Once upon a time, not so many years ago, a librarian in one of our large
cities conceived the idea of forming a hero club for the boys of her
neighborhood. So it came to pass that for two years, every Wednesday
evening, between thirty and fifty young heroes assembled in the
club-room of the library to listen to the story of some great hero, told
either by the librarian or by some visiting story-teller.
Now, as the object of the club was not only amusement, helpful
entertainment, and inspiration, but also to influence the boys’ reading,
they were introduced first to the Greek heroes: Theseus, Perseus,
Hercules, Jason, and the heroes of Troy. And after these came the heroes
of chivalry: Charlemagne, Roland, Oliver, Ogier the Dane, and the four
Aymon brothers. Then followed Siegfried, King Arthur, and the Red Cross
Knight. Yea, and even that gay little fellow in green—brave Robin Hood.
And sprinkled in with these more or less mythological heroes were those
of a more practical type: Father Damien, Livingstone, Lincoln, Peter
Cooper, and a number of every-day heroes who so well exemplify the
growth in heroic ideals in our century as contrasted with those of
primitive times. Boy Heroes were also presented, and finally, in her
search for good story-hour material, the librarian decided to introduce
the boys to some of the great Persian heroes—they being not so well
known.
And, since the boys’ delight in this series of stories really inspired
the thought of making it possible for other story-tellers and older boys
and girls to enjoy them too, therefore this book is appropriately and
affectionately dedicated to the Hero Boys of the Bushwick Branch of the
Brooklyn Public Library—a more appreciative and promising set of youths
than whom never resolved to do, and dare, and be—good, practical,
every-day heroes.
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