Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 10: The Guide

by Charles Herbert Sylvester

It has become customary in most schools to observe with appropriate exercises certain notable days. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Arbor Day, and Bird Day have their own peculiar functions and for each there is a different style of observance. Recitations, songs, readings, stories, help to make up the programs, and upon the parent often falls most of the burden in selecting material. In many states the Department of Education issues beautiful circulars on some of these special days, and from them the teacher draws some of her material and forms her program for the occasion. Yet when the one or two days for which material has been provided have passed there come a number of others which make their demands. Besides those mentioned, there are the birthdays of our great patriots and literary men and the general exercises at other times for which no special provision has been made. For the busy parent, teacher or pupil, Journeys Through Bookland provides an almost inexhaustible supply of excellent things, most of which may be found readily through the Index. Moreover, the selections are from the best literature for children, from that which they should know, so that the tired and harrassed mother need not worry for fear that the children are filling their minds with useless things.

It does not seem worth while to give long lists of selections appropriate to special days, as things are well classified in the Index in the tenth volume. Yet to show more fully how Journeys Through Bookland may be used, the following suggestions are offered:

I. Bird Day. Besides many other selections that are usable in different grades, the following seem peculiarly appropriate:

• 1. The Fox and the Crow, Volume I, page 64. (This and the other fables mentioned below may be repeated as given or, better, may be told by a pupil in his own words.)
• 2. The Fox and the Stork, I, 73.
• 3. The Wolf and the Crane, I, 96.
• 4. The Lark and Her Young Ones, I, 131.
• 5. The Brown Thrush, I, 147.
• 6. The Owl and the Pussy-cat, I, 339.
• 7. Minerva and the Owl, II, 7.
• 8. The Sparrow and the Eagle, II, 8.
• 9. Who Stole the Bird’s Nest? II, 399.
• 10. The Barefoot Boy, IV, 3.
• 11. Ode to a Skylark, VII, 275.
• 12. (See also the lists of articles relating to birds, given under the section devoted to [Nature Study] in this volume.)

II. Memorial Day. A few of the selections suitable for this occasion are the following:

• 1. Sheridan’s Ride, Volume IV, page 223.
• 2. The American Flag, V, 396.
• 3. “Stonewall” Jackson’s Way, V, 400.
• 4. Breathes There the Man, VII, 151.
• 5. For A’ That and A’ That, VII, 149.
• 6. How Sleep the Brave, VII, 151.
• 7. The Picket Guard, VII, 177.
• 8. The Gettysburg Address, IX, 321.
• 9. Abraham Lincoln, IX, 324.
• 10. (See also in the Index the titles under the words [Patriotism] and [History].)

III. Christmas. There are at least three selections dealing specifically with Christmas, while many others are appropriate to the time:

• 1. A Visit from St. Nicholas, Volume II, page 202.
• 2. A Christmas Carol, VI, 244. (This may be made the basis of a very interesting afternoon. Parts of the story may be told briefly, parts may be read in full, parts recited and parts given as a dialogue. Thus the spirit of Christmas cheer and good will that animates this beautiful story may be communicated to the pupils in the pleasantest of ways and one that will be remembered.)
• 3. Christmas in the Old Time, VI, page 356.

IV. Birthdays. In the Index will be found the names of a number of great men and women of whom there are biographical sketches and from whose writings quotations have been made. Each of these may be made the subject of a general exercise at an appropriate time.

V. Dramatization. Many a poem or story may be put into dramatic form with very little effort and thus furnish an exercise for several pupils at the same time. The descriptive parts may be read by a pupil not in the dialogue or may be omitted. In the latter case, acting may fill the void or the narrative may be made into conversation between the characters. Some rearrangement may be necessary and a little change in phraseology may be needed. Such adaptations the pupils may make themselves. The following scenes may be used by pupils of different ages: