In the following article,contributed to Public Libraries for November,1908,Mr.John Cotton Dana protests against the popular idea of library story-telling and advocates instruction given to teachers both in story-telling and in the use of books as a better method "as to cost and results."John Cotton Dana was born in Woodstock,Vermont,in 1856,received the degree of A.B.from Dartmouth in 1878,and studied law in Woodstock from 1878to 1880.He was a land surveyor in Colorado in 1880-1881,was admitted to the New York bar in 1883,and spent 1886-1887in Colorado as a civil engineer.He was Librarian of the Denver Public Library from 1889to 1897;of the City Library,Springfield,Mass.,from 1898-1902,and since 1902has been Librarian of the Free Public Library of Newark,N.J.
Story-telling to groups of young children is now popular among librarians.The art is practiced chiefly by women.No doubt one reason for its popularity is that it gives those who practice it the pleasures of the teacher,the orator and the exhorter.It must be a delight to have the opportunity to hold the attention of a group of children;to see their eyes sparkle as the story unwinds itself;to feel that you are giving the little people high pleasure,and at the same time are improving their language,their morals,their dramatic sense,their power of attention and their knowledge of the world's literary masterpieces.Also,it is pleasant to realize that you are keeping them off the streets;are encouraging them to read good books;are storing their minds with charming pictures of life and are making friends for your library.
In explaining its popularity I have stated briefly the arguments usually given in favor of library story-telling.There is another side.
A library's funds are never sufficient for all the work that lies before it.Consequently,the work a library elects to do is done at the cost of certain other work it might have done.The library always puts its funds,skill and energy upon those things which it thinks are most important,that is,are most effective in the long run,in educating the community.Now,the schools tell stories to children,and it is obviously one of their proper functions so to do at such times,to such an extent and to such children as the persons in charge of the schools think wise.It is probable that the schoolmen know better when and how to include story-telling in their work with a given group of children than do the librarians.If a library thinks it knows about this subject more than do the schools,should it spend time and money much needed for other things in trying to take up and carry on the schools'work?It would seem not.Indeed,the occasional story-telling which the one library of a town or city can furnish is so slight a factor in the educational work of that town or city as to make the library's pride over its work seem very ludicrous.
If,now,the library by chance has on its staff a few altruistic,emotional,dramatic and irrepressible child-lovers who do not find ordinary library work gives sufficient opportunities for altruistic indulgence,and if the library can spare them from other work,let it set them at teaching the teachers the art of story-telling.
