contrary to our Christian custom, the old pagans of Sweden celebrated -the birth of their Redeemer at Easter, when all nature becomes imbued -with renewed life. - -At the winter solstice, when nature slumbers, they kept fires burning on -the mountain tops, in memory of his death and funeral pyre. - -Early on Christmas morning, when Harald went out to see the Balder -fires, he met three armed men in the forest. One of them asked gruffly -if he knew what had become of a little green ash tree that Loki, the -giant, had planted there. - -Harald became very much frightened. He knew the men must be looking for -the green sapling he took home the night before, for there was no other -such green bush in the forest. He also knew that Loki was a fierce and -terrible god to offend. - -“I will not tell,” he first thought, “but run home and pull up the bush -and burn it. Then they will never know what became of it.” - -But, notwithstanding his fears, he could not forget his mother’s -counsel: “Speak always the truth, my son, even though a sword should be -swinging over your head.” Indeed, a sword was just now hanging over his -head, but he would speak the truth. - -As soon as he could control his trembling voice Harald confessed that he -had removed a little green ash tree the night before. He begged for -mercy, for he did not know that it belonged to the fearful giant. - -The men told Harald to lead the way to his mother’s dwelling. Arriving -there, they at once recognized the little green ash as the one belonging -to Loki, and commanded Harald to pluck it up and follow them with it to -the giant’s castle. - -Stiff and white as though the frost giant had breathed upon him, Harald -reached out his hand and touched the tree. Instantly it came from the -ground of its own accord. For a moment it stood quivering and shaking -its branches, which gradually became arms, and in another moment it was -no longer a green sapling, but a dazzling, beautiful girl. - -“Poor men! I pity you for being in Loki’s service,” she said in a sweet -voice. “Go, tell your cruel master that his plotting against me has -failed and that my enchantment is over. This little boy has saved me,” -she continued, pointing to Harald. “The merciless Loki, enraged at the -love I bore humanity, changed me into an ash tree, but he had no power -to keep me so forever, and was obliged to make a condition. He made the -hardest he could think of. Said he: ‘Since you so love mankind, none but -the child of man shall free you from your enchantment. You shall remain -a tree until you feel the touch of a child who is generous enough to -share his last loaf with a stranger; honest enough to give back a reward -for honesty, and brave enough to speak the truth when a lie might save -his life. Long shall you wait for such a deliverer.’” - -Then the soldiers left, glad the little brave boy had escaped the -threatened doom. - -Harald, looking at the beautiful child, thought she looked very much -like the one he had met the evening before, and spoke of it. - -“That little elf was my sister,” replied the fairy, “and the brown dwarf -who pointed me out to you was my dear friend. He had heard of the little -Harald, who was said to be so generous and brave and true, and he tried -you, as also did my little sister, who was greatly delighted when she -found you could not be tempted to steal.” - -Harald’s mother, who had been standing near unnerved and speechless, now -came up. Clasping her boy to her heart, she said: “I am prouder today -than I would have been if my son had slain a hundred men on the -battlefield.” - -The little grateful elf always remained Harald’s true friend. She -whispered into the ear of the old King about the generosity, bravery, -honesty and truthfulness of the boy who lived in the forest. - -The King sent his men to bring Harald and his mother to the palace. For -his noble virtues he became so well loved by everybody in the land that -when the old King, who had no children, died, Harald was chosen King. - -For many years he ruled, constantly widening his country’s domain and -for his victorious sword was called Harald Hildetand, which means -“Harald, the Biting Tooth.” - - ------------------------------------------- - - [This story incorporates some fragmentary elements of certain - old Swedish legends, and the following explanations will be - useful to the unfamiliar American reader. - - The Eddas, mentioned in the story, are books containing the - sacred lore of the old Scandinavians. - - In the old Norse mythology the first human beings were - represented as having sprung from the ash tree; hence the use - made of the ash in this story. - - A continual state of warfare existed among the tribes of the - ancient Scandinavians, and valor in war was regarded the supreme - virtue, and prowess in battle the supreme achievement of men. - Valhall was the heaven of sword-fallen heroes, called Enherjar, - who forever lived there in the enjoyment of fighting each other - daily, drinking mead from beakers, and eating the flesh of a hog - that was slaughtered each day, but each night became alive and - whole again. - - In Norse mythology the Valkyrias made contests on the Vidar - Plains (at the North Pole) to determine which favorites should - enter Valhall first. In the course of these events, the spears - and shields of the contestants gleamed and flashed until the - northern heavens were illuminated—the “Northern Lights.” - - At the winter solstice was held a great sacrificial feast in - memory of Balder, the second son of Odin, the god of heaven, and - Frigga, the goddess of earth. He was of heaven and earth, like - the Christ, and, like Him, was pure and loving. At the - instigation of the evil Loki, the son of Surtur (Satan) he was - killed by blind Hoder, as Christ was killed by the truth-blind - people. - - The Scandinavian pagans believed in a God-Power so holy and - great that they dared not even give a name. The three head - representatives of this Power were Odin, Vele and Ve, who - overcame the evil giants. These giants strove to injure men, - while the gods fostered them. Thor was Odin’s son, the - strong-arm of retribution, punishing evil doing among men and - giants.] - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE FIRST CHRISTMAS. - - BY W. J. MORRISON. - - -ONE December, years and years before people had rail-roads or street -cars, crowds of men, women and children were traveling on the roads and -paths that led to a little town, called by the Jews, House of Bread. The -dark-skinned Arabs, who lived out in the desert, called this town the -House of Meat, but all children know it by the Bible name, Bethlehem, in -the country of Judea. Some of these people were riding, and some were -walking, toward this town of Bethlehem. Among them, seated on a donkey, -was a beautiful young woman by the name of Mary, the donkey being led by -her husband, a Jew, named Joseph, who, though a poor carpenter, was -related to King David, and belonged to what was called the royal family. - -Mary and Joseph lived at Nazareth, and it was a long walk of three or -four days from their home to the city of Bethlehem. The way wound in and -out, and over hills and mountains, which made it a hard road to travel. -Bethlehem was built on the top of these mountains. In the summertime it -was a delightful place to visit. From the city one could see the -beautiful gardens in the valley, together with the fig, olive and almond -orchards. The far-away hillsides were covered with rows of grape vines, -that changed their hues and shades as the wind tossed their leaves up -and down, or from side to side. But, as this was December, all these -people were not going to Bethlehem for pleasure, or to buy Christmas -things. They did not even know it was Christmas-eve. These people were -crowding into Bethlehem, because the Roman law required that, at this -time, every one should go to his old home, or the place where he was -born, and pay his taxes. That the Roman Emperor might know how many -people there were in the world, they were also required to have their -names written on long rolls, or sheets, of dried sheep skin, for in -those days they did not have paper. - -Mary and Joseph could not climb up the mountain to the city as fast as -some of the others and so were the last to arrive. When they got to the -town, they found that the only hotel or inn, in those days called a -“Caravansary,” was full of people and there was no room for them. They -went from house to house, to get a place to stay, but found that the -people who had arrived before them had taken every room in the place. -Joseph must have known something of the country about the town, for, -when he could find no room in any of the houses, he began to hunt for -one of the many grottoes, or caves, that are under the sides of the -mountains in and around Bethlehem. When he found a cave that ran away -under the ground, with rooms, one opening into the other, they decided -to use this place for a home until he could find something better. - -Now, children, should any of you ever go to Bethlehem, you can see this -very cave. In those days, these caves were used as stables to shelter -sheep and other stock in cold, bad and stormy weather. - -Although it was the last of December, it is said Mary and Joseph found -only an ox and an ass in this cave. The weather could not have been so -very cold, as Bethlehem is about as far South as the northern part of -Florida, and the shepherds had their sheep out in the open country -eating grass. That the sheep might not wander away at any time, or be -stolen during the dark hours, these shepherds divided the night into -what was called Watches. In other words, some of the men stood guard -over their flocks for three or four hours, while the others slept; then -they would awaken their friends to look after the sheep. The men who -came off watch would then go to sleep by the camp fire, for the Bible -says, “And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping -the night watches over their flocks.” - -It was while some of these men were watching the sheep that they were -greatly startled, because a beautiful angel, who shone with the -brightness of God, came and stood by them. The angel saw that these poor -men were scared, so, in a kind and gentle voice, he told the shepherds -not to be afraid, for he had brought them good news, that would be of -great joy to all the people. The angel then said, “This day is born to -you a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord. You shall find this infant -Saviour wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.” When he had -finished speaking, an army of angels came around him, praising God and -saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good -will.” Then all of the angels ascended into heaven. - -The shepherds who beheld this glorious and beautiful sight woke those -who were asleep and told them what they had seen. When the other men -heard the wonderful news that the angel had brought, they all went at -once to Bethlehem as fast as they could. They soon found the cave where -Mary and Joseph were. Here they saw the sweetest little baby who had for -his bed a manger, or horse trough, filled with straw. This little baby -did not have on long clothes, made of lace, embroidery and fine linen, -like the little babies have these days and times. He had only a cloth -wrapped around his body, in such a way that it made for him swaddling -clothes. - -As soon as the shepherds saw the child lying in the manger, wrapped in -swaddling clothes, they knew that this was the infant Saviour of whom -the angel had told them; that this Child was Christ, Son of God, and -that Mary was His Mother. - -The day on which the infant Saviour was born has ever since been known -as THE FIRST CHRISTMAS. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - THE GOLDEN COBWEBS - - A STORY TO TELL BY THE CHRISTMAS TREE[1] - -Footnote 1: - - From HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDREN, by Sara Cone Bryant. Copyright - 1905. Printed by special permission of the publishers, Houghton - Mifflin Company. - - -I AM going to tell you a story about something wonderful that happened -to a Christmas tree like this, ever and ever so long ago, when it was -once upon a time. - -It was before Christmas, and the tree was all trimmed with pop-corn and -silver nuts and [name the trimmings of the tree before you], and stood -safely out of sight in a room where the doors were locked, so that the -children should not see it before it was time. But ever so many other -little house-people had seen it. The big black pussy saw it with her -great green eyes; the little gray kitty saw it with her little blue -eyes; the kind house-dog saw it with his steady brown eyes; the yellow -canary saw it with his wise, bright eyes. Even the wee, wee mice that -were so afraid of the cat had peeped one peep when no one was by. - -But there was some one who hadn’t seen the Christmas tree. It was the -little gray spider! - -You see, the spiders lived in the corners,—the warm corners of the sunny -attic and the dark corners of the nice cellar. And they were expecting -to see the Christmas Tree as much as anybody. But just before Christmas -a great cleaning-up began in the house. The house-mother came sweeping -and dusting and wiping and scrubbing, to make everything grand and clean -for the Christ-child’s birthday. Her broom went into all the corners, -poke, poke,—and of course the spiders had to run. Dear, dear, _how_ the -spiders had to run! Not one could stay in the house while the Christmas -cleanness lasted. So, you see, they couldn’t see the Christmas Tree. - -Spiders like to know all about everything, and all there is to see, and -they were very sad. So at last they went to the Christ-child and told -him all about it. - -“All the others see the Christmas Tree, dear Christ-child,” they said; -“but we, who are so domestic and so fond of beautiful things, we are -_cleaned up_! We cannot see it, at all.” - -The Christ-child was sorry for the little spiders when he heard this, -and he said they should see the Christmas Tree. - -The day before Christmas, when no body was noticing, he let them all go -in, to look as long as ever they liked. - -They came creepy, creepy, down the attic stairs, creepy, creepy, up the -cellar stairs, creepy, creepy, along the halls,—and into the beautiful -room. The fat mother spiders and the old papa spiders were there, all -the little teenty, tonty, curly spiders, the baby ones. And then they -looked! Round and round the tree they crawled, and looked and looked. -Oh, what a good time they had! They thought it was perfectly beautiful. -And when they had looked at everything they could see from the floor, -they started up the tree to see more. All over the tree they ran, -creepy, crawly, looking at every single thing. Up and down, in and out, -over every branch and twig, the little spiders ran, and saw every one of -the pretty things right up close. - -They stayed till they had seen all there was to see, you may be sure, -and then they went away at last, _quite_ happy. - -Then, in the still, dark night before Christmas Day, the dear -Christ-child came to bless the tree for the children. But when he looked -at it—_what_ do you suppose?—it was covered with cobwebs! Everywhere the -little spiders had been they had left a spider-web; and you know they -had been just everywhere. So the tree was covered from its trunk to its -tip with spider-webs, all hanging from the branches and looped around -the twigs; it was a strange sight. - -What could the Christ-child do? He knew that house-mothers do not like -cobwebs; it would never, never do to have a Christmas Tree covered with -those. No, indeed. - -So the dear Christ-child touched the spiders’ webs, and turned them all -to gold! Wasn’t that a lovely trimming? They shone and shone, all over -the beautiful tree. And that is the way the Christmas Tree came to have -golden cobwebs on it. - - [This story was told me in the mother-tongue of a German friend, - at the kindly instance of a common friend of both; the narrator - had heard it at home from the lips of a father of story-loving - children for whom he often invented such little tales. The - present adaptation has passed by hearsay through so many minds - that it is perhaps little like the original, but I venture to - hope it has a touch of the original fancy, at least.] - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - LOCAL LEAGUE WORK - - -------------- - - - MEMPHIS LEAGUE - - - The program for the current year embraces a study of the stories - of Ancient Greece, Rome and Italy, Germany, France, Russia, and - Japan, interspersed with meetings devoted to the study of - stories of Christmas and other holidays. One of the October - meetings was devoted to Thanksgiving stories. The topic for the - Second meeting in November was “Xerxes and Prehistoric Stories.” - The meetings of this league are conducted primarily for the - benefit of teachers to prepare them for telling stories to their - classes. - - - TUSCUMBIA, ALABAMA - - Two flourishing junior leagues are maintained in the Tuscumbia - public schools. One is made up from pupils of the fifth and - sixth grades; the other from pupils of the third and fourth - grades. They meet every Friday afternoon for story-telling. The - children are greatly interested and are eager for some new - stories. It is the purpose of THE STORY HOUR to supply just such - needs, both by the stories it reproduces and by directing to - good books of stories. - - - BLUE MOUNTAIN, MISS. - - Excellent work is reported from the leagues in Blue Mountain - College, at Mississippi Heights. These three leagues are among - the first to have been organized in the State. One league is for - the teacher girls of the school and two are for the boys and - girls respectively. Mrs. Jennie M. Hardy, who organized these - leagues, more recently organized work at some of the State - Summer Schools. She also organized the league at the Sherman - State Normal, in July, this year. - - - CINCINNATI, OHIO. - - The Cincinnati Story Tellers’ League was organized Sept. 23, - 1906, at the Kindergarten Training School on Linton Street, and - has conducted two successful series of meetings. The last annual - report shows a membership of sixty. Meetings have been held once - a month, on the fourth Tuesday, at 7:15 p.m., sometimes in - School houses and at other times at the homes of members. A - variety of interesting subjects have been profitably considered, - as indicated in the following schedules of meetings:— - - Nov. 1906, “Historical Stories;” Feb. 5, 1907, “Bible Stories;” - March, 1907, “Parables, Fables and Allegories;” April, 1907, - “Fairy Stories and Myths;” Jan, 1908, “Legends of the American - Indians;” Feb. 1908, “Norse Legends;” March, 1908, “East India - and Art;” April, 1908, “Japan.” At the May, 1908, meeting a - program of miscellaneous stories was given, including “An - Adaptation of the Story ‘Cinderella’,” by Miss Lillian - Southgate; “A Mother’s Love,” by Mrs. H. Dickore; “The Camel and - the Jackal,” by Miss Pearl Carpenter; “A Story of Great Love,” - by Rabbi Grossmann; “A Hindoo Tale;” by Miss Reta M. Lockhart. - The program was enlivened with songs by Mrs. M. T. Williams. - - The June meeting was held out under the trees of Eden Park, when - many enjoyable stories were told. - - - DES MOINES, IOWA - - The graduates of the Primary Training Department of Drake - University who are teaching in Des Moines met during the Summer - of 1908 and organized a Story Tellers’ League, with Mrs. Ella - Ford Miller, of Drake University, as president. The first - meeting was held early in November at the University. It is - proposed to make a special study of stories and Story-telling - for primary grades. - - The girls of the Primary Training Department of Drake University - have also organized a club to meet twice a month, taking up - practically the same work. - - - COVINGTON, KY., TEACHERS’ LEAGUE - - A number of teachers in the Public Schools of Covington, Ky., - who believe in the value of constructive literature, - particularly in the primary and grammar grades, organized - themselves into a Story Tellers’ League in October, 1908. These - teachers represent all the grades of the Public Schools and - every school in the city. Their purpose is to cultivate the art - of story-telling so that they may make use of it in the - school-room for ethical instruction, as an aid to composition, - both oral and written, to enliven the teaching of history and - geography, and to stimulate nature-study. There is filed with - the editor of this league the source, the outline, the purpose - of each story told, so that the members who may have use for it - in their work may have ready access to it. By the interchange of - their experiences with their stories in the school-room, the - teachers hope to develop a plan by which the pupils in their - charge may be made acquainted, in a systematic and natural way, - with the great stories every child should know. - - - COVINGTON, KY., JUNIOR LEAGUE - - In November, 1906, some forty students in the High School at - Covington, Ky., were organized into a Junior Story Tellers’ - League. They met in the school on alternate Fridays, immediately - after dismissal. From the beginning, the meetings were - interesting, profitable and instructive. So enjoyable were they, - that members of the faculty were pleased to come in, not - occasionally, but regularly, to listen, and to contribute their - share to the pleasure of the meeting. The programs were - definitely planned, and a variety of stories was told at each - meeting. These included myths, fairy-tales, folk-tales, fables, - festival-stories, Bible-stories, and an occasional good - anecdote. During the first year, also, there was a systematic - presentation of the King Arthur legends in story form; and - during the second year the story of Ulysses was developed in the - same manner. At the close of the regular program, volunteer - stories were called for, and there was always a response. - - Many excellent story-tellers were developed, and one genius was - discovered. The latter was a girl, who, at fifteen, gave promise - of becoming a rival to Uncle Remus, himself, in telling, in - dialect, the folk-tales of the South. Our National President, - after hearing her, saw fit to invite her to tell stories before - the Knoxville Convention of 1907. - - In May, 1908, a public meeting was held, to which the parents, - teachers, and friends of the story-tellers were invited. No - successful evening’s entertainment was ever so easily prepared. - Seven students, whose stories, told at the regular meetings, had - been so well selected and so charmingly presented that their - companions desired to hear them again, were elected to tell them - in public. This, with some musical selections furnished by the - school glee-clubs, formed the program of the evening, which an - enthusiastic audience voted a success. The outcome of that - meeting was a demand for two more leagues, one of which has - recently been organized. - - - MANKATO, MINN. - - Our organization is very simple. The club membership changes - from term to term of our school year. Three times a year a group - of from fifteen to twenty-five comes to me as student teachers. - We then organize a Story Club which meets once in two weeks. We - elect an Executive Committee. This Committee, a group of three, - prepare the programs. We have our meetings in different homes - and serve very simple refreshments. Those not on the program - bring their needle work. - - I have had in mind these ends in keeping up the - organization,—First, A good time together;—Second, A better - knowledge of Story material; and Third, An opportunity to _tell_ - stories. - - We have as yet no Junior organization. I have thought of it, but - am not quite sure whether it is the best thing for us. All - teachers should feel indebted to the National League. I have - this year for the first time told stories to “grown-ups” and am - amazed at their delight in them. - - HELEN M. REYNOLDS. - - - OXFORD, OHIO. - - Among the lecturers in the summer term of the Ohio State Normal - College of Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, during the summer - of 1908, was Mr. Richard Wyche, who has done so much to advance - the great movement known as the Story Tellers’ League. Through - his inspiration there gathered at twilight every Wednesday - evening under the magnificent trees of the campus a group of - students and faculty members to tell stories. - - Realizing the possibilities for a greater field of work, a - permanent organization was effected known as the Story Telling - League of the Ohio State Normal College of Miami University. The - constitution was a very flexible one, the main condition being - for each member to pledge himself on his return home to organize - a branch league. One hundred and fifty-six members promised - service. - - In various County Teachers’ Institutes held in the State during - the month of August, branch leagues were formed, meeting in - church, school house, library, village park or courthouse. - Everywhere the harvest fields were ripe and workers ready and - eager. From all parts of the country, even as remote as the - state of Washington, came inquiries for help in the movement of - such promising influence. - - ANNIE E. LOGAN. - - - -------------- - - NATIONAL LEAGUE NOTES - - -On November 19, at 2:45 p.m., the Detroit University School held an -invitation gathering in honor of Richard T. Wyche, President of the -National Story Tellers’ League. Mr. Wyche made an address on story -telling to children. - - * * * * * - -Dr. Henry Van Dyke, Princeton University, who is a member of the -Advisory Board of the National Story Tellers’ League, has accepted the -American Lectureship in the University of Paris for the current year. He -writes to express interest in the League work, but regrets that, on -account of absence, he will not be able to take any active part this -year. - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - -_Prof. A. E. Frye, Author of the well-known School Geographies, says_: - -“I have been greatly interested in examining your Geography and History -games. While the minds of children are keenly alert in the rivalry of -games, important facts are easily and firmly fixed in memory. -* * * The products of happy work carry farthest in our lives.” - - - The “NEW GAMES” - Graded Educational Series - - NOW READY - - AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1783, Intermediate - LIFE OF CHRIST (for Sunday), Special - WORLD GEOGRAPHY, Advanced - - -------------- - - PRICE FOR THIS SALE, ONLY 15¢. EACH - - -------------- - - “OTHERS” IN PREPARATION - - -------------- - - The Fidelity Publishing Company - 406 Fifth Street N.W. Washington, D. C. - - -Hugh Cork, Sec’y International Sunday School Ass’n, Chicago, says: - -“I have tried it (the Bible “NEW GAME”) with my five children on Sunday -afternoons and find it most interesting, profitable, and in line with -what should be the spirit of the day. I believe it will solve the -question as to what to do with children on Sunday.” - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - Story-Telling to Children - - -BY MISS SUSAN HOLTON at Clubs, Churches, Schools, Libraries, and Private -Houses. Send for circular. 37 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, Mass., or 311 -N. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, Penna. - - - -------------------------------------------------- - - SCHOOL PRINTING - - -------------------------------------------------- - - -¶ WE Can Save You Money on this class of work. Our plant is equipped -with the best modern machinery, we employ only the most skilled workmen, -and give the same attention to all jobs, large or small. Mail orders -given prompt attention. - - - -------------------------------------------------- - - The Colonial Printing Company - 406 Fifth Street N.W. Washington, D. C. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - ● Transcriber’s Notes: - ○ Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected. - ○ Typographical errors were silently corrected. - ○ Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only - when a predominant form was found in this book. - ○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY HOUR, VOL. 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