Feeling the great need of stories founded upon good literature, which
are within the comprehension of little children, I have written the
following stories, hoping that they may suggest to primary teachers the
great wealth of material within our reach. Many teachers, who firmly
believe that reading should be something more than mere _word-getting_
while the child's _reading habit_ is forming, are practically helpless
without the use of a printing press. We will all agree that myths and
fables are usually beautiful truths clothed in fancy, and the dress is
almost always simple and transparent.
Who can study these myths and not feel that nature has a new language
for him, and that though the tales may be thousands of years old, they
are quite as true as they were in the days of Homer. If the trees and
the flowers, the clouds and the wind, all tell wonderful stories to the
child he has sources of happiness of which no power can deprive him.
And when we consider that here, too, is the key which unlocks so much of
the best in art and literature, we feel that we cannot rank too highly
the importance of the myth in the primary schoolroom.
For instance the child has been observing, reading, and writing about
the sun, the moon, the direction of the wind, the trees, the flowers, or
the forces that are acting around him. He has had the songs, poems, and
pictures connected with these lessons to further enhance his thought,
interest, and observation.
He is now given a beautiful myth. He is not expected to interpret it. It
is presented for the same purpose that a good picture is placed before
him. He feels its beauty, but does not analyze it.
If, through his observation or something in his experience, he _does see
a meaning_ in the story he has entered a new world of life and beauty.
Then comes the question to every thoughtful teacher, "Can the repetition
of words necessary to the growth of the child's vocabulary be obtained
in this way?"
This may be accomplished if the teacher in planning her year's work,
sees a close relation between the science, literature, and number work,
so that the same words are always recurring, and the interest in each
line of work is constant and ever increasing.
The following stories are suggested in the standard books of mythology
and poetry, and have been tested and found to be very helpful in the
first and third grades. A full list of myths, history stories and fairy
tales for the children in the different grades can be found in Emily J.
Rice's Course of Study in History and Literature, which can be obtained
of A. Flanagan, No. 262 Wabash avenue, Chicago.
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