按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The Little Red Hen； The Three Bears； The Red…
Headed Woodpecker； The Fox and the Grapes；
and many other simple stories； and in every
instance there was a noticeable degree of
spontaneity and command of expression。
When the reading classes were held； the
influence of this work was very visible。 It had
crept into the teachers' method； as well as the
children's attitude。 The story interest was still
paramount。 In the discussion； in the teachers'
remarks； and in the actual reading； there was
a joyousness and an interest in the subject…
matter which totally precluded that preoccupation
with sounds and syllables so deadly to any
real progress in reading。 There was less of the
mechanical in the reading than in any I had
heard in my visits to schools； but it was
exceptionally accurate。
The second form of giving back which has
proved a keen pleasure and a stimulus to growth
is a kind of 〃seat…work。〃 The children are
allowed to make original illustrations of the
stories by cutting silhouette pictures。
It will be readily seen that no child can do
this without visualising each image very
perfectly。 In the simplest and most unconscious
way possible； the small artists are developing
the power of conceiving and holding the concrete
image of an idea given； the power which
is at the bottom of all arts of expression。
Through the kindness of Miss Sweeney； I
am able to insert several of these illustrations。
They are entirely original； and were made without
any thought of such a use as this。
The pictures and the retelling are both
popular with children； but neither is as dear
to them as the third form of reproduction of
which I wish to speak。 This third kind is
taken entirely on the ground of play； and no
visibly didactic element enters into it。 It
consists simply of PLAYING THE STORY。
When a good story with a simple sequence
has been told； and while the children are still
athrill with the delight of it； they are told they
may play it。
〃Who would like to be Red Riding Hood？〃
says the teacher； up go the little girls' hands；
and Mary or Hannah or Gertrude is chosen。
〃Who will be the wolf？〃 Johnny or Marcus
becomes the wolf。 The kind woodchopper and
the mother are also happily distributed； for in
these little dramatic companies it is an all…star
cast； and no one realises any indignity in a
subordinate role。
〃Now； where shall we have little Red Riding
Hood's house？ ‘Over in that corner；' Katie？
Very well； Riding Hood shall live over there。
And where shall the grandmother's cottage be？〃
The children decide that it must be a long
distance through the wood；half…way round
the schoolroom； in fact。 The wolf selects the
spot where he will meet Red Riding Hood； and
the woodchopper chooses a position from which
he can rush in at the critical moment； to save
Red Riding Hood's life。
Then； with gusto good to see； they play the
game。 The teacher makes no suggestions；
each actor creates his part。 Some children
prove extremely expressive and facile； while
others are limited by nature。 But each is left
to his spontaneous action。
In the course of several days several sets of
children have been allowed to try； then if any
of them are notably good in the several roles；
they are given an especial privilege in that
story； as was done with the retelling。 When
a child expresses a part badly； the teacher
sometimes asks if anyone thinks of another
way to do it； from different examples offered；
the children then choose the one they prefer；
this is adopted。 At no point is the teacher
apparently teaching。 She lets the audience
teach itself and its actors。
The children played a good many stories
for me during my visit in Providence。 Of
them all； Red Riding Hood； The Fox and the
Grapes； and The Lion and the Mouse were most
vividly done。
It will be long before the chief of the Little
Red Riding Hoods fades from my memory。
She had a dark； foreign little face； with a
good deal of darker hair tied back from it；
and brown； expressive hands。 Her eyes were
so full of dancing lights that when they met
mine unexpectedly it was as if a chance
reflection had dazzled me。 When she was told
that she might play； she came up for her riding
hood like an embodied delight； almost dancing
as she moved。 （Her teacher used a few simple
elements of stage…setting for her stories； such
as bowls for the Bears； a cape for Riding
Hood； and so on。）
The game began at once。 Riding Hood
started from the rear corner of the room；
basket on arm； her mother gave her strict
injunctions as to lingering on the way； and she
returned a respectful 〃Yes； mother。〃 Then
she trotted round the aisle； greeting the wood…
chopper on the way； to the deep wood which
lay close by the teacher's desk。 There master
wolf was waiting； and there the two held
converse；master wolf very crafty indeed； Red
Riding Hood extremely polite。 The wolf then
darted on ahead and crouched down in the
corner which represented grandmother's bed。
Riding Hood tripped sedately to the imaginary
door； and knocked。 The familiar dialogue
followed； and with the words 〃the better to eat
you with； my dear！〃 the wolf clutched Red
Riding Hood； to eat her up。 But we were
not forced to undergo the threatened scene of
horrid carnage； as the woodchopper opportunely
arrived； and stated calmly； 〃I will not
let you kill Little Red Riding Hood。〃
All was now happily culminated； and with
the chopper's grave injunction as to future
conduct in her ears； the rescued heroine tip…
toed out of the woods； to her seat。
I wanted to applaud； but I realised in the
nick of time that we were all playing； and
held my peace。
The Fox and the Grapes was more dramatically
done； but was given by a single child。
He was the chosen 〃fox〃 of another primary
room； and had the fair colouring and sturdy
frame which matched his Swedish name。 He
was naturally dramatic。 It was easy to see
that he instinctively visualised everything； and
this he did so strongly that he suggested to
the onlooker every detail of the scene。
He chose for his grape…trellis the rear wall
of the room。
Standing there； he looked longingly up at
the invisible bunch of grapes。 〃My gracious；〃
he said； 〃what fine grapes！ I will have
some。〃
Then he jumped for them。
〃Didn't get them；〃 he muttered； 〃I'll try
again；〃 and he jumped higher。
〃Didn't get them this time；〃 he said
disgustedly； and hopped up once more。 Then he
stood still； looked up； shrugged his shoulders；
and remarked in an absurdly worldly…wise tone；
〃Those grapes are sour！〃 After which he
walked away。
Of course the whole thing was infantile； and
without a touch of grace； but it is no
exaggeration to say that the child did what many
grown…up actors fail to do；he preserved the
illusion。
It was in still another room that I saw the
lion and mouse fable played。
The lion lay flat on the floor for his nap；
but started up when he found his paw laid on
the little mouse； who crouched as small as she
could beside him。 （The mouse was by nature
rather larger than the lion； but she called
what art she might to her assistance） The
mouse persuaded the lion to lift his paw； and
ran away。
Presently a most horrific groaning emanated
from the lion。 The mouse ran up； looked him
over； and soliloquised in precise language；
evidently remembered； 〃What is the matter
with the lion？ Oh； I see； he is caught in a
trap。〃 And then she gnawed with her teeth
at the imaginary rope which bound him。
〃What makes you so kind to me； little Mouse？〃
said the rescued lion。
〃You let me go； when I asked you；〃 said the
mouse demurely。
〃Thank you； little Mouse；〃 answered the
lion； and therewith； finis。
It is not impossible that all this play
atmosphere may seem incongruous and unnecessary
to teachers used to more conventional methods；
but I feel sure that an actual experience of it
would modify that point of view conclusively。
The children of the schools where story…telling
and 〃dramatising〃 were practised were startlingly
better in reading； in attentiveness； and
in general power of expression； than the pupils
of like social conditions in the same grades of
other cities which I visited soon after； and in
which the more conventional methods were
exclusively used。 The teachers； also； were
stronger in power of expression。
But the most noticeable； though the least
tangible； difference was in the moral atmosphere
of the schoolroom。 There had been a great
gain in vitality in all the rooms where stories
were a part of the work。 It had acted and
reacted on pupils and teachers alike。 The telling
of a story well so depends on being thoroughly
vitalised that； naturally； habitual t