ITERATURE. ONE YEAR WITH LONGFELLOW, By MAY MCINTOSH, PD. M. From "Michael Angelo." "The nimble lie Is like the second-hand upon a clock; This little parable will have the best effect, if, the week before it is given, there has been a review of lessons on the clock, so that the subject is freshly in mind, although the teacher need not make the connection in words. "The goal" is the only word requiring explanation, and should also have been provided for incidentally, in some previous lesson for language or reproduction. Second Week, From "The Birds of Killingworth." The robin and the bluebird, piping loud, Filled all the blossoming orchards with their glee The sparrows chirped as if they still were proud Their race in holy writ should mentioned be; And hungry crows assembled in a crowd, Clamored their piteous prayer incessantly, Knowing who hears the ravens cry, and said: 'Give us, O Lord, this day our daily bread!'” teacher to look up the subject in a large illustrated dictionary, or better still an encyclopedia. The "Kindergarten Magazine " for the winter months of 1891, gave some very practical Natural History and Science papers by Edward G. Howe, and in one of them the subject of recognizing the different evergreens was very fully treated. "Jargoning like a foreigner "—" Jargon" in its acquired sense means an indistinguishable gabble; but it was originally applied to a corruption of Hebrew into a dialect, I think by Russian or Polish Jews, but have not been able to verify my vague remembrance of a newspaper statement. Fourth Week. Think, every morning when the sun peeps through The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove How jubilant the happy birds renew Their old, melodious madrigals of love! And when you think of this, remember too 'Tis always morning somewhere, and above The awakening continents, from shore to shore, Somewhere the birds are singing evermore." Any tree in sunshine will show the "leaf-latticed windows of the grove," but the rough drawing of the lattice in a cottage-window, or an illustration in almost any of the fairy-books may be needed to explain that old-fashioned form of window frame. "Jubilant," refer to "Jubilee "-from Heb. yobel or jobel, the blast of a trumpet. "Jubilee" was the time of the release of all Jewish slaves or alienated lands every fiftieth year, hence, a time of great rejoicing. "Madrigals," an old-fashioned name for an irregular lyric poem, generally pastoral or amatory in subject, and usually in several parts. Emphasize the last three lines. Even little children are quick to seize the gladsome and hopeful thought so presented. Continents may need a word of explana"Orchards "-how many kinds do the children know tion with a school-class that has not graduated from a kinof? Have pictures of American and English robin, show-dergarten where the stories of the "Seven Little Sisters" ing difference, and also one of bluebird. "Sparrows" mentioned "in Holy Writ "-where, and in what words. The poem "I'm only a little sparrow" is very simple and childlike for collateral reading. Who knows how the crows live? Rooks live together in large numbers in "rookeries "; crows live in pairs; ravens and jackdaws belong to the same (corvidæ or crow) family. Their cries are similar, "caw-aw," "caw-aw," kept up in a monotonous sawing fashion. Tell, or have some child do so, the story of Elijah and the ravens, and bring out, in simple and childlike language, the idea of the constant loving care over all living things of our heavenly Father. are told and re-told by the children. HOURS WITH AMERICAN POETS. Born Nov. 3, 1794. Died June 12, 1878. As a sketch of this author's life will be found in the little Riverside pamphlet before mentioned-" Portraits I shall only give a few supplementary suggestions. The and Biographical Sketches of Twenty American Authors," most satisfactory short life of Bryant for school purposes that has come to my notice is that by Miss Jennie E. Keysor, Omaha, Neb., in the "Popular Educator" for December, 1890. If her series of American writers is republished in book-form, I should strongly advise all literature-teachers to make it their own. Her work is excellent, and to be depended upon. The preface to "Bryant's Poetical Works," by R. H. Stoddard is also valuable; but the "Biography and Letters," by Parke Godwin, is too diffuse, containing much of interest, it is true, but also much that might have been omitted with advantage. I will, however, quote a passage from this work which gives striking prominence to Mr. Bryant's position as the Father of American Poetry. "At that day no such thing as an American literature, in the proper sense of the word, existed. Fisher Amos, "In Europe the old spirit was visibly giving way to the new. Kant's three wonderful volumes of criticism were but recently from the press, and yet they had already moulded the acute and active German mind into new forms. Goethe had printed Goetz von Berlichingen' and Schiller his 'Robbers,' and both were advancing to other and better work. In England the long reign of the Queen Anne's men was on the decline. Cowper, though he would write no more, had yet six years to live; Burns was singing a swan song of departure; Scott was hunting up the old ballads of the Scottish borders; Byron was a boy at Harrow; Shelley was in his cradle, and Keats was not yet born; but the titanic Landor had issued his first book, and Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Southey were dreaming pantisocratic dreams of a golden age, not to be set agoing, as they fondly thought, in America, but in the pages of their own poetry, destined to revive the melodious bursts that fill The spacious time of great Elizabeth!'" We must keep in mind, therefore, that Bryant, although undoubtedly America's first great poet, could not but feel the influence of his time, and show it in his various writings to some extent. His writings compare most nearly with those of James Thomson, author of the "Seasons," Wm. Cowper (in the "Task "), and William Wordsworth (in the "Excursion"), doing for the American scenery what they did for English country life. He and they, are at one in their manner of coupling elevated moral sentiment with rural sights and sounds. I will add to the list of favorite poems given in Miss Keysor's article the following: "The Prairies"; "Inscription for the Entrance to a Wood"; "An Invitation to the Country"; "The Snow-Shower"; "The Wind and Stream"; "The Tides "; and the "Fifth Book of Homer's Odyssey." Of the poem chosen for this month's especial study, Edmund Clarence Stedman writes: "Read The Evening Wind,' see him (Bryant) in his most spontaneous mood." THE EVENING WIND. By WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. 1. Spirit that breathest through my lattice, thou Roughening their crests, and scattering high their spray. 2. Nor I alone, a thousand bosoms round Lies the vast inland, stretched beyond the sight. The faint old man shall lean his silver head To feel thee; thou shalt kiss the child asleep. And dry the moistened curls that overspread His temples, while his breathing grows more deep; And they, who stand about the sick man's bed Shall joy to listen to thy distant sweep, And softly part his curtains to allow Thy visit, grateful to his burning brow. 6. Go, but the circle of eternal change, Which is the life of nature, shall restore, Shall tell the homesick mariner of the shore; SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. 1. What books are your pupils reading? 2. What effort are you making to encourage your pupils to read good books? 3. Have you a list of books which you can recommend to girls which will inspire them to become more womanly? 4. Have you a list of books which you can recommend to boys which will inspire them to become more manly? 5. Have your pupils access to a library? 6. If so do they know how to take all the necessary steps to secure books? 7. Have you talked over the books with your pupils ? 8. Have you thought of how much a person may be influenced by what he reads? 9. Do you think you are doing your duty as a teacher if you do not do all in your power to encourage a love for good literature? This now justly popular book is in its fourth edition, which is enlarged and revised. Dr. Mowry, one of the best of teachers, gave these "talks" to his boys in his grammar school in Providence, R. I. Their publication was received with delight and they have been an inspiration to thousands of teachers and boys. There is no healthier form of literature for boys than these "talks " and they should be read by our boys throughout the land. They would make valuable supplementary reading books for the middle and upper grades of gram mar schools. Let Him First Be A Man, And Other Essays Chiefly Relating to Education and Culture.-By W. H. Venable, LL.D. Boston: Lee & Shepard. Dr. Venable is a well-known author and lecturer on school subjects, and in collecting and arranging his essays and contributions he has done a valuable service to the cause of education. Some of the subjects of the book are: The Functions of the Preparatory School; Schoolmastery; Nature the Sovereign Schoolmistress; Books and Reading; Studies in the History of Education; The Utility of the Ideal; etc. Every page bristles with epigrams and sparkles with humor. Pathos is not lacking, but over all and under all is a profound belief in the sacredness of the teacher's calling. Every teacher should own, read and study Dr. Venable's book. It's mule sense to pay fifty dollars for a watch when you can get as good for ten dollars or less. It is better to be right than to be-left. It looks the same, Wears the same, As a fifty-dollar watch. You'll never be LEFT WITH THE Quick-Winding Waterbury. It is modern. All jewelers sell it. $4 to $15. If any jeweler does not keep the Waterbury watches, write us. WATERBURY WATCH CO., Waterbury, Conn. The Man Without A Country.—By Edward Everett Hale. Boston: Roberts Brothers. Paper. Pp. 106. Price 30 cents. This classic was first published in 1863 and has run through many editions since that date. It is one of the sublimest bits of writing in the English language and will be read as long as our country exists, and its flag is revered, and our country will exist and its flag revered as long as it is read. It should be found in every schoolroom in the Union and should be read by every pupil. It teaches the healthiest form of patriotism and breathes a spirit which if it animates the youth of our land will make them noble citizens of our great Republic. The Famous Allegories. Selections and Extracts for Reading and Study. By James Baldwin, Ph. D. Boston: Silver, Burdett & Co. This is the second volume in the series of Select English Classics and comprises upwards of twenty well-known allegories. In selecting, editing and arranging these allegories into one compact volume, Dr. Baldwin has done literature a signal service and their use in schools will do much to foster a love for the study of this form of writing. The list begins with the Vision of William concerning Piers Ploughman, and continues with the Romaunt of the Rose, The Court of Lone, Parliament of Foules, Purple Island, Faerie Queene, Pilgrim's Progress, Vision of Mirza, Castle of Indolence, etc. Macaulay's Milton and Addison.-Edited by James Chalmers, LL. D. Boston: Leach, Shewell and Sanborn. Boards. Pp. 190. Price 42 cents. These famous essays of Milton have been added to the growing series of English Classics, under the able supervision of Dr. Chalmers. Among the features of the volume are to be noted a carefully selected text, a consensus of opinion concerning Macaulay as an essayist, and a selected list of the best critical and biographical references on Macaulay. Helps in Teaching Color. Prang's Standard Colored Papers have been prepared with special reference to the need of proper materials for teaching Color in the public schools. The standards of Color presented have been adopted after long study of the theory of Color and wide experience in the actual use of Color, as well as after conference with leading artists and colorists both in this country and abroad. The color materials are entirely free from arsenic. For further information regarding Prang's Address: COLOR CHARTS. COLOR TABLETS. COLORED PAPERS. The Prang Educational Company, 646 WASHINGTON ST., 43-47 EAST TENTH ST., 151 WABASH AVE., The Subscribers to this journal are cordially invited to become its agents. Send to us for terms and a few sample copies; hand the samples to your fellow teachers and ask them to examine with a view to subscribing for a year. Three out of five will do so without urging; frequently every teacher in a school wishes the journal. The work is very easy and will occupy but little time. Try it. We give very liberal commissions. We wish a representative in every town and at every institute and teachers' meeting. |