The institutions in connection with which storytelling is carried
on are: The Chicago Public Library, the municipal parks and
playgrounds, social settlements, vacation schools, institutional
churches, hospitals, and the United Charities. The private
organizations supporting the storytelling movement financially,
by the employment of special storytellers, are: The Library
Extension Story Hour Committee, the Permanent School Extension
Committee, the Library Committee, the Daughters of the American
Revolution, and various women's clubs of Chicago.
A league has been formed of those who are telling stories under
the auspices of the public library. The league holds meetings
once a month for the purpose of upholding the standard of story
work and to strengthen the co-operation with the library. Stories
from Scandinavian literature, and stories of patriotism related
to the different nationalities represented in the story hour
groups, have been notably successful in Chicago.
The following statements are made by (1) Mr. E. B. De Groot,
director of the playgrounds and field houses. "I think that the
story hour is the only passive occupation that should be given an
equal place with the active occupations. I see in the story hour,
not only splendid possibilities but a logical factor in the
comprehensive playground scheme. The place of the story hour, I
believe, is definite and comparable with any first choice
activity. It is unfortunate that we are unable to secure as
playground teachers, at the present time, good story hour men and
women."
(2) Mr. Henry E. Legler, Librarian of the Chicago Public Library:
"We are now engaged in developing the branch library system of
the city, and no doubt storytelling will be made incidentally a
feature of the work planned for the children's rooms. This work
must be done by the children's librarians, the storytelling
growing out of library work and merging into it in order that its
most effective side be legitimately developed." (Mr. Legler
states his views with regard to storytelling and other features
of work for children in an article entitled "The Chicago Public
Library and Co-operation with the Schools." Educational
Bi-Monthly, April, 1910).
(3) Mrs. Gudrun Thorne-Thomsen: "As to the future of the movement
I believe the purposes are best served by the storyteller being
an integral member of the organization she serves. I believe that
if the organizations which express themselves so sympathetic
toward the work would co-operate and give definite instruction in
storytelling to their workers, and also give them a fair amount
of supervision and direction, the whole movement might be placed
on a dignified and wholesome basis."