As the idea developed its possibilities began to be more fully realized. Here was an opportunity of enlisting the sympathies of some of the brightest young men and young women of the University, in the great stories of the world; stories of all ages and all countries; prose and verse, ranging from the fairy tale to the Iliad. And, moreover, it was thought that the interest would not be a passing one, but permanent. The necessity of mastering the outlines of a story, the practice in recreating it by memory and imagination, the vivifying of it through the emotions and the personality of the teller, was believed to furnish an exercise in many ways more pleasurable and profitable than those obtained in the usual recitation.
The result more than fulfilled all expectations. The club was formed on the Twenty-ninth of February, Nineteen hundred and eight. Since that time it has not missed a single meeting. The membership averages about twelve from year to year. Most of these on leaving the University become teachers and carry the work into their schools, teachers’ institutes, and public entertainments. Several times the club has been invited to give a public performance. Invitations to its meetings are eagerly welcomed and the young people who tell the stories never lack for an appreciative audience.
Detroit, Michigan, has recently organized a Story Tellers’ League. Miss Mary Conover is President, and Miss Alice M. Alexander, Secretary. The first program is devoted to Irish stories; the second evening Folk stories. Hero tales for another meeting, with Bible and Animal stories to make up the programs for two meetings. The League meets at the College Club rooms, and has a membership of thirty.
HOW TO ORGANIZE A STORY TELLERS’ LEAGUE
“I have just read an article in the March number of The World’s Work, on the Story Tellers’ League movement, have heard of the Story Tellers’ League, or read a chapter in Mr. Wyche’s book, ‘Some Good Stories and How to Tell Them,’ on the Story Tellers’ League, and should like to organize such a league in my community. How shall I go about it?”
This is a question that comes almost every day to some officer of the Story Tellers’ League.
The method of procedure in organizing a Story Tellers’ League is a very simple one. The first step is to call a meeting of as many prospective members as can be gotten together. A chairman and secretary pro tem should then be elected and the meeting called to order. The organizer should then state the purpose of the meeting, ask for the enrollment of the names and addresses of those who wish to join and have these recorded by the secretary.