LOCAL LEAGUE WORK

Memphis League

The program for the current year embraces a study of the stories of Ancient Greece, Rome and Italy, Germany, France, Russia, and Japan, interspersed with meetings devoted to the study of stories of Christmas and other holidays. One of the October meetings was devoted to Thanksgiving stories. The topic for the Second meeting in November was “Xerxes and Prehistoric Stories.” The meetings of this league are conducted primarily for the benefit of teachers to prepare them for telling stories to their classes.

Tuscumbia, Alabama

Two flourishing junior leagues are maintained in the Tuscumbia public schools. One is made up from pupils of the fifth and sixth grades; the other from pupils of the third and fourth grades. They meet every Friday afternoon for story-telling. The children are greatly interested and are eager for some new stories. It is the purpose of The Story Hour to supply just such needs, both by the stories it reproduces and by directing to good books of stories.

Blue Mountain, Miss.

Excellent work is reported from the leagues in Blue Mountain College, at Mississippi Heights. These three leagues are among the first to have been organized in the State. One league is for the teacher girls of the school and two are for the boys and girls respectively. Mrs. Jennie M. Hardy, who organized these leagues, more recently organized work at some of the State Summer Schools. She also organized the league at the Sherman State Normal, in July, this year.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Cincinnati Story Tellers’ League was organized Sept. 23, 1906, at the Kindergarten Training School on Linton Street, and has conducted two successful series of meetings. The last annual report shows a membership of sixty. Meetings have been held once a month, on the fourth Tuesday, at 7:15 p.m., sometimes in School houses and at other times at the homes of members. A variety of interesting subjects have been profitably considered, as indicated in the following schedules of meetings:—

Nov. 1906, “Historical Stories;” Feb. 5, 1907, “Bible Stories;” March, 1907, “Parables, Fables and Allegories;” April, 1907, “Fairy Stories and Myths;” Jan, 1908, “Legends of the American Indians;” Feb. 1908, “Norse Legends;” March, 1908, “East India and Art;” April, 1908, “Japan.” At the May, 1908, meeting a program of miscellaneous stories was given, including “An Adaptation of the Story ‘Cinderella’,” by Miss Lillian Southgate; “A Mother’s Love,” by Mrs. H. Dickore; “The Camel and the Jackal,” by Miss Pearl Carpenter; “A Story of Great Love,” by Rabbi Grossmann; “A Hindoo Tale;” by Miss Reta M. Lockhart. The program was enlivened with songs by Mrs. M. T. Williams.

The June meeting was held out under the trees of Eden Park, when many enjoyable stories were told.

Des Moines, Iowa

The graduates of the Primary Training Department of Drake University who are teaching in Des Moines met during the Summer of 1908 and organized a Story Tellers’ League, with Mrs. Ella Ford Miller, of Drake University, as president. The first meeting was held early in November at the University. It is proposed to make a special study of stories and Story-telling for primary grades.

The girls of the Primary Training Department of Drake University have also organized a club to meet twice a month, taking up practically the same work.

Covington, Ky., Teachers’ League

A number of teachers in the Public Schools of Covington, Ky., who believe in the value of constructive literature, particularly in the primary and grammar grades, organized themselves into a Story Tellers’ League in October, 1908. These teachers represent all the grades of the Public Schools and every school in the city. Their purpose is to cultivate the art of story-telling so that they may make use of it in the school-room for ethical instruction, as an aid to composition, both oral and written, to enliven the teaching of history and geography, and to stimulate nature-study. There is filed with the editor of this league the source, the outline, the purpose of each story told, so that the members who may have use for it in their work may have ready access to it. By the interchange of their experiences with their stories in the school-room, the teachers hope to develop a plan by which the pupils in their charge may be made acquainted, in a systematic and natural way, with the great stories every child should know.

Covington, Ky., Junior League

In November, 1906, some forty students in the High School at Covington, Ky., were organized into a Junior Story Tellers’ League. They met in the school on alternate Fridays, immediately after dismissal. From the beginning, the meetings were interesting, profitable and instructive. So enjoyable were they, that members of the faculty were pleased to come in, not occasionally, but regularly, to listen, and to contribute their share to the pleasure of the meeting. The programs were definitely planned, and a variety of stories was told at each meeting. These included myths, fairy-tales, folk-tales, fables, festival-stories, Bible-stories, and an occasional good anecdote. During the first year, also, there was a systematic presentation of the King Arthur legends in story form; and during the second year the story of Ulysses was developed in the same manner. At the close of the regular program, volunteer stories were called for, and there was always a response.

Many excellent story-tellers were developed, and one genius was discovered. The latter was a girl, who, at fifteen, gave promise of becoming a rival to Uncle Remus, himself, in telling, in dialect, the folk-tales of the South. Our National President, after hearing her, saw fit to invite her to tell stories before the Knoxville Convention of 1907.

In May, 1908, a public meeting was held, to which the parents, teachers, and friends of the story-tellers were invited. No successful evening’s entertainment was ever so easily prepared. Seven students, whose stories, told at the regular meetings, had been so well selected and so charmingly presented that their companions desired to hear them again, were elected to tell them in public. This, with some musical selections furnished by the school glee-clubs, formed the program of the evening, which an enthusiastic audience voted a success. The outcome of that meeting was a demand for two more leagues, one of which has recently been organized.

Mankato, Minn.

Our organization is very simple. The club membership changes from term to term of our school year. Three times a year a group of from fifteen to twenty-five comes to me as student teachers. We then organize a Story Club which meets once in two weeks. We elect an Executive Committee. This Committee, a group of three, prepare the programs. We have our meetings in different homes and serve very simple refreshments. Those not on the program bring their needle work.

I have had in mind these ends in keeping up the organization,—First, A good time together;—Second, A better knowledge of Story material; and Third, An opportunity to tell stories.

We have as yet no Junior organization. I have thought of it, but am not quite sure whether it is the best thing for us. All teachers should feel indebted to the National League. I have this year for the first time told stories to “grown-ups” and am amazed at their delight in them.

Helen M. Reynolds.

Oxford, Ohio.

Among the lecturers in the summer term of the Ohio State Normal College of Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, during the summer of 1908, was Mr. Richard Wyche, who has done so much to advance the great movement known as the Story Tellers’ League. Through his inspiration there gathered at twilight every Wednesday evening under the magnificent trees of the campus a group of students and faculty members to tell stories.

Realizing the possibilities for a greater field of work, a permanent organization was effected known as the Story Telling League of the Ohio State Normal College of Miami University. The constitution was a very flexible one, the main condition being for each member to pledge himself on his return home to organize a branch league. One hundred and fifty-six members promised service.

In various County Teachers’ Institutes held in the State during the month of August, branch leagues were formed, meeting in church, school house, library, village park or courthouse. Everywhere the harvest fields were ripe and workers ready and eager. From all parts of the country, even as remote as the state of Washington, came inquiries for help in the movement of such promising influence.

Annie E. Logan.

NATIONAL LEAGUE NOTES

On November 19, at 2:45 p.m., the Detroit University School held an invitation gathering in honor of Richard T. Wyche, President of the National Story Tellers’ League. Mr. Wyche made an address on story telling to children.

Dr. Henry Van Dyke, Princeton University, who is a member of the Advisory Board of the National Story Tellers’ League, has accepted the American Lectureship in the University of Paris for the current year. He writes to express interest in the League work, but regrets that, on account of absence, he will not be able to take any active part this year.

Prof. A. E. Frye, Author of the well-known School Geographies, says:

“I have been greatly interested in examining your Geography and History games. While the minds of children are keenly alert in the rivalry of games, important facts are easily and firmly fixed in memory. * * * The products of happy work carry farthest in our lives.”

The “NEW GAMES”

Graded Educational Series

NOW READY

AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1783, Intermediate

LIFE OF CHRIST (for Sunday), Special

WORLD GEOGRAPHY, Advanced

PRICE FOR THIS SALE, ONLY 15¢. EACH

“OTHERS” IN PREPARATION

The Fidelity Publishing Company

406 Fifth Street N.W. Washington, D. C.

Hugh Cork, Sec’y International Sunday School Ass’n, Chicago, says:

“I have tried it (the Bible “NEW GAME”) with my five children on Sunday afternoons and find it most interesting, profitable, and in line with what should be the spirit of the day. I believe it will solve the question as to what to do with children on Sunday.”

Story-Telling to Children

BY MISS SUSAN HOLTON at Clubs, Churches, Schools, Libraries, and Private Houses. Send for circular. 37 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, Mass., or 311 N. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, Penna.

SCHOOL PRINTING

¶ WE Can Save You Money on this class of work. Our plant is equipped with the best modern machinery, we employ only the most skilled workmen, and give the same attention to all jobs, large or small. Mail orders given prompt attention.

The Colonial Printing Company

406 Fifth Street N.W. Washington, D. C.

Transcriber’s Notes: Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected. Typographical errors were silently corrected. Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book.