X.—Lastly, the element to avoid is that which rouses emotions which cannot be translated into action.
Mr. Earl Barnes, to whom all teachers owe a debt of gratitude for the inspiration of his education views, insists strongly on this point. The sole effect of such stories is to produce a form of hysteria, fortunately short-lived, but a waste of force which might be directed into a better channel.[23] Such stories are so easy to recognise that it would be useless to make a formal list, but I shall make further allusion to this in dealing with stories from the lives of the saints.
These, then, are the main elements to avoid in the selection of material suitable for normal children. Much might be added in the way of detail, and the special tendency of the day may make it necessary to avoid one class of story more than another; but this care belongs to another generation of teachers and parents.
FOOTNOTES:
[18] Such works as “Ministering Children,” “The Wide, Wide World,” “The Fairchild Family,” are instances of the kind of story I mean, as containing too much analysis of emotion.
[19] One child's favourite book bore the exciting title of “Birth, Life and Death of Crazy Jane.”
[20] This does not imply that the child would not appreciate in the right context the thrilling and romantic story in connection with the finding of the Elgin marbles.
[21] One is almost inclined to prefer Marjorie Fleming's little innocent oaths. “But she was more than usual calm. She did not give a single dam.”
[22] From “Literary Values.”
[23] A story is told of Confucius, that having attended a funeral he presented his horse to the chief mourner. When asked why he bestowed this gift, he replied: “I wept with the man, so I feel I ought to do something for him.”